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

Grade 3-5

Subject

ELA (English Language Arts)

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Lesson plan

Topic

NOAA careers

Collection name

Teacher at Sea

Students will select an ocean career that interests them based on their responses to an student career interest inventory. Students will create a brochure or poster to present to the class with information about their selected career.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Background information

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Education at home
Informal

From NWS JetStream, a brief overview of global circulations with paired activities.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Technology and engineering
Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents

Special categories

Models
Instructional strategies

Real-time models of global ocean currents.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Climate
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Climate change impacts
Ocean currents

The Currents Tutorial is an overview of the types of currents, what causes them, how they are measured, and how they affect people's lives.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Technology and engineering
Adaptations
Ocean exploration
Ships and planes
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ecosystems

Collection name

Ocean Today

Ocean Today host Symone Johnson introduces the Deep Ocean Exploration video collection, which covers mysterious ocean creatures and bioluminescence.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Career profile
Collection

Topic

NOAA careers
Technology and engineering
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Ocean chemistry
Plankton
Ships and planes
Ocean exploration
Maritime archaeology and history
Fish
Ecosystems
Invertebrates
Marine mammals
Fisheries and seafood
Coral reef ecosystems

Collection name

Ocean Exploration careers

Learn from a wide variety of talented people who explore our ocean planet, ranging from explorers, graduate students, submersible pilots, and vessel crew to NOAA Corps Officers.

Audience

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

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Career profile
Images
Video
Background information
Collection
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units
Multimedia

Topic

NOAA careers
Technology and engineering
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Ocean exploration
Maritime archaeology and history
Earth processes
Fish
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ecosystems
Fisheries and seafood
Coral reef ecosystems
Ocean floor features

Special categories

Informal
Education at home
Models
Uses data
Instructional strategies

Collection name

Ocean Exploration educational materials

These education theme pages are designed to provide the best of what the OceanExplorer.NOAA.gov website has to offer on a number of popular ocean science topics. Each theme page provides links to background information, lessons, multimedia interactive activities, career profiles, and information on associated past expeditions.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Background information
Collection

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Ocean exploration
Maritime archaeology and history
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ecosystems
Cryosphere
Invertebrates
Marine mammals
Coral reef ecosystems
Climate change impacts
Hurricanes
El Niño and La Niña
Ocean floor features
Ocean currents

Collection name

Ocean Exploration facts

These ocean exploration facts in this section provide short answers to common or intriguing ocean questions. The questions are organized in a series of categories; click on a category to learn more about these topics.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Ocean and coasts
Satellites
GPS and geodesy
Mapping and charting
Ships and planes
Ocean exploration
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

Collection name

Ocean Exploration educational materials

Today’s technologies allow us to explore the ocean in increasingly systematic, scientific, and noninvasive ways. With continuing scientific and technological advances, our ability to observe the ocean environment and its resident creatures is beginning to catch up with our imaginations, expanding our understanding and appreciation of this still largely unexplored realm. This webpage highlights some of the technologies that make exploration possible today and the scientific achievements that result from this exploration.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Background information
Collection

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Resiliency and mitigation
Ocean exploration
Maritime archaeology and history
Rip currents
Sharks, rays, and skates
Seabirds
Fish
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ecosystems
Harmful algal blooms
Invertebrates
Sea turtles
Marine mammals
Life in an estuary
Fisheries and seafood
Coral reef ecosystems
Aquatic food webs
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Hurricanes
El Niño and La Niña
Tsunamis
Tides
Oil spills
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean floor features
Ocean currents
Ocean acidification

Collection name

Ocean facts

Get answers to hundreds of questions about the ocean and coasts on topics like ocean life and ecosystems, maritime transportation, technology, ocean observations and much more.