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Welcome to our searchable database of education resources created by NOAA and our partners. If you have issues or feedback, please let us know by filling out our feedback form offsite link or sending us an email at education@noaa.gov.
Tips for using the database
Searching for terms that contain more than one word.
Use quotation marks around multiple-word phrases you want to search. For example, searching “climate change” will return resources about “climate change.” If you don’t include quotation marks, it will return resources that include either the word “climate” or “change.”
Opening resources in a new tab.
Follow the instructions below for the device you are using.
- PC: Hold down the control (ctrl) key while clicking the link. Or, right-click the link and select “open in new tab.”
- Mac: Hold down the command key while clicking the link.
- iPhone or iPad: Press and hold the link. Select “open in new tab” from the pop-up menu.
- Android device: Press and hold the link. Select “open in new tab” from the pop-up menu
Expanding categories.
Each category has a plus sign (+) to expand the available filters within the category. Some categories have subcategories. Look for the plus sign (+) to see more filterable items.
Making the most of the filterable categories.
There are several categories you can use to filter through the resources.
- “Audience” filters by grade level, including postsecondary education, and also has a filter option for adult learners.
- “Subject” filters by the general subject area, such as Arts, Earth science, Math, and more.
- “Resource Type” filters allow you to look for resources ranging from activities, lessons, and units to videos or background information.
- “Topic” filters are more specific than subject. They include filters such as climate, freshwater, and weather and atmosphere.
- “NGSS DCI” filters by Next Generation Science Standards Disciplinary Core Ideas. Only activities, lessons, and units (and no other resource types) have NGSS DCI associated with them. Not all activities, lessons, and units have this alignment.
- “Special categories” offers additional filters for specific types of resources and topics, such as printables, resources available in other languages, and safety/preparedness.
Exploring activities, lessons, and units.
Activities, lessons, and units are bundled together under resource type. You can expand to filter for only one type. Activity/demonstration refers to straightforward activities with little or no classroom strategy or pedagogy. Lesson refers to structured activities that are intended for a classroom audience. Module/unit refers to a collection of lessons that can build upon each other over multiple class periods or times of instruction; some people might call this a curriculum.
Understanding instructional strategies.
Within special categories, there is an expandable filter called “instructional strategies.” This includes special filters that are applicable for some lessons, activities, and units, including things like “outdoor education” and “uses data.”
- Activities, lessons, and units (216)
- Arts and crafts (6)
- (-) Background information (239)
- Career profile (95)
- Citizen science project (12)
- Collection (199)
- Coloring/activity book (37)
- Contest (3)
- Data product (162)
- Job seeker resource (11)
- Multimedia (544)
- NOAA Education resource collection (25)
- Poster/brochure (29)
- Related story (182)
- Climate (50)
- Freshwater (27)
- Marine life
(64)
- Adaptations (2)
- Aquatic food webs (10)
- Coral reef ecosystems (10)
- Conservation (7)
- Ecosystems (17)
- Endangered species (1)
- Entanglement (3)
- Fish (16)
- Fisheries and seafood (17)
- Invasive marine species (2)
- Invertebrates (12)
- Life in an estuary (9)
- Marine mammals (23)
- Plankton (3)
- Salmon (3)
- Sea turtles (13)
- Seabirds (7)
- Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants (4)
- Sharks, rays, and skates (6)
- NOAA careers (2)
- Ocean and coasts
(98)
- Earth processes (7)
- Harmful algal blooms (4)
- Maritime archaeology and history (7)
- Ocean acidification (10)
- Ocean chemistry (5)
- Ocean currents (19)
- Ocean exploration (12)
- Ocean floor features (16)
- Ocean pollution and marine debris (27)
- Ocean sounds (2)
- Oil spills (17)
- Rip currents (2)
- Sea level rise (2)
- Tides (10)
- Tsunamis (14)
- Space (18)
- Technology and engineering (54)
- Weather and atmosphere (80)
- ESS2: Earth’s Systems (5)
- ESS3: Earth and Human Activity (4)
- ETS1: Engineering Design (5)
- LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics (3)
- LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity (2)
- PS1: Matter and Its Interactions (3)
- PS2: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (1)
- PS3: Energy (3)
- PS4: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer (2)
- B-WET grantee (2)
- Carbon educational tools (1)
- Climate.gov (1)
- Deep Ocean Education Project Website (1)
- Deep ocean fact sheets (1)
- Do you NOAA? (1)
- ELP grantee (1)
- ESRL Global Monitoring Laboratory (1)
- Estuary Education website (1)
- Explore remote sensing (1)
- Finding fish hotspots and mapping coral reefs (1)
- FishWatch sustainable seafood database (1)
- Fun facts about sea life (1)
- GPS educational resources (1)
- JetStream: An online school for weather (4)
- Maritime Archaeology (1)
- National Geodetic Survey (1)
- National Weather Service (1)
- NOAA Boulder scientists explain science (1)
- NOAA Fisheries: Find a species (1)
- NOAA Marine Debris Program (1)
- Ocean Acidification Communication Toolkit: Dungeness crab case study (1)
- Ocean Exploration educational materials (6)
- Ocean Exploration facts (2)
- Ocean facts (3)
- Octonauts Corner (1)
- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory El Niño theme page (1)
- Salmon Heroes (1)
- Sanctuaries resource collection: Coral reef ecosystems (1)
- Sanctuaries resource collection: Whales (1)
- Satellite meteorology learning modules (2)
- SciJinks (10)
- Severe weather 101 (1)
- Solar physics and terrestrial effects curriculum guide (1)
- Storm surge videos and brochures (1)
- UCAR teaching boxes (1)
- Underwater robot education theme (1)
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Heat related illnesses and death are largely preventable with proper planning, education, and action. Heat.gov serves as the premier source of heat and health information for the nation to reduce the health, economic, and infrastructural impacts of extreme heat. Heat.gov is the web portal for the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS). This website includes data, forecasts, safety information, and much more.
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The Deep Ocean Education Project is a collaboration among NOAA Ocean Exploration, Ocean Exploration Trust, and Schmidt Ocean Institute featuring high-quality ocean exploration and science education materials from the three organizations. The Deep Ocean Education Project website – launched in 2021 – is built around themes that are easily searchable, address key ocean-related phenomena, and encourage and support three-dimensional approaches to teaching and learning for K-12 education. The objective is to provide a one-stop resource hub for public, educators, and students looking for deep-sea educational materials. The website also includes information on how to connect with research vessels, including a list of upcoming events and opportunities, and live feeds of expeditions.
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We think of oil as being a single substance, but there actually are many different kinds of oil. Oil types differ from each other in their viscosity, volatility, and toxicity.
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Monitor National Marine Sanctuary offers a variety of free resources for educators. Resources include social studies activities, as well as science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) activities, lesson plans, and guides. Each section below is filled with STEM activities, lesson plans, and games. Explore the Civil War and USS Monitor, World War I, World War II, Shipwrecks and STEM, Wrecks as Reefs, the Outer Banks Maritime Heritage Trail, and more.
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To celebrate Women’s History Month, check out this interview with the NOAA Central Library Research Team, including Librarians Lisa Clarke, Hope Shinn, and Shannon Delaney, and Outreach Librarian Katie Poser.
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Join NOAA Fisheries in celebrating National Native American Heritage Month, as we recognize Native Americans' respect for natural resources and the Earth and honor native cultures. We celebrate the sacrifices, contributions, and achievements of Native American people and their beautiful culture. Explore the profiles to learn more about what this month means to our colleagues and partners, and how they each help contribute to our mission.
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NGSS DCI
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The Marine Debris Prevention Best Practices Manual is a comprehensive guide to help establish lasting change on school campuses. It covers tips and tricks for engaging students in assessing school waste, bringing student leaders together into “Green Teams,” and supporting the entire school community with marine debris prevention. Learn creative ways to minimize waste in the classroom, in the cafeteria, in school gardens, and on the playground. These strategies are accompanied by case studies, standards-aligned lesson plans, videos, and other resources.
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When you think of springtime on land, you might think of birds migrating, flowers blooming, and leaves emerging. While these changes are happening on land, changes are happening in the ocean, too! But how can you tell if spring has sprung in the sea? This graphic explains some of the seasonal effects that take place as ocean waters warm and days grow longer.
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Special categories
NOAA’s work to understand our dynamic planet often involves sending people into the atmosphere and out to sea to conduct important research. From “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft that pilots fly directly into hurricanes to fisheries survey vessels that run quietly to avoid disturbing marine life, the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations maintains and operates a fleet of specialized research vessels and aircraft. Get to know NOAA’s ships and planes with these virtual (and printable) trading cards!
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In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Marine Sanctuary System, the best of the best educational materials for an elementary school audience have been compiled in collaboration with the National Park Trust. Discover Spectacular with these education and outreach digital materials focused on 10 exciting topics: climate change, ocean acidification, marine debris, kelp forest ecosystems, coral reef ecosystems, sea turtles, sharks, whales and ocean noise, seabirds, and shipwrecks.