NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

⚠️ This page recently underwent an update. If you had bookmarked direct links to search results from this page prior to March 18, 2024, those links may no longer work and you may need to make a new bookmark. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at education@noaa.gov.

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

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

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Pizza or PB&J? Apple or orange? School cafeterias offer students daily lunch choices, but school-provided meals can generate serious waste, including single-use plastic utensils and plastic foam trays. Lunchroom decisions affect students daily, and the waste from single-use items will affect them for years if they become marine debris. How can we reduce this waste? By empowering students to think critically about their trash and use creativity to design solutions.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Multimedia
Simulation
Video

Topic

Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Grantee resource
Instructional strategies
Education at home
Hands-on
Informal
Models
Outdoor education

Collection name

B-WET grantee

An interactive water pollution simulation as seen thru the experiences of “Fred the Fish” as he travels downstream encountering obstacles along the way. Students will learn about human impacts on aquatic ecosystems and discuss how to be better watershed stewards. Find additional supporting materials for the Fred the Fish video under "Classroom Activities" on this page offsite link.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Career profile

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean acidification

Career profile of Dr. Emily Osborne.

Audience

College+

Subject

Earth science
ELA (English Language Arts)
Humanities/liberal arts
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Module/unit

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Hands-on
Outdoor education

The From Shore to State House curriculum was the product of a project with the University of Hartford to create an open source, replicable, college-level service learning course to improve knowledge, lead outreach, inform policy, and inspire change on the issue of marine debris. The curriculum guides students to prevent marine debris and develop policy alternatives to discuss with state legislators.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Weather and atmosphere
Climate
Hurricanes
Satellites
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Danger zone

We’ve all heard that hurricanes are one of the most powerful and destructive forces on Earth. But did you ever wonder where they get their strength?

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Technology and engineering
Fisheries and seafood
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Invertebrates
Fish

Collection name

Ocean Today

Ocean Today host Symone Johnson introduces the Future of Ocean Farming video collection, which highlights innovations in ocean farming, or aquaculture.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Learn more about garbage patches including what they are and how we can help.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Podcast
Multimedia

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean currents

In this episode we're focusing on something that you've likely at least heard a little bit about in the last few years — garbage patches. Before we dive in to that specific subject, let’s take a step back to discuss the areas of the ocean where trash seems to collect. We're talking about gyres.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Endangered species

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Marine life

Goliath grouper can grow to more than eight feet in length and 800 pounds. These giant groupers were once so overfished in the Southeastern United States, they were considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Thankfully, a vocal and dedicated group of fishers and marine scientists worked together to prompt NOAA to ban all harvest of goliath grouper. This action in the early 1990s gave the grouper time to recover and gave scientists time to learn more about this fish in hopes of sustaining its rebound.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents
Tides

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Danger zone

Join Bruckner Chase in the Ocean Today Wave Safe series as we learn how to stay safe while exploring marine sanctuaries.