Observing, Describing and Measuring Changing Physical Properties: Making Ice Cream part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Students will use science skills of observing, describing and measuring in the context of Making Ice Cream. Students will understand the concept that physical properties can change.

Mixtures, Solutions and Saturation: Testing Household Materials part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a laboratory extension where students test and collect data on two kitchen materials in the categories of solubility, saturation, chemical reaction and weights. Thus, giving students opportunity to reinforce skills already learned.

Sink or Float? Inquiry Investigation part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Students explore and experiment with various objects to find which materials will float or sink. They record predictions and results, and generate ideas about the properties of materials that float or sink.

Investigating with magnets: attraction and repelling part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is a classroom activity where students create magnetic cats and see what occurs when the cats are placed next to each other. Students will be informally investigating magnetic attraction and repelling.

How do balloons interact when rubbed together? part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This inquiry lab activity involves students working to understand the characteristics of electrically charged objects using common materials. Students will develop new testable questions.

Compare and Contrast deciduous and evergreen tree leaves to aid in tree identification part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity consists of classroom lessons where children observe tree leaves and compare and contrast those leaves leading to an understanding of the terms deciduous and evergreen (and also coniferous). They then use that learning to help them identify the kind of tree based on samples on a chart.

Stream Study: An Investigation of an Aquatic Ecosystem part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a field study where students gather data on a stream based upon their protocol. They will correlate their data with another group and present their results to the class. They will develop and defend in class a new experimental question for a spring study.

The Three Bears Heat Investigation--It's Just Right part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is a classroom lab investigation where students use the story of the three bears to discover inadequacies in the story and discover how to make them correct. Convection, conduction and radiation are involved.

Introduction to Open and Closed Electrical Circuits part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Students will act out open and closed circuits and is followed by individual journal writing and a class discussion.

Being Darwin's Finches part of MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is an activity that involves students modeling the behavior and competition that Charles Darwin's finches would have gone through as they competed for food and space on the Galapagos Islands. Some will survive. Some won't.