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
Grade 3-5

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Career profile
Video
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
Weather observations

Pam Heinselman, a research meteorologist with the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, is being featured in "STEM Stories," a project to highlight the lives and work of women involved in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather observations
Tornadoes

The storm events database includes information on storms and other significant weather phenomena that lead to loss of life, injuries, significant property damage, and/or disruption to commerce; rare, unusual, weather phenomena that generate media attention; and other significant meteorological events, such as record maximum or minimum temperatures or precipitation that occur in connection with another event.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Advanced data product
Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Fires
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Tornadoes

The Storm Prediction Center has an interactive map with real-time and recent severe weather predictions, fire warnings, and other hazard information. Some historical data is also available.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Weather and atmosphere
Hazards and safety
Hurricanes

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish
Safety/preparedness

Hurricanes and severe storms bring high winds, rain, strong waves, and storm surges that can damage or destroy your home, boat, or other property, can put your family or business at risk, and have the potential to create a large amount of marine debris. This document runs through some basic steps to prepare for storms and prevent your property from becoming marine debris.

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Data product
Easy-to-use data product

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

This interactive map shows what East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, and Puerto Rico coastal areas are vulnerable to storm surge flooding. This map is generated using elevation and watershed geographic data and is not a real-time hazard map.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

From the National Hurricane Center, an overview of storm surge, why it happens, and why it's so dangerous. There are also examples of notable storm surge events.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Background information
Poster/brochure
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Special categories

Printable
Safety/preparedness
Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Storm surge videos and brochures

Brochures and videos on a major hazard of hurricanes: storm surge. Most resources are also available in Spanish.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Technology and engineering
Tsunamis

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Tsunami science and safety

The first tsunami vertical evacuation center in North America is at an elementary school in Greys Harbor County, WA. Watch to learn about tsunamis, and how the evacuation center could save hundreds of lives.

Audience

Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Multimedia
Video

Topic

Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion
Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Ella M. White Elementary fifth-grade students visited Thunder Bay River in the northeast Michigan watershed, where they used nets to trawl for plastics and were shocked to find microplastics in the water. After analyzing samples from the river, fifth-grader Tucker Bright said, “If there are this many microplastics in this little sample, just imagine how many there are in the Great Lakes!” To raise awareness about finding plastics in the river and finding solutions to this problem, these Alpena Public Schools students developed a film, “Plastics 101.”

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ecosystems

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Fix the ocean

At Florida A&M University’s Environmental Sciences Institute, students now have the opportunity to join a program that gives them access to the biggest science lab in the world … the ocean.