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

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

The scale was created by wind engineer Herb Saffir and meteorologist Bob Simpson to help explain damage that buildings will sustain under different wind speeds. Importantly, the Saffir-Simpson scale does not include hazards from rain, flooding, or storm surge.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

The National Hurricane Center has a long history of issuing tropical cyclone advisories, with the first known recorded forecast being in 1954, when 24-hour predictions of a storm’s track were made. Since then, forecasts have been expanded out in time and added predictions of intensity, size, and associated hazards, such as wind, storm surge, and rainfall.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video

Topic

Freshwater
Ocean and coasts
Weather and atmosphere

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

Learn about Earth's water cycle, how water continuously moves from the ground to the atmosphere and back again.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Freshwater
Water cycle
Weather and atmosphere
Clouds

An airborne mission finds a global belt of particle formation is making clouds brighter.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Sea turtles
Marine mammals
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Hurricanes
Oil spills

The Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA®) is an online mapping tool from the Office of Response and Restoration, which integrates data, like habitats, weather, and currents, into one location for experts responding to environmental disasters like hurricanes or oil spills. This tiny tutorial will help you get started using the ERMA tool®.

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

Hurricanes and extreme wind are an inevitable hazard to coastal areas. Being properly prepared for such events is an important responsibility for coastal cities. This page includes information about preparing homes and businesses for strong winds, including window, door, and roofing information.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Tornadoes

Frequently asked questions about tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Career profile
Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather observations
Tornadoes

B-roll from inside the Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Tornadoes

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

This website is designed to teach you how to stay safe when a tornado threatens. If you know what to do before, during and after a tornado, you will minimize your risk of injury and increase your chances of survival. You'll also find links to research, past events other topics of interest as well as downloadable safety handouts about thunderstorms, lightning, and tornadoes.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Simulation
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Tornadoes

Special categories

Education at home
Models
Instructional strategies

Adjust the tornado's diameter and core pressure difference in this simulation, then click the "go" button and observe the different types of wind damage tornadoes can produce.