Education resources are distributed across many websites and program offices at NOAA and on NOAA partner websites. We organize these resources in collections and a database on NOAA.gov/education so you can easily search for and discover NOAA’s free, quality materials in one place. We designed our collections and database with educators in mind, but we hope they are also useful for parents, caregivers, and anyone who wants to learn about Earth systems — from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean floor.
How content is organized
NOAA Sea to Sky resource database
NOAA Sea to Sky is our database of education resources. You can quickly find what you’re looking for by using the keyword search or by using filters like audience, resource type, topic, or Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Disciplinary Core Idea.
Resource collections
Our resource collections introduce a topic and include a list of related education resources organized by type. These curated materials range from background reading to data and activities you can integrate into your teaching. The collections are not grade specific but resources are labeled where applicable. Topics fall under the following themes:
💡Tip: The resources can be found along the right hand side of each resource collection page on desktop or at the bottom on mobile.
We also host a few special types of collections.
- Data resources for educators includes lists of data products that educators can use with their students, from classroom-ready lessons to data products that offer deeper dives into NOAA’s scientific work.
- Printable activities and materials include themed lists of activity and coloring books, craft activities, and posters.
- Conference resources are pages that share information from conferences where we host exhibit hall booths.
Content sources
NOAA-produced content
NOAA-produced content includes educational resources that were developed and published by NOAA offices and program staff.
NOAA grantee and partner content
Grantee and partner content includes educational resources that were produced through NOAA grants, contracted services, or other formal partnerships. These materials are often hosted outside of the noaa.gov domain. The resources must be original work by the grantee or partner, indicate their relationship to NOAA, and be free to download and use. Materials produced by a partner organization outside the partnership with NOAA are not eligible to be in our collections.
Content selection and updates
NOAA staff review the resources in our education resource collections and the Sea to Sky database to ensure they are accurate and useful for formal and informal educators.
Our education resources are:
- Built on real-world and current science.
- Relevant to science education teaching requirements in formal settings.
- Technically functional, scientifically accurate, and use educational best practices.
- Easy to use.
Many resources:
- Align with Next Generation Science Standards.
- Are easily editable, modifiable, printable and/or displayable.
- Use data or models.
- Facilitate active learning, critical thinking, and problem solving.
- Are hands-on, inquiry-based, or project-based.
- Support outdoor education.
💡Tip: Use the filters in the NOAA Sea to Sky education resource database to quickly find resources that support these instructional strategies. You can also find resources that provide instruction in languages other than English, career profiles, and much more.
We periodically evaluate existing resources to make sure they are still functional, relevant, and up to date. We do our best to remove outdated materials, but we may leave some materials with slightly dated content if they are otherwise high quality.
We seek input from educators at conferences and through other forums on an ongoing basis to help shape and improve the content of this site. We welcome your comments. Please send them to education@noaa.gov.
Who can use our resources?
All materials found in our collections are free to use. Resources created by NOAA are in the public domain and can be distributed or modified without express permission, unless noted. Grantee and partner resources may have additional guidelines for distribution, so please check for guidance on their websites.
If you have any questions or comments, please email education@noaa.gov.