NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

⚠️ This page recently underwent an update. If you had bookmarked direct links to search results from this page prior to March 18, 2024, those links may no longer work and you may need to make a new bookmark. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at education@noaa.gov.

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
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Visualize historical hurricane tracks on a global interactive map. Search for specific hurricanes by name or year or view hurricane activity by region. Data is available in graphs and tables. Get started with our tiny tutorial: https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/data/tiny-tutorials/historical-hurricane-tracks!

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Invertebrates

Special categories

Citizen science
Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Marine life

See footage from Delaware Bay, the site of horseshoe crab spawning.

Audience

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

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Game/online activity
Activities, lessons, and units
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
Weather observations

Special categories

Instructional strategies

NSSL’s HotSeat Warning Simulator provides players with an appreciation of the meteorology of severe weather events and the decision-making process that goes into NWS warnings. It must be stressed, however, that the simulator only approximates the basic severe weather operations of the NWS. There is far more information in real-world warning operations than can be presented here. Still, we think you will learn a few things about severe weather and perhaps make yourself a better user of our warnings in the process. Good luck in the HotSeat! Remember, millions of people are depending on you!

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Tornadoes

Preparation and resiliency cannot be achieved with accurate or timely forecasts alone.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

These days plastic seems to be everywhere; unfortunately, that includes many parts of the ocean, from the garbage patches to Arctic sea ice. With this pollution increasingly in the form of tiny plastic bits, picking up a few bottles left on the beach can feel far removed from the massive problem of miniscule plastics floating out at sea. However, these two issues are more closely connected than you may think.

Audience

Grade 6-8

Subject

Physical science

Resource type

Activity/demonstration
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean floor features

NGSS DCI

PS1: Matter and Its Interactions

Special categories

Hands-on
Instructional strategies

Collection name

Ocean Exploration educational materials

Near spreading centers or subduction zones cold seawater percolates down through fissures in the ocean crust, is heated by hot magma, and reemerges, forming hydrothermal vents. At some vents known as black smokers, rocky chimneys can rise more than 50 meters from the sea floor. In this investigation, students explore how a solid forms from the mixing of two liquids and use the science ideas they develop to help explain how chimneys form at hydrothermal vents.

Audience

Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8
Grade 3-5
Grade K-2

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Freshwater
Water cycle

Learn how snowflakes form and why two are never the same.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Oil spills

Information about the causes of oil spills.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Background information
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Tornadoes

Collection name

SciJinks

A video from SciJinks on how tornadoes form.

Audience

College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Ocean currents

How do we monitor currents?