Ocean and Coasts
Photographer: Mr. William Folsom, NOAA, NMFS,
The ocean covers 71 percent of the Earth's surface and contains 97 percent of the planet's water, yet more than 95 percent of the underwater world remains unexplored. The ocean and large inland lakes play an integral role in many of the Earth's systems including climate and weather. More than 50% of all species on Earth are found under the ocean and the ocean helps sustain human life above the water by providing 20 percent of the animal protein and five percent of the total protein in the human diet. In the US alone, there are over 95,000 miles of shoreline. More than half of the US population lives within 50 miles of the coast in the narrow area of land known as the "coastal zone."
This area of the education resources website provides links to NOAA resources which help explore the physical and chemical properties of the ocean and its adjacent ecosystems to advance ocean literacy. NOAA protects, preserves, manages and enhances the resources found in 3.5 million square miles of coastal and deep ocean waters. The agency provides products, services and information that promote safe navigation, support coastal communities, sustain marine ecosystems, and mitigate coastal hazards.
Source: NOAA Ocean Fact Sheet and National Ocean Service Ocean Facts
Gulf Oil Spill
Links to current information, images, and data about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and related educational activities...Read more
Ocean Currents
Educational resources including lesson plans, data, videos and hands-on activities about the causes, types, locations, and influences of ocean currents....Read more
Ocean Floor Features
Educational resources and lesson plans about the exciting, dynamic, and largely unexplored features of the ocean floor....Read more
Ocean Pollution
Lessons and resources for educators to use when teaching about the different types of pollution in the ocean....Read more
