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

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

Subject

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

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Lesson plan
Module/unit

Topic

Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Marine life
Entanglement
Marine mammals
Seabirds
Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents
Ocean pollution and marine debris

NGSS DCI

ESS2: Earth’s Systems
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
ETS1: Engineering Design
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
PS1: Matter and Its Interactions
PS2: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Special categories

Citizen science
Instructional strategies
Education at home
Hands-on
Informal
Inquiry
Models
Outdoor education

Turning the Tide on Trash is a learning guide on marine debris. This set of lesson plans and background information introduces educators, students and researchers to the topic of marine debris. The interdisciplinary education guide is designed to provide maximum flexibility in the classroom: it can be used as a stand-alone teaching tool or to supplement work in other subject areas. Appropriate for grades K-12.

Audience

Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Multimedia
Game/online activity
Video

Topic

Marine life
Sea turtles
Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

NGSS DCI

ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
PS1: Matter and Its Interactions

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Education at home

These materials are to be used along with an interactive video. In the video, students can virtually participate in a simulated sea turtle necropsy, or animal dissection, learn how trash can get to the ocean and impact sea turtles, and learn how we can all help stop marine debris. In the program activities guide, parents and teachers will find resources for the interactive video, information on marine debris, additional activities, and lesson extensions.

Audience

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

Subject

Social studies
Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Activity/demonstration
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Informal
Outdoor education
Education at home
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

Make cordage (rope) from fiber and begin exploring the development of technology as it relates to ropes and suspension bridge components.

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Coloring/activity book

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Printable

This assortment of puzzles, brain-teasers, and coloring activities has been adapted for use in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It helps children understand the local problem of marine debris while having fun at the same time.

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Coloring/activity book

Topic

Marine life
Entanglement
Marine mammals
Sea turtles
Seabirds
Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Other languages
Printable

This popular assortment of puzzles, brain-teasers and coloring activities helps children understand the problem of marine debris while having fun at the same time. Suitable for all ages.

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

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Citizen science

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.

Audience

Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8

Subject

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

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Lesson plan
Module/unit

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

NGSS DCI

ESS2: Earth’s Systems
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
PS1: Matter and Its Interactions

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Hands-on

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.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Technology and engineering
Marine mammals
Endangered species
Entanglement
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Fix the ocean

When reports of stranded whales come in, heroes from the Atlantic Large Whale Disentanglement Network come to the rescue, as shown in this amazing footage.

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.