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.
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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
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Marine life
Fisheries and seafood
Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Marine debris can be dangerous for wildlife, damage sensitive habitats, and create safety and navigation hazards. But did you know that marine debris can also hurt the economies of coastal communities and decrease commercial fishing revenue? Marine debris can keep tourists away from beaches, compete with active fishing gear and reduce commercial catches, and cost small businesses money. Learn more about the impacts of marine debris to the economy, the benefits of removal and prevention, and the ways the NOAA Marine Debris Program works to reduce the economic impacts of marine debris.

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Multimedia
Infographic

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

An infographic with the results of a study on how much money Orange County residents could potentially save by reducing marine debris on 31 beaches in Southern California.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Learn more about marine debris— what it is, where it comes from, and how we can help.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Poster/brochure

Topic

Marine life
Entanglement
Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Region
Pacific Islands region

Poster about marine debris impacts specific to HI, including details on ingestion/entanglement, gyres, and solutions

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Collection
Multimedia
Infographic

Topic

Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Marine life
Fisheries and seafood
Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Region
Pacific Islands region

Check out some of the NOAA Marine Debris Program infographics! These are useful tools for visualizing information related to marine debris.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology

Resource type

Lesson plan
Module/unit

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Technology and engineering

NGSS DCI

ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
ETS1: Engineering Design

Special categories

Project-based
Uses data

Collection name

NOAA Marine Debris Program

In this project, students focus on one marine debris object commonly found on Oregon beaches, research its original purpose, user, and life cycle, and then propose targeted solutions to prevent this particular item from becoming marine debris. The webpage contains three 5E lessons centered around the anchoring phenomena of yellow rope fragments, plastic shotgun wads, or balloons on the beach, and include resources and a template to create similar lessons for five other marine debris objects. This project is supported by supported by funding from the NOAA National Sea Grant Office, the NOAA Marine Debris Program, and Oregon Sea Grant.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Poster/brochure

Topic

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

Special categories

Other languages
Japanese
Spanish

Marine debris threatens marine life and our ocean and coasts. It affects us too, whether we are boating, fishing, swimming or simply enjoying a day at the beach. Trash can travel through storm drains, streams, and rivers and end up in our community, as well as in the ocean.

Audience

Grade 3-5
Grade K-2

Subject

Arts
Math
Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Module/unit
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Entanglement
Ocean pollution and marine debris

NGSS DCI

ETS1: Engineering Design
PS4: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
PS3: Energy
PS1: Matter and Its Interactions
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
ESS2: Earth’s Systems
LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Special categories

Region
Pacific Islands region
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

Collection name

NOAA Marine Debris Program

This curriculum introduces ocean circulation, marine ecology, and human impacts with a focus on marine debris for students in K-5th grade. Student activities meet the math and science benchmarks and "Common Core" standards for the State of Hawai'i Department of Education for each grade level. The curriculum includes presentations, lesson plans, hands-on activities, and vocab sheets.

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Informal
Printable
Region
Pacific Islands region

Make magnets with marine debris messaging on them with this fun and easy craft activity.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Multimedia
Images

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Check out our photo gallery for images of marine debris types, sources, solutions, research, prevention, and impacts.