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
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Sea level rise
Climate change impacts
Hurricanes

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

From Delaware Sea Grant, this website explains storm flooding, sea level rise, and hurricane storm surge risks with specific local examples.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Marine mammals
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Levels of underwater noise from human activities — including from ships, sonar, and drilling — have increased dramatically. Those growing levels of ocean noise affect marine animals and habitats in complex ways.

Audience

Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology

Resource type

Career profile
Images
Video
Background information
Collection
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Ocean and coasts
Ocean exploration
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

Collection name

Underwater robot education theme

Underwater robots, such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), are essential tools for ocean exploration. These robots can explore areas of the ocean that are too dangerous or too difficult for humans to go. Underwater robots come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be outfitted with numerous sensors and tools to collect extensive amounts of data from deep-sea environments. Explore more with these lessons, videos, background reading, and more.

Audience

Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12

Subject

Arts
Earth science
ELA (English Language Arts)
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Background information
Collection
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Freshwater
Rivers
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Marine life
Ecosystems
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Life in an estuary

Special categories

Grantee resource
Instructional strategies
Education at home
Hands-on
Informal
Models
Outdoor education
Uses data
Other languages
Spanish
Printable

Collection name

B-WET grantee
Salmon Heroes

On this page you will find information and links for everything you need for your Virtual Salmon Heroes Experience. The Virtual Salmon Heroes program is divided into three parts, which include 1) Introductory lesson videos, 2) field lesson videos, and 3) synthesis lesson videos. A Salmon Heroes Field Journal accompanies the videos.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
ELA (English Language Arts)
Engineering and technology
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Module/unit
Background information
Multimedia
Story map

Topic

Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution

Special categories

Grantee resource
Instructional strategies
Education at home
Informal
Models
Outdoor education
Project-based
Uses data

Collection name

B-WET grantee

The Nisqually River Education Project’s (NREP) mission is to provide students service learning projects that link Washington State learning goals and standards with local environmental issues, inspiring stewardship of the Nisqually Watershed and the world. This interactive, online portal is meant to provide students the background information they need to know in order to understand water quality testing. The portal is also a repository for the data that will be collected. Look for the online field notebook that accompanies this portal.

Audience

Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

ELA (English Language Arts)
Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Module/unit
Background information
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Models
Uses data
Instructional strategies

Collection name

Satellite meteorology learning modules

In this module, you will learn how to: interpret weather patterns from satellite images, predict storm paths, and forecast the weather for your area.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Tornadoes

An overview on the SKYWARN Spotter program with information about spotting tornadoes, flash floods, wall and funnel clouds, lightning, winter weather, wind, hail, marine hazards, and more.

Audience

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

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Marine life
Marine mammals

Whales are among the largest and oldest animals on Earth. They can be found in every ocean and range in size from the small dwarf sperm whale to the massive blue whale, the largest animal on the planet. Whales belong to a group of marine mammals called cetaceans. Marine mammals in the cetacean family include whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Learn about garbage patches and their impacts.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story
Background information

Topic

Freshwater
Weather and atmosphere
Water cycle
Weather systems and patterns

Atmospheric rivers are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere – like rivers in the sky – that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics. These columns of vapor move with the weather, carrying an amount of water vapor roughly equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. When the atmospheric rivers make landfall, they often release this water vapor in the form of rain or snow.