NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

Volcanoes may either never be active enough to break the surface of the ocean or be sufficiently active to break the surface and form an island. The island may also be so heavy that it eventually sinks and forms a seamount. Thousands of these seamounts have been discovered and studied worldwide to help provide evidence of past and current tectonic processes. In this investigation, students analyze Hawaiian and Alaskan seamount/island chain maps and data tables, plus a demonstration to develop an explanation to the phenomenon: How do seamounts and island chains form in the middle of the ocean?

Learn more about the intelligent mammals that inhabit our ocean, the problems they face, and their importance in the marine ecosystem. Read to explore NOAA’s efforts to protect dolphin populations and how national marine sanctuaries benefit dolphins.

Published by New York Sea Grant offsite link, Plastic pollution and you is a 15-lesson curriculum focused on marine debris sources, impacts, and solutions. These hands-on lessons and activities help students learn the different types of plastics, their impact on marine and freshwater ecosystems, and about ways to address and prevent plastic pollution. Interdisciplinary elements of this curriculum include policy research, environmental justice, and effective outreach and communication strategies.

Learn about one of the ocean’s top predators — sharks — and their critical role in maintaining the marine ecosystem. This collection features NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries resources for everyone to explore NOAA’s efforts to research and conserve shark populations, how sharks support the sanctuary system, and more.

Flooding. It’s often associated with heavy rains and severe storms. But with rising sea levels, flooding in some coastal communities is now occurring during high tides and sunny days.

Sea turtles are a key part of marine ecosystems worldwide, but they face many threats today. Explore a collection of NOAA webinars, a virtual reality dive, lesson plans, videos, posters, web stories, and more to gain a deeper understanding of sea turtle species and NOAA's efforts within the sanctuary system to protect them and limit the threats they face.

Most people associate sea turtles with warm, tropical destinations. You might be surprised to learn that some sea turtle species can also be found in the frigid ocean waters off Alaska. 

On Dive in With NOAA Fisheries, a conversation with Barbara Schroeder, the National Sea Turtle Coordinator in the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources. Hear about sea turtles, bycatch, and the innovations and solutions getting implemented or developed thanks to some hard-working scientists at NOAA Fisheries, in coordination with industry.

In 2022, NOAA Fisheries celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This landmark legislation protects all marine mammals in U.S. waters, including four Species in the Spotlight.

SanctSound, a four-year effort led by NOAA, the U.S. Navy, and over 20 partner organizations to better understand the underwater soundscape of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The SanctSound team has been able to gather a wealth of data on the sounds heard in seven national marine sanctuaries and one marine national monument.