NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

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.

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.

A collection of several short underwater volcano videos.

Citizen science, sometimes called community science, is a partnership between the public and professional scientists where anyone can have a role in the scientific process. Several projects funded through the NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) have tapped into this community resource as well, and committed stewards around the country have contributed invaluable data to monitoring and research projects that support our vision of a sea free of debris.

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.

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.

The Washed Ashore Project uses community art created from marine debris with the help of thousands of volunteers to raise awareness about plastic pollution in order to spark changes in the consumer habits that have generated this global issue. With NOAA support, Washed Ashore has worked to create a curriculum based on the goals of our project. The lessons bring together art and science to help students understand the plastic pollution issue and communicate about it using the language of the arts.

When you're out boating, sailing, or even kayaking, you may be closer than you think to whales. So, here's what you need to know to respect their space and keep them safe in their home.

This activity package provides: 1. An overview of multibeam sonar. 2. Specific case studies with a variety of multibeam sonar 3D image files, and guides for student exploration. 3. Step-by-step usage tool guides for the Ocean Exploration Digital Atlas (a searchable, interactive expedition data map) and a free version of Fledermaus, a powerful interactive mapping data visualization software used by ocean explorers, so that students can have first-hand experience using these tools to explore multibeam sonar capabilities in 3D. 4. Specific expedition website links for more information and resources. 5. Resource links for further exploration.

Tides and tide-like water level changes can greatly affect the nation's estuaries. Water normally moves into and out of estuaries through the estuary's "mouths," or areas that open out into the ocean or lake. High water levels keep the estuary mouths very open and wide, whereas low water levels may cause the mouths to become closed due to sediment and sand movements. Mouth closures prevent the exchange of water between the estuary and the ocean or lake. This can mean death from estuary plant and animal species if dissolved oxygen levels are affected. In this activity, students will examine the effects of tides on estuaries, and look at real data to understand the effect on dissolved oxygen levels before and after a mouth closure.