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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.”
- Climate (275)
- Freshwater (164)
- Marine life
(481)
- Adaptations (11)
- Aquatic food webs (58)
- Coral reef ecosystems (85)
- Conservation (31)
- Ecosystems (116)
- Endangered species (20)
- Entanglement (17)
- Fish (99)
- Fisheries and seafood (111)
- Invasive marine species (9)
- Invertebrates (90)
- Life in an estuary (36)
- Marine mammals (135)
- Plankton (15)
- Salmon (23)
- Sea turtles (64)
- Seabirds (31)
- Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants (24)
- Sharks, rays, and skates (39)
- NOAA careers (28)
- Ocean and coasts
(665)
- Earth processes (16)
- Harmful algal blooms (19)
- Maritime archaeology and history (35)
- Ocean acidification (66)
- Ocean chemistry (16)
- Ocean currents (95)
- Ocean exploration (81)
- Ocean floor features (84)
- (-) Ocean pollution and marine debris (176)
- Ocean sounds (15)
- Oil spills (58)
- Rip currents (22)
- Sea level rise (41)
- Tides (59)
- Tsunamis (56)
- Space (50)
- Technology and engineering (288)
- Weather and atmosphere (326)
- ESS1: Earth’s Place in the Universe (1)
- ESS2: Earth’s Systems (10)
- ESS3: Earth and Human Activity (26)
- ETS1: Engineering Design (15)
- LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes (8)
- LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics (16)
- LS3: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits (1)
- LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity (13)
- PS1: Matter and Its Interactions (16)
- PS2: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (2)
- PS3: Energy (3)
- PS4: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer (2)
- B-WET grantee (4)
- Bite-sized Science webinar series (1)
- CLEAN climate and energy education resource collection (1)
- Diving Deeper podcast (1)
- Estuary Education website (1)
- H.O.M.E.S. at Home webinars (1)
- Marine Debris at-home collection (1)
- Marine Debris Program posters (1)
- Marine Debris STEAMSS (4)
- Marine Debris Toolkit (1)
- Maritime Archaeology (1)
- National Marine Sanctuaries Webinar Series: Archived webinars (2)
- NOAA Live! 4 Kids (1)
- NOAA Live! Alaska (1)
- NOAA Marine Debris Program (5)
- NOAA Ocean Podcast (1)
- NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer: Education materials collection (1)
- Ocean Exploration educational materials (1)
- Ocean facts (1)
- Ocean Today (34)
- Oregon Marine Scientist and Educator Alliance (ORSEA) (1)
- Sanctuaries media gallery (1)
- Sanctuaries resource collection: Ocean sound and impact of noise (2)
- Science On a Sphere catalog (1)
- Sea Grant podcasts (1)
Audience
Subject
Resource type
Topic
Learn what scientists have discovered studying the endangered Southern Resident killer whales. See the science behind recovering this charismatic creature, from collecting their poop to tracking them using satellite tags.
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Special categories
Learn about the Laysan albatross, marine debris, and Hawaiian language through the dual language workbook, Makani: The Albatross that Cares for the Land, Makani Ka Mōlī Mālama ‘Āina.
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Collection name
Even the most remote locations on Earth are fouled by man-made garbage and cast-outs. Marine debris is everywhere. And no matter what location it resides, it causes problems. There are no easy solutions to the worldwide problem of marine debris, but there are things you can do to help.
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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.
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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.
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Learn more about marine debris— what it is, where it comes from, and how we can help.
Audience
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Special categories
Poster about marine debris impacts specific to HI, including details on ingestion/entanglement, gyres, and solutions
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Check out some of the NOAA Marine Debris Program infographics! These are useful tools for visualizing information related to marine debris.
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NGSS DCI
Special categories
Collection name
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
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Special categories
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.