Investigating Sound: Using Open Tubes To Demonstrate Beat Notes part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Open tube resonators of nearly identical length produce sound waves with frequencies very close together. The difference between the two frequenciesy is the beat note frequency heard when two resonators (musical intruments)are slightly out-of-tune.

Investigating Forces: Balloon car activity part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is a guided inquiry-based lab that investigates forces exerted on a group of student-designed and engineered "balloon cars". Each group of students is then challenged to build a "balloon car" that travels a maximum distance.

Using Inquiry to Discover Stream Formations In a Small Stream part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an inquiry based field investigation where students measure and map a small stream and then develop an understanding of the formation of a variety of small stream features.

Incompressibility of liquids part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Discrepant event used to introduce hydraulics and Pascal's Principle

Determining Bulk Density of Different Soil Samples and Data Analysis part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity combines field exercise soil collection with lab analysis of soil bulk density. Students develop a lab procedure to measure density and analyze data using Microsoft Excel computer software.

Investigating motors and magnetism. part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an activity where students build a motor, learn motor operation and theory, interpret their understanding through troubleshooting, and develop a new, experimental question related to the motor. One follow-up activity would be coupling their motor to a fan blade or other axle to convert electrical energy to magnetic energy into mechanical motion for real world application.

Power Generation Town Council part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an opportunity for students to explore civil government and to present what they have learned about electric power generation in a persuasive manner

Levers: How the Human Body Uses them to its Advantage part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an introduction to the concept of levers, the classes, and their parts using the musculoskeletal system.

Introductory Concepts in Soil Chemistry part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is an introductory lab for Environmental Science, investigating the bulk density of soil and water holding capacity.

Lake Investigation: Determining Lake Type and Health Using the Internet part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an on-line research activity in which students research different Minnesota lakes and determine their physical characteristics, chemical characteristics, and the overall health of the lake.