Resources
This page lists a variety of resources with all kinds of information to help enrich, inspire and support your Ocean Guardian School Project. Some of the resources serve a specific area; however, you may find those links to be useful in another watershed. This is by no means an exhaustive list. We will be updating it along the way.
GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL/MARINE EDUCATION
NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES EDUCATION PROGRAM
The National Marine Sanctuaries Program offers numerous education resources and programs for both teachers and students.
WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is dedicated to research and education to advance understanding of the ocean and its interaction with the Earth system, and to communicating this understanding for the benefit of society.
OCEAN TODAY
Ocean Today is an exciting, multimedia kiosk that features videos on all aspects of the ocean realm, exploration and discoveries, marine life and science.
MARINE SCIENCE TODAY
Marine Science Today offers up-to-date news articles on the research and scientific breakthroughs that are going on in our oceans today. Most notably topics include the science behind marine life, policies and laws pertaining to the ocean, and developments in ocean technology.
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MARINE DEBRIS/PLASTIC POLLUTION
NOAA MARINE DEBRIS PROGRAM
A richly informative website dedicated to NOAA's efforts in addressing the national and international issue of marine debris.
SURFRIDER FOUNDATION
Surfrider Foundation has developed many resources, programs and initiatives that are dedicated to their primary mission of preserving the world's oceans, waves and beaches.
PLASTIC POLLUTION COALITION
This international alliance of individuals, businesses and organizations is working together to stop plastic pollution in our environment. Learn how they are making a difference and how you can help.
ALGALITA MARINE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
The Algalita Marine Research Foundation is one of the leading research organizations of marine plastic pollution. They offer a variety of educational resources and materials for use in the classroom.
OIKONOS
This non-profit organization focuses its research and educational programs on increasing awareness and understanding of human impacts on marine ecosystems.
THE 5 GYRES INSTITUTE
The 5 Gyres Institute aims to educate the public on the dangers of plastics polluting our oceans. They implement local, national, and international projects with the goal of creating a world with plastic-free oceans.
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WATERSHED RESTORATION
POINT BLUE'S STRAW PROGRAM
Point Blue's Straw Program, under PRBO Conservation Science, provides support to teachers, students and community organizations with watershed restoration projects in Sonoma, Marin, Napa and Solano counties.
SALMON PROTECTION AND WATERSHED NETWORK (SPAWN)
SPAWN is a community-based watershed organization that works to protect salmon and their habitats in the Lagunitas Creek Watershed and surrounding areas.
CHANNEL ISLANDS RESTORATION)
This non-profit organization protects endangered native plant habitats on the Channel Islands and adjacent mainland through education and restoration activities. They work closely with schools to coordinate hands-on restoration experiences in these sensitive and unique locations.
RETURN OF THE NATIVES (RON) RESTORATION PROJECT
RON, a community and school-based environmental education program based at California State University Monterey Bay, provides active educational programs for schools interested in watershed restoration activities in the Monterey Bay area.
MONTEREY BAY SALMON & TROUT PROJECT (MBSTP)
MBSTP is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the native salmon and steelhead populations of the Monterey Bay area.
SALMON & TROUT EDUCATION PROGRAM (STEP)
This education program, affiliated with the Monterey Bay Salmon & Trout Project, supports educators in bringing the teachings of salmon and trout and their related watershed habitats into the classroom.
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MEDIA RESOURCES
NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY MARINE LIBRARY
A comprehensive collection of public-domain video clips and still images from America's underwater treasures available for download.
NOAA MARINE DEBRIS PHOTO GALLERIES
These photo galleries contain general photos of marine debris, as well as photos from projects across the nation. All photos are available for download.
YOU TUBE CHANNEL OF NOAA'S OFFICE OF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES
New sanctuary videos are posted frequently about current issues, programs and information.
NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE PODCASTS
Through the two NOS podcasts, Making Waves and Diving Deeper, you can access the most current National Ocean Service news and information as well as more in-depth reports on marine topics from NOS scientists.
MARINE PHOTO BANK
The Marine Photo Bank is a leading visual resource that has galvanized people from all over the planet to collect, share and download marine photos, images and graphics that shed light on how humans have affected life in the ocean.
STORY OF STUFF PROJECT
This project grew out of the widely viewed, environmental short film "Story of Stuff" which is available free, on-line. The project continues to develop, explore and educate about the issues of a sustainable world.
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REUSE/REDUCE/RECYCLE/ROT
STOP WASTE.ORG
This Alameda County integrated public agency is a collaboration between the Alameda Waste Management Authority and the Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling Board. The agency offers resources, programs and support to schools in Alameda County to promote recycling and other waste reduction strategies.
ART FROM SCRAP
In addition to a Watershed Resource Center and a Reuse Store, this environmental education organization in Santa Barbara brings a Green School Education Program into the classroom.
A TRASH FREE LUNCH EXPERIMENT: MEASURING "BEFORE" AND "AFTER"
Learn how students from Taylor Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia participated in a school-wide experiment to reduce their own lunch waste.
RECYCLE WORKS, A Program of San Mateo County
irecycle@school web page of San Mateo County offers a range of information that is useful to all schools including: recycling curriculum and project ideas for students, teacher professional development resources, information about setting up recycling programs at school, gardening and composting projects, tips for your facilities and maintenance staff and the latest news about legislation.
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ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGNS & PROGRAMS
National Wildlife Federation Eco-Schools
This Eco-School initiative is in place in 47 countries around the world. Find out what your school can do to become an Eco-School.
KEEP CALIFORNIA BEAUTIFUL
Keep California Beautiful, a non-profit organization partners with individuals, schools, local governments, businesses and community organizations to preserve and protect California's natural resources.
THANK YOU OCEAN
This award-winning, awareness-building campaign focuses on the benefits of the ocean in our lives and ways in which we can help protect the ocean.
U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE'S SCHOOLYARD HABITAT PROGRAM
This program provides a range of technical information and organizational support to create a sustainable habitat and outdoor classroom on a school campus. They offer a free comprehensive guidebook that leads teachers and administrators through the process of implementing a successful schoolyard habitat.
ONE WORLD ONE OCEAN
This global, multi-media campaign aims to "change the way people see and value the ocean - and motivate action to restore it."
SAVE OUR SHORES
Save our Shores is nonprofit marine conservation organization based in Santa Cruz, California. Their mission is caring for the marine environment through ocean awareness, advocacy, and citizen action. Their website also includes various educational programs that reach a wide-variety of audiences, challenging people to think about their connections to the ocean and the planet as a whole.
PARKS ONLINE RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS (PORTS)
PORTS is a free distance learning program that uses the power of interactive videoconferencing to help K-12 schools teach common core state standards in the context of California State Parks.
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ENERGY & OCEAN HEALTH
SANCTUARIES and CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change has consequences for people, the planet, and the ocean, including national marine sanctuaries. This website highlights some of the areas in which the sanctuaries are responding to climate change including adaptation, mitigation, outreach and science.
NOAA Climate.gov: Science and information for a climate-smart nation
NOAA Climate.gov is a source of timely and authoritative scientific data and information about climate. "Teaching Climate" is one of the four sections which contains numerous reviewed resources for teaching about climate and energy.
CLIMATE LITERACY: The Essential Principals of Climate Science
This interagency guide provides a framework and essential principles for formal and informal education about climate change. It presents important information for individuals and communities to understand Earth's climate, impacts of climate change, and approaches for adapting and mitigating change. Principles in the guide can serve as discussion starters or launching points for scientific inquiry. The guide can also serve educators who teach climate science as part of their science curricula.
CLEAN: CLIMATE LITERACY & ENERGY AWARENESS NETWORK
A collection of climate and energy educational resources that have been rigorously reviewed by educators and scientists
EPA: A STUDENT'S GUIDE TO GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
This webpage of the EPA’s Climate Change website offers a directory of curricular and action-planning resources for both educators and students including the Students’ Site.
UNDERSTANDING OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
This Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary website offers a great selection of information, workshops, resources and hands-on activities that all relate to ocean acidification.
COOL THE EARTH
Cool the Earth is a grass roots, climate change education program for schools and families.
VIRTUAL URCHIN, ACID OCEAN
An international team of scientists and educators have developed an on-line high school biology project in which students use virtual labs to investigate the problem of ocean acidification.
INQUIRY TO STUDENT ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION(I2SEA)
I2SEA is a collaboration between The Sven Loven Centre for Marine Sciences at the University of Sweden and Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. This project offers curricular tools on challenging environmental topics such ocean acidification and climate change with the goal of empowering high school and secondary school students in how to address these worldwide issues.
CLIMATE CHANGE LIVE
The U.S. Forest Service and 26 federal and NGO partners bring climate learning to the classroom through a series of webcasts, webinars, and online climate education resources.
ALLIANCE FOR CLIMATE EDUCATION (ACE)
Through award-winning, in-school, live assemblies, this organization educates young people on the science of climate change and empowers them to take action. They also train students to become climate change leaders within their families, schools, and communities.
COMMUNITOPIA
Communitopia envisions a fossil-free energy future in a world that has minimized the effects of global warming as much as possible. To accomplish this, they want to empower everyone to help shape the conversation, learn the facts, find solutions and create energy-smart communities.
NASA: CLIMATE KIDS
An interactive website that teaches younger kids about weather and climate, the ocean, the carbon cycle, and energy usage. Students are able to engage themselves through educational crafts, games, instructional videos, and learn how to teach others about what they have learned.