Discover Spectacular
Educational Materials

Resource Collections

Explore a collection of NOAA videos, lesson plans, webinars, web stories, virtual reality, and much more. We encourage formal and informal educators and other interested people to take advantage of the robust background information and educational materials available in each topically-based collection.

Themed Elementary Collections

In collaboration with the National Park Trust, the best of the best educational materials for an elementary school audience have been compiled around 10 exciting topics.

Commemorative Posters

As part of the 50th anniversary, a new commemorative poster will be released each month to capture the beauty and diversity of your National Marine Sanctuary System.

National Marine Sanctuaries Webinar Series

Discover our webinar series to learn more about these spectacular places to ensure the National Marine Sanctuary System remains a source of pride and enjoyment for all.

Discover Spectacular: Celebrating 50 Years of Ocean Conservation and Stewardship

An hour-long presentation that includes a visual overview of the National Marine Sanctuary System, an introduction to our 50th anniversary campaign, and highlights exciting educational resources available to bring the ocean into your classroom or home.

Virtual Reality

National marine sanctuaries can be extraordinary underwater places that can be hard to access, so virtual reality has the ability to connect people to these places that they may never have the chance to visit. Discover Spectacular through our Sanctuaries | 360º: Explore the Blue, which offers immersive experiences to guide the viewer through your underwater parks. This new tool allows you to bring marine ecosystems through any computer, tablet, smartphone, and VR headset.

Virtual Reality Lesson Plans

Discover Next Generation Science Standard lesson plans for grades 6-8 that are aligned to Sanctuaries 360^°—a collection of immersive underwater VR experiences to bring these exceptional underwater treasures to viewers all over the world. These lessons will introduce students to the National Marine Sanctuary System, sea lions in the Channel Islands, coral restoration in the Florida Keys, Shipwreck Alley in Thunder Bay, and more.