NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

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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.”

 

Filters:

Audience

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

Subject

Arts
Earth science
Life science
Math

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Module/unit
Collection

Topic

Marine life
Aquatic food webs
Ecosystems
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Invertebrates
Marine mammals
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Sharks, rays, and skates
Ocean and coasts
Earth processes
Ocean currents
Ocean floor features
Technology and engineering
Animal tagging

NGSS DCI

ESS2: Earth’s Systems
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

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.

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 K-2
Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Arts
Life science

Resource type

Arts and crafts

Topic

Marine life
Fish
Invertebrates
Sea turtles
Sharks, rays, and skates

Celebrate the most wonderful time of year with our adorable Woods Hole Science Aquarium paper snowflakes! Enjoy four new designs inspired by a few of our aquarium residents: Atlantic cod, chain dogfish, common spider crab, and diamondback terrapin.

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 K-2
Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Collection
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion
Marine life
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Invertebrates
Marine mammals
Salmon
Sea turtles
Sharks, rays, and skates

Special categories

Cultural heritage
Region
Alaska region
Pacific Islands region

NOAA Fisheries video gallery has short videos organized by topic and region. Explore Fisheries videos from across the country!

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Coloring/activity book

Topic

Marine life
Ecosystems
Fish
Invertebrates
Life in an estuary

Special categories

Printable

Enjoy this short coloring book from the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve. 

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Lesson plan
Background information
Collection
Coloring/activity book
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Marine life
Aquatic food webs
Ecosystems
Fish
Invertebrates
Life in an estuary
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents

Explore this collections of lessons, activities, videos, coloring pages, and field guides from the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve on life in that estuary.

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 K-2
Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Life science

Resource type

Multimedia
Video

Topic

Marine life
Adaptations
Coral reef ecosystems
Ecosystems
Fish
Invertebrates
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Sharks, rays, and skates
Ocean and coasts
Earth processes
Ocean chemistry
Ocean exploration

Follow along with the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer as its crew study deep sea ecosystems and animals. During live stream periods, you can listen along as scientists comment on what they are seeing and identify animals and deep sea features in real time. 

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Data product
Intermediate data product

Topic

Climate
Marine life
Ecosystems
Endangered species
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Invertebrates
Salmon

The geographic, or spatial extent, over which a species is found to occur, is its distribution. Understanding how species are distributed in space and time and the factors that drive spatial patterns in distribution and abundance are central questions in ecology and important for species conservation and management. The Distribution Mapping and Analysis Portal (DisMAP) brings species distribution data into one user-friendly and interactive map with data models. Explore changes in marine fish and invertebrate distributions over time. Learn more with this introduction from the project's lead.