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.”

 

No results match your search.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Multimedia
Game/online activity

Topic

Space
Space weather

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Hands-on
Informal
Models

Collection name

Solar physics and terrestrial effects curriculum guide

This is a 2D demonstration of how a photon — a small bundle of light energy — might move in its journey from the interior to the surface of the sun. Creative educators might modify this into a game for several players that includes questions about the sun as levels are reached, etc. Be imaginative!

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration

Topic

Space
Space weather

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Hands-on
Informal
Models

Collection name

Solar physics and terrestrial effects curriculum guide

In this activity, we will let solar radiation raise the temperature of a measured quantity of water. From the observation of how much time is required for the temperature change, we can calculate the amount of energy absorbed by the water and then relate this to the energy output of the sun.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration

Topic

Space
Space weather

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Hands-on
Informal
Models

Collection name

Solar physics and terrestrial effects curriculum guide

One of the keys to learning about the Sun is to view it in different wavelengths of light. The views can be quite different, and so are views of objects on Earth in different wavelengths. This activity examines objects through a filter set of colored and specialized filters and illustrates how science uses different wavelengths to selectively study features of the Sun.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Background information
Collection

Topic

Space
Space weather

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Hands-on
Informal
Models

Collection name

Solar physics and terrestrial effects curriculum guide

Solar Physics and Terrestrial Effects is a resource consisting of three main parts: a short textbook, a hands-on activity guide, and resource listings. The textbook should provide the necessary background in solar physics for teachers. The activity section offers ideas for hands-on experiences that can be done in the classroom, using materials that are cheap and easily available. Background information is available in the text for the activities. Any materials that are needed for activities can be obtained from a variety of sources.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration

Topic

Space
Auroras
Space weather

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Hands-on
Informal
Models

Collection name

Solar physics and terrestrial effects curriculum guide

To monitor changes in the earth’s magnetic field and relate these changes to solar events such as flares. Many variations of this design are in use by amateurs because of its simplicity, but now with the availability of inexpensive and sensitive Hall-effect sensors that easily interface to home computers, it should be possible to make more quantitative measurements of changes in the geomagnetic field due to solar wind. By monitoring changes in the geomagnetic field, aurorae and related effects can be forecast and studied.