Investigating Photosynthesis: Discovering what plants need for photosynthesis part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
In this inquiry lab, students design and conduct simple experiments using elodea and Bromothymol blue to determine whether plants consume or release carbon dioxide in the process of photosynthesis. Students will record their data which will be used to conclude whether carbon dioxide was consumed or released by the elodea.

Growing Lima Beans: Do We Really Need Dirt? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an indoor lab investigation where students compare and contrast different growing environments for a lima bean seed and discover the optimal conditions needed for growth.

Investigating Osmosis using water and gummy bears part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a classroom lab where the students gather data on the affect water has on gummy bear candies and develops an experiment based on a new question regarding a not plain water solution. Students will perform calculations and graph their results.

Investigating joints: Naming and identifying joints in the human body part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Short Description: This activity is a classroom investigation of human joints. Students will identify joints and use their science notebooks to record their findings using drawings and words.

Comparative anatomy of bird vs. human leg bones. part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is designed to compare and contrast the anatomy of the leg bones of a bird vs. a human.

The Flow of Energy: Balancing Ecosystems part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a guided inquiry by students into balancing ecosystems through food chains and webs.

Introduction to Dichotomous Keys part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a lab where students learn to classify objects that are similar into groups and technically describe their classifications. Introduction to dichotomous keys.

Brine Shrimp Inquiry part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This classroom lab is a guided practice for inquiry using brine shrimp as the subject to be investigated.

Best Edible Model of a Cell Contest part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is designed to help students understand the structures and functions of the cell by building a model. The students must also do an oral presentation explaining their model to the class.

Signs and Tracks of Animals part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Students will examine clues about animals such as nests, leaves, feathers, fur, tracks that allow some conclusions about the identity, physical characteristics or behavior of the animals. Students will study the characteristics of animal tracks.

Investigative Case - Living in an Alkaline Environment part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Investigative Case Based Learning:Examples
Living in an Alkaline Environment is a three-part interactive activity that explores the ecology and diversity of life in alkaline environments.

An Introduction to and Investigation on Keystone Species part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a project in which students research keystone species and report on specific species to the class.

Seasonal Changes of a Tree part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a year long project observing the changes in a specific tree. It includes using all the senses in the observation and making two different booklets to record what we observe. It also includes several picture story books that enhance the lesson.

Diffusion Demonstration part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
In this interactive demonstration students will make observations of diffusion of a semi permeable membrane and be able to compare these observations to the functions of a cell membrane.

Investigating Germination in Plants: An Inquiry Approach to Germination Growth in Pet Plants part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a lab activity where students grow two radish seeds, and manipulate a variable that may affect the germination time and growth of the radish seed.

A Student Produced Field Guide to Neighborhood Trees part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
During this project, students will be working to cooperatively create a field guide to trees in the neighborhood near the school. In doing so they will be making observations, introduced to tree and plant anatomy and physiology, and will learn how to make and use dichotomous keys.

Lichen Hunt--Identifying and Classifying Lichens by their Physical Characteristics part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a guided inquiry where students will find their own lichen and classify it into one of three categories. They will collect, analyze, and present their finding to the class.

Guided Leech Activity and Record Keeping in a Science Notebook part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a teacher-directed investigation where students observe leeches, create questions and determine which ones are investigable. Together, teacher and students design and carry out a test for their question and record the information in a science notebook.

Sensory Butterfly Garden part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is an activity in which students use their senses to describe their garden. This is a guided inquiry lesson.

Comparing the Simple Structure of Plant and Animal Cells part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
The lesson is designed for fourth grade students using scientific investigation to identify and compare the basic parts of a plant and animal cells. This activity consists of several steps over a period of several days. It includes student use of microscopes for observations and journals to collect data to identify and classify the basic parts of plant and animal cells. The assessment has an individual component and uses student work.