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.”

 

No results match your search.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Marine life
Marine mammals
Ocean and coasts
Ocean sounds

"Sonobuoys" record ocean sounds and are deployed over the side of a ship to send back real-time recordings.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Marine life
Marine mammals
Ocean and coasts
Ocean sounds

SanctSound, a four-year effort led by NOAA, the U.S. Navy, and over 20 partner organizations to better understand the underwater soundscape of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The SanctSound team has been able to gather a wealth of data on the sounds heard in seven national marine sanctuaries and one marine national monument.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Physical science
Social studies

Resource type

Career profile
Collection
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Climate
Climate change impacts
Climate data monitoring
Marine life
Fisheries and seafood
NOAA careers
Ocean and coasts
Ocean chemistry
Ocean sounds
Space
Space weather
Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
Weather observations

Collection name

NOAA Boulder Labs: Meet our team

Learn about the different types of career paths that are available at the NOAA Boulder campus. Many NOAA employees are scientists, but there are also administrative staff, tech workers, science communicators, and more!

Audience

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

Subject

Social studies
Engineering and technology
Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Story map
Webinar
Related story
Infographic
Podcast
Video
Collection
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Plankton
Ships and planes
Ecosystems
Marine mammals
Ocean sounds

Collection name

Sanctuaries resource collection: Ocean sound and impact of noise

Sound is critical for the survival of many marine animals because it is a primary means of communication, orientation and navigation, finding food, avoiding predators, and choosing mates. As such, human activities that produce sound underwater have the potential to negatively impact animals by reducing their ability to hear prey, predators, and each other. Explore a collection of NOAA lesson plans, webinars, web stories, videos and more to learn about noise in the ocean and NOAA’s efforts to monitor and understand underwater sound in the National Marine Sanctuary System.

Audience

Grade 3-5

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Module/unit
Collection
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Marine life
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Ocean sounds
Fish
Ecosystems
Marine mammals
Coral reef ecosystems
Aquatic food webs
Weather systems and patterns
Ocean currents

Special categories

Region
Pacific Islands region
Cultural heritage

Collection name

Sea-Earth-Atmosphere (SEA) resources

A collection of lessons on Earth, life, and physical science designed to teach students how scientific principles explain phenomena, not to solely explain the single phenomena. Each activity begins with an investigation of a natural phenomena with the goal of uncovering the scientific concepts that explain that event. We invite you to explore or add your own phenomena that is meaningful to you and your students.