Educational Support Through NOAA

Capitalizing on the expertise of NOAA scientists and educators, many instructional resources are available from NOAA that cover many topics, from the land and ocean to Earth’s atmosphere and space. NCEI benefits from its partnership with NOAA in having an abundance of vetted educational science resources available across a broad spectrum of topics. These free resources include science lesson plans, educational videos, games, and activities for elementary to high school-aged students.

As the national steward of environmental data and information, NCEI makes available access to these resources as part of our mission. Our external education links are from trusted, authoritative partners and scientifically vetted for validity.

Educational Resources from NOAA

Check out subject-specific links from NCEI on our Resources for Educators page and browse the projects and resources below:

SciJinks
This kid-friendly website explores meteorology, space weather, and climate science through interactive games, lesson plans, posters, videos, and career profiles. The website also provides a guide on how to match the materials with Next Generation Science Standards.
Relevant grade levels: 3rd grade to 8th grade

Climate.gov
Climate.gov is focused on providing authoritative curriculum support to educators on climate science. Along with the vetted lesson plans there are videos, animations, experiments, hands-on activity directions, and interactive tools to guide middle school and high school students in independent exploration of topics relating to climate science.
Relevant grade levels: 3rd grade to 12th grade

JetStream
JetStream is an online weather school with progressive lessons and activities for educators to teach about weather and weather safety. This collection of lesson plans gives educators background information, quizzes, posters, and activities to demonstrate the major concepts of meteorology and extreme weather.
Relevant grade levels: 6th grade to 12th grade

NOAA Data in the Classroom
These interactive online modules on marine and ocean science can be explored independently by older students, but guidance is provided for educators about how to supplement the activities with PowerPoint presentations and teacher guides. Topics include ocean acidification, El Niño, coral bleaching, water quality, and sea level changes. Each lesson is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.
Relevant grade levels: 6th grade to 12th grade

Ocean Today
This collection of short videos produced by NOAA features topics related to the current state of the ocean, marine life, and the impact of these systems on our lives on-shore.
Relevant grade levels: 6th grade to 12th grade

NEMO Curriculum
The NOAA Enrichment in Marine Sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) curriculum features twenty-three consecutive lesson plans accompanied by PowerPoint slides to support teaching marine science and oceanographic principles to high school students.
Relevant grade levels: 9th grade to 12th grade

For quick and printable activities, also consider downloading:

NOAA Cloud Chart
This poster and learning guide helps children identify cloud types, understand weather patterns, and atmospheric circulation.
Relevant grade levels: 3rd grade to 8th grade

Tsunami Sources Icosahedron Globe
This foldable globe challenges students to follow the directions to make a triangle-based 3D replica of Earth, while providing a visual demonstration of the global distribution of tsunamis and earthquakes. A great introduction activity for exploring plate tectonics and earth science.
Relevant grade levels: 6th grade to 10th grade