NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

The USS Monitor was a civil war ironclad warship that sank in 1862. As an important piece of US history, the Monitor’s protection and management were entrusted to NOAA, as it was designated the first national marine sanctuary in 1975.

Despite surviving a firefight during the Civil War, the USS Monitor sunk on December 31, 1862. In 1973, remains of the USS Monitor were found on the seafloor 16 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Soon after, the wreck site was designated as the country’s first national marine sanctuary.

Explore vegetation data with imagery from the operational GOES East (GOES-16) and GOES West (GOES-17) satellites.

Although 75% of the planet is a relatively unchanging ocean of blue, the remaining 25% of Earth's surface is a dynamic green. Data from the NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP satellite is able to show these subtle differences in greenness using the Visible-Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument on board the satellite. This dataset highlights our ever-changing planet, using a highly detailed vegetation index data from the satellite, developed by scientists at NOAA.

On this page you will find information and links for everything you need for your Virtual Salmon Heroes Experience. The Virtual Salmon Heroes program is divided into three parts, which include 1) Introductory lesson videos, 2) field lesson videos, and 3) synthesis lesson videos. A Salmon Heroes Field Journal accompanies the videos.

NOAA Boulder has a virtual video tour for kids and adults. Learn about all of the interesting research and projects being done by NOAA staff and affiliates in Boulder, Colorado!

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.

When you're out boating, sailing, or even kayaking, you may be closer than you think to whales. So, here's what you need to know to respect their space and keep them safe in their home.

This activity package provides: 1. An overview of multibeam sonar. 2. Specific case studies with a variety of multibeam sonar 3D image files, and guides for student exploration. 3. Step-by-step usage tool guides for the Ocean Exploration Digital Atlas (a searchable, interactive expedition data map) and a free version of Fledermaus, a powerful interactive mapping data visualization software used by ocean explorers, so that students can have first-hand experience using these tools to explore multibeam sonar capabilities in 3D. 4. Specific expedition website links for more information and resources. 5. Resource links for further exploration.

This activity is designed to expose students to the larval forms of many animals found in the estuary. In order for students to determine which “water baby” they are, they must ask their classmates questions about their baby’s characteristics to help them guess who they are.