Identifying Fossils: Exploring the Mississippi River Bluffs part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a geology lab where students learn about fossils found in sedimentary rocks and show their understanding by writing a literary nonfiction paper from the perspective of one of those fossils.

Rocks - A Lesson in Inquiry part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
In this earth science unit, the students will observe rocks from the FOSS Pebbles, Sand & Silt kit as well as their own personal rocks. They will use scientific tools to aid in their observations, then form investigatory questions for their own inquiry.

Soil vs. Rocks part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This lesson will extend the learning on rocks with the Foss kit, Pebbles, Sand, and Silt to include soil. Students will perform the soil sifting activity like the one designed for rocks in the Foss it. Through their work, students will complete a Venn diagram of soil and rocks as a class.

Geology of the Credit River at Hidden Valley Park part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Short Description: This is an inquiry based field investigation where students gather data on the Credit River from the rocks in the river bed, water speed, and maps. Students interpret their findings and develop new questions.

Outcrop Investigation: What can our rocks tell us about the past? part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a field investigation where students reconstruct parts of Winona's Paleozoic environment through observations of a local outcrop and the application of basic geologic principles.

In this activity students will observe and investigate rocks in order to classify them in terms of color, shape, texture and size. part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
In this activity students will observe and investigate rocks in order to classify them in terms of color, shape, texture and size.

GeoGlitz: An Intensive Geological Survey of the Land at a Specific Location part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a field investigation where students gather geological information of a designated area and identify the geological features they documented.

Safe Water Unit part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity could be part of a bigger theme under pollution. The activity could be the water part and the bigger focus could contain all other types of pollution.

What Happens to Water When it Hits the Ground? part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Students will test the percolation rates of 6 different soil samples. Three of the samples are measured sand and clay and three are collected from the schoolyard and wetland.

Exploring Sugarloaf Cove: Investigating the Geology of Lake Superior's North Shore. part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a field investigation where students make observations of the pebble beach, lava flows, and wetland restoration at Sugarloaf Cove to generate questions to be addressed throughout the earth science curriculum.