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.”

 

Topic

Audience

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

Subject

Arts
Social studies
ELA (English Language Arts)
Math
Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Module/unit
Video
Background information
Collection
Activity/demonstration
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Ocean and coasts
Ships and planes
Maritime archaeology and history
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean acidification

Special categories

Informal
STEM
Inquiry
Project-based
Printable
Models
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

Collection name

Maritime Archaeology

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.

Audience

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

Resource type

Webinar

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Technology and engineering
Ocean exploration
Maritime archaeology and history
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

Special categories

Cultural heritage

Collection name

Ocean Today

Ocean Today co-hosts Symone Barkley and Debi Blaney led this webinar on an expedition that deployed robots and lasers to explore sunken war ships! We also visited two National Marine Sanctuaries.

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Background information
Career profile

Topic

Marine life
Ecosystems
Fish
Plankton
Ocean and coasts
Technology and engineering
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

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.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Technology and engineering
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Invertebrates
Coral reef ecosystems
Marine mammals
Sharks, rays, and skates
Fish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Exploration

Join NOAA Explorer Debi Blaney as she shares NOAA scientists' groundbreaking discoveries, and how to watch one of their expeditions live.

Audience

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

Resource type

Career profile
Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Technology and engineering
Maritime archaeology and history
Ocean exploration
Satellites
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

Special categories

Cultural heritage

Collection name

Ocean Today

This twelve minute short film travels around the world and back in time, revealing history not found in books. Join renowned maritime archaeologist Jim Delgado on his epic journey.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Climate
Technology and engineering
Cryosphere
Climate change impacts
Mapping and charting
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ocean exploration

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Exploration

The Arctic region includes a vast, ice-covered ocean, one of the least explored and understood places on Earth. Operating from the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy, NOAA scientists have been involved in studying the Arctic sea ice, the water column, and the sea floor using the latest cutting-edge technology.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Technology and engineering
Mapping and charting
Ships and planes
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

Learn how NOAA maps the ocean floor.

Audience

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

Subject

Engineering and technology

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

NGSS DCI

ETS1: Engineering Design

Collection name

Ocean Exploration educational materials

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are unoccupied, untethered, battery-powered vehicles used to collect data for underwater research.

Audience

Grade 3-5
Grade K-2

Subject

Engineering and technology
Physical science

Resource type

Activity/demonstration
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Technology and engineering
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

Special categories

Informal
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

Use aluminum foil to make boats and then test designs by seeing how many pennies or paperclips they can hold.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Climate
Technology and engineering
Coral reef ecosystems
Ocean exploration
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ocean acidification

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Marine life

Most corals were once thought to live in tropical water, close enough to the surface to receive sunlight. But with the help of submersibles and remotely operated vehicles, scientists have discovered vast forests of corals living 200 to 10,000 feet deep in dark, cold waters.