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.”

 

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Background information
Collection
Data product
Easy-to-use data product
Intermediate data product

Topic

Climate
Changing seasons
Climate change
Climate change impacts
Climate data monitoring
Resiliency and mitigation
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
Fires
Hazards and safety
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

Heat related illnesses and death are largely preventable with proper planning, education, and action. Heat.gov serves as the premier source of heat and health information for the nation to reduce the health, economic, and infrastructural impacts of extreme heat. Heat.gov is the web portal for the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS). This website includes data, forecasts, safety information, and much more.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Arts
Earth science
Engineering and technology
Life science
Physical science
Social studies

Resource type

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

Topic

Marine life
Adaptations
Aquatic food webs
Coral reef ecosystems
Ecosystems
Invertebrates
Ocean and coasts
Earth processes
Maritime archaeology and history
Ocean chemistry
Ocean currents
Ocean exploration
Ocean floor features
Technology and engineering
Mapping and charting
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

NGSS DCI

ESS2: Earth’s Systems
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
ETS1: Engineering Design
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
PS1: Matter and Its Interactions
PS3: Energy
PS4: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Informal

Collection name

Deep Ocean Education Project Website

The Deep Ocean Education Project is a collaboration among NOAA Ocean Exploration, Ocean Exploration Trust, and Schmidt Ocean Institute featuring high-quality ocean exploration and science education materials from the three organizations. The Deep Ocean Education Project website – launched in 2021 – is built around themes that are easily searchable, address key ocean-related phenomena, and encourage and support three-dimensional approaches to teaching and learning for K-12 education. The objective is to provide a one-stop resource hub for public, educators, and students looking for deep-sea educational materials. The website also includes information on how to connect with research vessels, including a list of upcoming events and opportunities, and live feeds of expeditions.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Collection
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts
Cryosphere
Resiliency and mitigation
Marine life
Aquatic food webs
Coral reef ecosystems
Ecosystems
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Invertebrates
Marine mammals
Sea turtles
Seabirds
Sharks, rays, and skates
Ocean and coasts
Harmful algal blooms
Maritime archaeology and history
Ocean acidification
Ocean currents
Ocean exploration
Ocean floor features
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Oil spills
Rip currents
Sea level rise
Tsunamis
Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
El Niño and La Niña
Hazards and safety
Hurricanes
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Cultural heritage
Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Ocean Today

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.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes
Weather systems and patterns

NOAA studied about four decades of tropical cyclones revealing the surprising result that reducing particulate air pollution in Europe and North America has contributed to an increase in the number of tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic basin and a decrease in the number of these storms in the Southern Hemisphere. The study also found that the growth of particulate pollution in Asia has contributed to fewer tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific basin. 

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Life science
Physical science
Social studies

Resource type

Career profile
Collection

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts
Climate data monitoring
Cryosphere
Marine life
Ecosystems
Ocean and coasts
Ocean acidification
Ocean chemistry
Ocean exploration
Ocean floor features
Technology and engineering
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ships and planes
Weather and atmosphere

Learn all about the incredible staff who work for NOAA Research! This page provides dozens of career profiles from many fields within NOAA.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Life science
Physical science
Social studies

Resource type

Background information
Collection

Topic

Climate
Marine life
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Invertebrates
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Ocean and coasts
Earth processes
Ocean chemistry
Ocean exploration
Ocean floor features
Technology and engineering
Ships and planes

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

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.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Climate
Changing seasons
Climate data monitoring
Marine life
Marine mammals
Plankton
Ocean and coasts
Earth processes
Ocean chemistry
Rip currents
Weather and atmosphere
Hazards and safety
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Celebrate the season of spring with NOAA! From new graphics to educational resources, spring into science with us and check out our content.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Career profile

Topic

Marine life
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Ocean exploration
Fisheries and seafood
Weather systems and patterns
Ocean currents

Six NOAA employees were recognized at the annual 2019 Women of Color in STEM conference. These awards recognize significant achievement in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Coloring/activity book

Topic

Freshwater
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Resiliency and mitigation
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Climate change impacts
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Printable
Safety/preparedness

Get creative with this coloring page and explore some of the ways communities can become more resilient against extreme weather, climate change, and other environmental hazards.

Audience

Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

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

Resource type

Module/unit
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather systems and patterns
El Niño and La Niña

NGSS DCI

ESS2: Earth’s Systems
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Special categories

Inquiry
Models
Uses data
Instructional strategies

Collection name

Data in the Classroom

People blame El Niño for all kinds of abnormal weather. One of the ways to detect an El Niño event is to look at sea surface temperature. By observing sea surface temperature through graphs and maps, you can track the growth of plant life and even begin to predict future El Niño events. Interested in engaging your students with real-time NOAA data? In this module, designed for 6-12th grade classrooms, students evaluate changes in sea surface temperature over space and time and investigate how El Niño affects phytoplankton & species distribution in the eastern Pacific Ocean. There are many ways to integrate some or all of the lessons in this module into your course.