Bridges, Building and Breaking part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity s a student project to construct and test the load bearing capacity of a scale model bridge from toothpicks.

Chromatography: Who Wrote the Note? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This lesson has students solving the mystery of a note by conducting chromatography. They will test different washable markers and see that different marker colors are made up of various pigments. They will compare and contrast the note chromatography with other chromatography results from a variety of markers.

Investigating Matter, Solid or Liquid: Barthlomew and the Oobleck part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
The students will be able to define solids and liquids from their prior knowledge. The students will be able to verbalize the differences between solids and liquids? Observe, communicate and question when things aren't what they appear to be. Is Oobleck a solid or liquid? The answer is that it is both. Have the students come up with their own answers and to communicate their findings. The students will understand the difference between a non-Newtonian fluid and a liquid or a solid.

Lab Investigation Mixture Separation part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is a lab that is designed to have students write a lab procedure and separate out mixture of substances with different properties. It is also a good introduction to the different lab equipment that they will be using through out the year.

Mystery Material: Is it a solid or a liquid? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an investigation of a "mystery material" where students have to determine whether the substance is a solid or a liquid. This activity can be done as part of an earth science or chemistry lesson.

Sponge Lab: Experimenting With Absorption part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity allows students to brainstorm investigable questions, conduct an experiment, and communicate the results related to our invertebrate animal study; specifically sponges and absorption. (Lesson is based on an original activity from "Porifera's Porosity", Holt Science and Technology - Animals, Holt, Rinehart, and Winston 2002, pages 50-51.)

The Reflection of Light part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an investigation where students experiment with reflection using plane mirrors.

Investigating Changes of State: Chemical and Physical Changes part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
In this activity students explore and identify chemical and physical changes by observing a variety of changes in matter in lab stations and through the making of butter and pancakes.

Introducing Ionic Bonds: How does the string hold together? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an introductory activity where students observe the characteristics of ionic compounds and crystals They also work on making observations and writing hypotheses.

Chemical Reactions: Investigating Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an inquiry-based investigation where students discover the indicators of chemical reactions (endothermic and exothermic) by collecting data and using that data to develop a testable question for further experimentation.

Investigating Newton's 3rd Law: Coin Flick part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a structured inquiry for students to observe how Newton's 3rd law of motion which states that to every action there must be an equal reaction. By flicking a set # of coin into a row of coins they will observe the force of the impact being passed along until the last coin flies off when no other coin prevents it from moving.

Investigating Motion: Understanding Frame of Reference part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
In this lab activity, students observe and describe motion from different frames of reference and measure the time for the motion. They analyze their findings and develop a working definition of "frame of reference".

Identifying the force (push/pull) used to put sports equipment into motion part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is designed for a primary classroom (large area) investigation where students investigate sports equipment and decide what force; push or pull (twist) is used to put the object in motion. Students develop a method of recording the data colleted and can present the information gathered.

Investigating Motion: Calculating and Graphing Students Walking Speed part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a field investigation where students gather data on their motion and how it compares to another person.

Exploring Sound: Length Makes a Difference part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
In this introductory physics lab activity, students explore the sounds made by the free-end of a ruler vibrating off the end of a desk.

Catapults: controlled investigations part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a controlled investigation of a catapult system.

Electric Circuits - Guided Inquiry part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is a series of lab activities where students complete experiments for open, closed, series and parallel circuits.

Investigating Chromatography: Separating Pigments part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a lab investigation where students design an experiment to extract pigments (AKA chromatography) from different colored, water soluble markers.

Investigation of Pitch & Rate of Vibration part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is an activity demonstrating how pitch varies using water bottles, and allows students to investigate pitch further with rulers, straws, and water bottles.

Investigating Light: A Form of Energy You Can See part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is a short unit (including hands on activities) to expand our study of how light travels and how it behaves when it hits an object.