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

College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Career profile

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather observations

Meteorology students face plenty of career choices: should they go into broadcast, research, or operational forecasting? Each track offers a very different experience. And while students are exposed to broadcasters on television and researchers at their universities, it can be a challenge for them to experience operational forecasting.

Audience

College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather systems and patterns

Collection name

SciJinks

A monsoon is a shift in winds that often causes a very rainy season or a very dry season. Although monsoons are usually associated with parts of Asia, they can happen in many tropical and subtropical regions – including several locations in the United States.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather systems and patterns

Collection name

SciJinks

Much like a river is water moving over land, an atmospheric river is a stream of water vapor moving in the sky. Learn more about them!

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

The hurricane cone of uncertainty is often misunderstood and misinterpreted. This video from the National Hurricane Center helps to explain what it means.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
El Niño and La Niña

ENSO is one of the most important climate phenomena on Earth due to its ability to change the global atmospheric circulation, which in turn, influences temperature and precipitation across the globe.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Background information
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations

Collection name

SciJinks

Jet streams are narrow bands of strong wind that generally blow from west to east all across the globe. Earth has four primary jet streams: two polar jet streams, near the north and south poles, and two subtropical jet streams closer to the equator.

Audience

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

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Tornadoes

Special categories

Safety/preparedness
Education at home
Instructional strategies

What's a severe thunderstorm or tornado watch? How's it different from a warning? What actions should be taken when a watch is issued? Get the answers to these frequently asked questions here!

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Background information
Poster/brochure

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Climate change impacts
Changing seasons
Weather observations

Special categories

Printable

What's the difference between weather & climate? The short answer: Time. Weather refers to the short-term conditions of the atmosphere, or the layer of air that surrounds us, at any given moment. Climate refers to the long-term patterns of weather that occur in a specific place over many years, decades and centuries.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish
Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Danger zone

Every year, millions of lightning flashes fill our skies. Learn what causes lightning and how to stay safe.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Weather systems and patterns

During the summer months, most areas in the United States approach their highest temperatures for the year. To give you a better idea of the warmest time of year for your area, NOAA has created “Warmest Day of the Year” maps.