NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

This collection from NOAA Education explores coral reefs, some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Coral polyps, the animals primarily responsible for building reefs, can take many forms: large reef building colonies, graceful flowing fans, and even small, solitary organisms. Thousands of species of corals have been discovered; some live in warm, shallow, tropical seas and others in the cold, dark depths of the ocean.

A rapidly changing climate brings challenges to our underwater parks in ways we have never seen before. Climate-related impacts, like changing weather patterns and storm events, warming seas, ocean acidification, and sea level rise, are becoming more prevalent around the globe. Changes in climate will affect national marine sanctuaries and the overall health of the ocean, which is vital to our quality of life and, ultimately, our survival.

Learn more about the intelligent mammals that inhabit our ocean, the problems they face, and their importance in the marine ecosystem. Read to explore NOAA’s efforts to protect dolphin populations and how national marine sanctuaries benefit dolphins.

Learn about one of the ocean’s top predators — sharks — and their critical role in maintaining the marine ecosystem. This collection features NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries resources for everyone to explore NOAA’s efforts to research and conserve shark populations, how sharks support the sanctuary system, and more.

These five minute videos highlight Black, Indigenous, and people of color in career pathways in marine research and ocean conservation. The main goal of the series is to represent marine scientists of color as role models for students to inspire a world of possibilities for their future careers. The videos tell the story of how these individuals got involved in the field, what they do, what barriers they encountered, and what they enjoy most about their work. There are active listening question suggestions to help with engagement.

Kelp forests are an important ecosystem that support a variety of species and grow predominantly along the Eastern Pacific Coast, from Alaska and Canada to the waters of Baja, California. Kelp forests can be found in four of our national marine sanctuaries along the West Coast of the United States. This collection has compiled wide-ranging resources from lesson plans, webinars, web stories, virtual reality videos, and more. You are invited to learn more about the importance of Kelp Forest Ecosystems, NOAA’s efforts to manage and conserve them, the species that call these forests home, and the threats kelp face.

What does it mean to be a woman in an ocean science career? What different career paths are available, and how does one get there? Perhaps you’ve thought about becoming a marine biologist, or you have an interest in marine policy, but aren’t sure which steps to take towards such a career. Maybe you’re passionate about ocean science and conservation, and want to use your communication skills to influence others. Hear from some of the inspiring women working throughout the National Marine Sanctuary System.

“At Home With The Bay” is a virtual series of engaging environmental education lessons taught by Galveston Bay Foundation staff. Lessons include a lab, conservation craft, talk with a Bay biologist and an activity of the week. Each lesson comes with an accompanying activity guide available for download on the website.

Learn more about NOAA's Veterans Corps partnerships employing veterans in the habitat restoration economy.

Learn how NOAA uses science to improve the conservation and recovery of threatened and endangered sea turtles.