NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

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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.”

 

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Social studies
Life science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Marine life
Fisheries and seafood

An introduction to sustainable seafood, including wild-caught and farmed (aquaculture) seafood from NOAA Fisheries.

Audience

Adults
College+

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Marine life
Sea turtles

This textbook-level document goes into great detail of the anatomy of sea turtles, including all major body systems. Please note that this document has information about dissections and includes graphic images of dissected animals.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story
Background information

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Cryosphere
Weather systems and patterns

Warming at more than twice the rate of anywhere else on Earth, the Arctic is on the front lines of climate change.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product
Background information

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

This technical memorandum lists the deadliest tropical cyclones in the United States during 1851-2010 and the costliest tropical cyclones in the United States during 1900-2010. The compilation ranks damage, as expressed by monetary losses.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8
Grade 3-5
Grade K-2

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Climate
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Changing seasons
Carbon cycle

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Designed for educators at all levels, this guide presents information that is deemed important for individuals and communities to know and understand about Earth’s climate, impacts of climate change, and approaches to adaptation or mitigation. Principles in the guide can serve as discussion starters or launching points for scientific inquiry. The guide aims to promote greater climate science literacy by providing this educational framework of principles and concepts. The guide can also serve educators who teach climate science as a way to meet content standards in their science curricula.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8
Grade 3-5

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Images
Background information
Multimedia

Topic

Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion

A resource from Wisconsin Sea Grant that describes how the Great Lakes were made thousands of years ago. There are also interesting facts and information about each of the Great Lakes and a photo gallery.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Climate
Climate change impacts

Climate change is a significant threat to the health of the American people. This scientific assessment examines how climate change is already affecting human health and the changes that may occur in the future.

Audience

Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Background information
Related story

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Huge amounts of marine debris enter the ocean and Great Lakes every year, from large abandoned and derelict vessels and fishing gear, to plastic bottles, food wrappers, and other trash, and even tiny pieces of plastic that you can't see with the human eye! But once our trash is in the ocean, what happens to it? How long does it last, and can we ever say that it’s gone? Unfortunately, when we talk about degradation rates, or the amount of time something takes to break down in the marine environment, the answer isn't simple.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 3-5
Grade K-2

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Marine life
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Aquatic food webs

This is a marine biology book for kids. Learn all about two special rockfish. Discover how rockfish grow and change. Find out about what they eat and who eats them. Explore the different rockfish hangouts in the ocean and learn why these rockfish live in different habitats throughout their lives. All this is shared with you by a couple of intelligent mermaid marine biologists.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Background information
Multimedia
Infographic
Poster/brochure

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Tsunamis

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

This downloadable poster has information on how and why tsunamis form, how they are studied, and how to find data on them.