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

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Satellites
Mapping and charting
Ocean sounds
Ships and planes
Ocean exploration
Harmful algal blooms
Tides
Ocean floor features
Ocean currents

Collection name

Ocean facts

Read through dozens of answered questions about ocean technology.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Ocean and coasts
GPS and geodesy
Mapping and charting
Ocean floor features

Collection name

Ocean facts

Explore information on ocean geodesy and geology.

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
Tsunamis
Tides
Ocean currents

Read answers to dozens of questions about ocean tides and currents.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents
Tides

Collection name

Ocean Today

In this video, find out all about what causes ocean currents.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Tides

Collection name

Ocean Today

Learn why the ocean has waves.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Data product

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean floor features

Special categories

Models
Instructional strategies

These images are bathymetric images of seafloor and land elevations on a 2-minute latitude/longitude grid (1 minute of latitude = 1 nautical mile, or 1.852 km).

Audience

Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Module/unit
Activity/demonstration
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean currents

NGSS DCI

ETS1: Engineering Design
PS4: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
PS1: Matter and Its Interactions
ESS2: Earth’s Systems
ESS1: Earth’s Place in the Universe

Special categories

Models
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

This unit is designed for seventh grade, but can be adapted to other middle school grades. The unit is introduced with a true story of rubber bath toys that were lost overboard in the Pacific Ocean and found on beaches around the world. Students investigate physical patterns in the ocean as they progress through a series of investigations to learn about weather and ocean circulation patterns, waves and tides, temperature and salinity in relation to currents, and the effects of ocean floor topography on currents. They then choose a culminating activity to examine the effects of ocean movement in real-life or theoretical situations.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Activity/demonstration
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents

Special categories

Informal
Education at home
Models
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

Model the flow of ocean surface currents by blowing air across a tub of rheoscopic fluid and water, with clay structures simulating coastlines, islands, and seafloor features.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Advanced data product
Data product
Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Marine mammals
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Marine mammals and many fish rely on sound for navigating, socializing, establishing dominance, attracting mates, avoiding predators, and finding food. Human-caused ocean noise interferes with their ability to complete these tasks. Explore more information and data about ocean noise pollution.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Explore atmospheric data over the ocean that is used in hurricane forecasts.