NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

This guide includes eight elementary-level lessons, inspired by topics from the IMAX film Ocean Odyssey. Watching the film is not required for these lessons, but may enhance students’ learning experience of the topics presented in the activities. Educators can view a special extended preview offsite link of the film. Understanding the ocean and its ecosystems is essential to comprehending and protecting this planet. We must all be stewards for a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable ocean. The activities in this guide will help lead you and your students to learn more about our ocean planet, its myriad of wonders beneath the waves, and work to maintain healthy ecosystems that are resilient in the face of change.

Watch. Explore. Discover. View the beauty and mystery of the ocean realm captured on video around the globe. Videos are organized into collections to help educators.

Monitor National Marine Sanctuary offers a variety of free resources for educators. Resources include social studies activities, as well as science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) activities, lesson plans, and guides. Each section below is filled with STEM activities, lesson plans, and games. Explore the Civil War and USS Monitor, World War I, World War II, Shipwrecks and STEM, Wrecks as Reefs, the Outer Banks Maritime Heritage Trail, and more.

University of Southern California (USC) Sea Grant's Education Specialist, Maria Madrigal's book, STEAM Powered Series: Marine Biology offsite link, focuses on her specialty in marine science education and highlights her Hispanic heritage. The book follows Cora and her friend, Bonnie the butterfly, as they discover the different ways scientists study what is underwater. This book focuses on topics that are accessible and local to Los Angeles students and highlighted themes common to USC Sea Grant's work: Cora and Bonnie explore kelp forests, plankton and harmful algal blooms, grunion fish, and tidepool monitoring, while venturing out to free and accessible areas that children can enjoy, such as docks, the beach, and aquariums. The book is also available in Spanish offsite link.

Follow along with NOAA Teachers at Sea as they participate in NOAA research voyages. Teachers and educators spend several weeks on a NOAA Ship and are part of the research crew while on board! Past blogs go back to 2003. Some blog posts are in Spanish.

Produced by the Teacher at Sea Alumni Association offsite link and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation offsite link, these videos feature unique stories of how teachers have found and nurtured their inner explorer.

This exciting series explores environmental DNA or “eDNA”,  environmental DNA sampling technology developed at NOAA AOML, and an at home, hands-on activity for DNA extraction. Engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate (5 E’s) the concept of environmental DNA by including the “Exploring Environmental DNA” video series in classroom lessons. The videos follow a flexible format that can be watched in order or individually, as needed, to supplement an entire lesson or lesson segment, classroom discussion, and activity. Suggested lesson ideas are included below the videos.

This 3D coral polyp model shows a cross section of a single polyp, including its tentacles, gastrodermis, stomach cavity, and the complex skeletal structure underneath. It is a generic representation and not a replica of any particular species. Each half has interlocking pegs that allow a full polyp to be assembled.

This coloring book from NOAA Ocean Exploration and several partners inspires everyone to learn about and appreciate the ocean. Download individual coloring sheets or the whole book and visit the links to learn more about each featured animal.

These 30-minute webinars are presented by Florida Sea Grant extension agents and specialists. They focus on marine and coastal science topics, specifically related to Florida. Some webinars were presented in Spanish.