2024 Professional Development Opportunities

Exploring the Deep Ocean with NOAA

Professional Development for Educators of Grades 6-12

Educators of grades 6-12 are invited to join a NOAA Ocean Exploration facilitator and our Education Alliance Partners for a full-day, in-person professional development workshop. Together we’ll dive into the diverse reasons for why it is important to explore the ocean and the variety of tools and technologies that drive how we conduct expeditions in some of the most remote places on the planet.

This fun-filled, full-day workshop will include:

  • A brief introduction to NOAA Ocean Exploration and why and how we explore the ocean;
  • Several lessons and hands-on activities that support current science standards and classroom pedagogy to bring the excitement and mystery of deep-sea exploration alive for students;
  • Reflection and discussion with peer educators about how to implement these materials in the classroom; and
  • A guided tour of additional free, online ocean education resources available from NOAA Ocean Exploration and the Deep Ocean Education Project website

Registration is required and space is limited. Registered educators will receive a collection of classroom-ready resources to continue exploring the deep ocean with NOAA in their classrooms that includes student investigations, videos, fact sheets, and more. Additionally, educators that attend the full day, in-person workshop will receive a NOAA Ocean Exploration Certificate of Participation, and a $100 stipend. *This professional development workshop is an updated version of previous Exploring the Deep Ocean with NOAA, Why Do We Explore, and How Do We Explore workshops.

This NOAA Ocean Exploration professional development for educators is offered in partnership with Education Alliance Partners and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

Fall 2024 Opportunities

All workshops are scheduled on Saturdays and run from 8:30am – 4:00pm local time.

Registration links will be provided below as soon as they become available.

August 29-30, 2024

  • [CLOSED] National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa (Pago Pago, American Samoa)

September 21, 2024

  • [CLOSED] South Carolina Aquarium (Charleston, SC)

October 5, 2024

  • [CLOSED] Georgia Aquarium (Atlanta, GA)
  • [CLOSED] National Aquarium (Baltimore, MD)

October 12, 2024

November 2, 2024

November 9, 2024

November 16, 2024

January 25, 2025