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

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
El Niño and La Niña

Special categories

Education at home
Instructional strategies

This video demonstrates how warm water in the central Pacific can influence prevailing pressure and precipitation patterns across the ocean basin. These atmospheric disturbances influence the average position of the Jet Stream. In turn, the jet alters temperature and precipitation patterns in the United States.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
El Niño and La Niña

Special categories

Education at home
Instructional strategies

When cooler-than-average ocean surface temperature emerges in the Pacific Ocean, rainfall patterns shift westward. More atmospheric disturbance there fuels the Jet Stream and alters prevailing weather conditions throughout the United States. This is one of the most influential "teleconnections" in climate science.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Webinar
Multimedia

Topic

Climate
Ocean and coasts
Climate change impacts

Join Dr. Jan Newton as she explains how marine heatwaves are influencing life in the waters off the Washington coast in the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Jan Newton is a senior principal oceanographer with the Applied Physics Laboratory of the University of Washington, executive director of NANOOS, and Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) co-chair

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Marine life

Kelp forests, found along much of the west coast of North America, provide food and shelter for thousands of fish, invertebrates, and marine mammal species. Learn more about kelp and the habitats they create.

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
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Ecosystems
Ocean floor features
Ocean exploration

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Exploration

Down in the deep and dark ocean waters, hot springs on the ocean floor release warm and mineral-rich fluids – these are called hydrothermal vents. Despite the seemingly harsh volcanic environment, these vents are actually home to a variety of life.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean floor features

A collection of several short underwater volcano videos.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Technology and engineering
Maritime archaeology and history
Coral reef ecosystems

Special categories

Cultural heritage
Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Exploration

The USS Monitor was a civil war ironclad warship that sank in 1862. As an important piece of US history, the Monitor’s protection and management were entrusted to NOAA, as it was designated the first national marine sanctuary in 1975.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Maritime archaeology and history
Ocean exploration

Special categories

Cultural heritage
Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Exploration

Despite surviving a firefight during the Civil War, the USS Monitor sunk on December 31, 1862. In 1973, remains of the USS Monitor were found on the seafloor 16 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Soon after, the wreck site was designated as the country’s first national marine sanctuary.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Animation
Data product
Multimedia

Topic

Climate
Changing seasons

Special categories

Models
Instructional strategies

Collection name

Science On a Sphere catalog

Although 75% of the planet is a relatively unchanging ocean of blue, the remaining 25% of Earth's surface is a dynamic green. Data from the NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP satellite is able to show these subtle differences in greenness using the Visible-Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument on board the satellite. This dataset highlights our ever-changing planet, using a highly detailed vegetation index data from the satellite, developed by scientists at NOAA.