What makes things move? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Theresa Porter; Theresa Porter
This activity is an inquiry approach to teaching what force is. Students will learn what push, pull, gravity, and friction are.

Air Is Matter part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Caroline Sorensen
This is a series of investigations about air and its properties. How air exists all around us, and things it is capable of doing.

Scientific Observations: A Schoolyard BioBlitz part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Joanne Michet
This activity is a classroom and field activity where students learn about and practice scientific observations in the classroom and then complete a field activity by making and recording scientific observations on school grounds.

Plant Field Study: Adaptations of Plants for Survival in Different Environments part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Diana Magner Hill City Elementary Hill City, Minnesota Based on a lesson in Macmillan McGraw-Hill science textbook , grade 5, Chapter 2 – Plant Structure and Functions, Lesson 3 – Roots, Stems and Leaves
This is a field investigation where students observe plants in a school forest setting . Students then compare adaptations of plants from different parts of the forest.

Using Plant Surveys to Study Biodiversity part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Paula Kalinosky Eastview High School Apple Valley, MN Based on an original activity from Bowling Green State University, "Joe's Jungle: Exploring Biodiversity". Online at http://www.ableweb.org/biologylabs/wp-content/uploads/volumes/vol-24/1-waggoner.pdf
This activity is a field investigation in which students conduct a plant survey of two study plots, analyze their findings through graphing and mathematic models, investigate the impact of human activity in the general area (optional) and generate questions for further investigation of the study plots.

Analyzing the motion of a marble down a ramp part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Gavin Johnson, Esko High School, Esko, MN, based on a experiment performed by Galileo
This lab activity has students rolling a marble down a ramp to study position, velocity, and acceleration.

Investigating simple plants part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Claire Torrey
Students will observe simple plants, develop an investigable question, and form an investigation. They will document their investigation in their science notebooks.

Using Simpson's Reciprocal Index to Identify and Compare Habitat Biodiversity part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Joe Kissner
This activity is a field investigation where students will compare the biodiversity of two separate habitats based on the collection and identification of insects.

Make a Model Fossil part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Anne E. Flynn St. Charles Borromeo School St. Anthony Village Minnesota Based on an original activity from Harcourt Science 2006. Page 215
This activity is a combination outdoor/indoor lab where students will collect natural materials from the environment and use them to create both a mold and cast model of a fossil. Students will learn how a fossil is formed and why scientists use models to help them understand how things work and develop.

Stream Study: An Investigation of an Aquatic Ecosystem part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Robert Kaukola, GFW Middle School, Fairfax, MN, based on Rivers from the Bell Museum
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.