The National Marine Sanctuary Program identifies, designates and manages areas of the marine environment of special national significance due to their conservation, recreational, ecological, historical, research, educational, or aesthetic qualities. Access information and pictures of marine sanctuaries all over the U.S. and its territories. Discover ways to get involved with the sanctuary program, ... Full description.

These lesson plans in life sciences, physical science, chemistry and engineering link to projects of NOAA's Aquarius undersea research station. Topics include the: impacts of buoyancy, pressure and light on underwater research; effects of physical oceanography on coral reefs; effects of water temperature on the coral/zooxanthellae symbiosis; engineering of AUVs; fish survey techniques; chemical ecology; ... Full description.

Classroom activities based on how scientists study active volcanoes on the deep ocean floor. Activities include: locating an earthquake epicenter, recording geological and biological information during an ocean floor traverse, creating cross-section profiles of the ocean floor, and graphing seafloor data. Resources include videos and teacher guides. Full description.

The NOAA Photo Library has been built to capture the work, observations, and studies that are carried on by the scientists, engineers, commissioned officers, and administrative personnel that make up this complex and scientifically diverse agency. It also has been built in an attempt to capture NOAA's scientific heritage. To date, over 16,000 images have been digitized and reside in the online NOAA ... Full description.

An extensive collection of profiles, stories, and pictures documenting 200 years of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Site contains biographical sketches, sea stories, art and poetry, and more from NOAA and its ancestor agencies. Explore the changes in vessels and instrumentation that first surveyed the United States and its waterways in the 1800s through the present day. Site ... Full description.

Follow ocean explorations in near real-time, learn about ocean exploration technologies, observe remote marine flora and fauna in the multimedia gallery, review NOAA's 200-year history of ocean exploration, and discover additional NOAA resources in a virtual library. View current expeditions or take a look back at the archived ones. Most expeditions feature fact sheets, photographs, explorer logs, ... Full description.

A one-stop resource for information on most, if not all, environmental/marine science disciplines. Site features WINDandSEA: The Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences Internet Locator, where you can access NOAA and external links to all types of web-based information. Site also includes e-journals, numerous maps and modeled data, as well as video from early expeditions. Links to the NOAA websites, photo ... Full description.

This comprehensive site is an introduction to sea ice: what it is, how it forms, how it is studied, how it affected historical expedition in the polar regions, and what role it plays in the global climate. The site contains a glossary of sea ice terms and references to additional information, which all serve as an excellent introduction. Data are also available from various collection methods for ... Full description.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary's page with information on coral reefs and links to information on research, restoration and monitoring. Wealth of information on the protection of Florida's coral reefs and the Florida Keys as a whole. Includes an in-class activity for grades K-5, as well as information on a Keys field experience and teacher workshops. Information on safe diving and snorkeling. ... Full description.

Visit this site on the underwater habitat/laboratory called Aquarius located in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Take an interactive virtual tour, see images from inside and outside Aquarius, or get lesson plans about the physics of underwater diving or seven other topics. Additional features include aquanaut profiles, expedition journals, frequently asked questions, and the Aquarius user's ... Full description.