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.

Water Quality part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Jennifer Krings, Ridgeway Community School, Houston, MN
This is a field investigation in which students test water quality in 2-3 areas using their own testable question.

Macroinvertebrates and Indicators of Water Quality part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Kim Truchan, Winona Senior High based on the Macorinvertebrate Mayhem from Project Wet
This activity is a field investigation where students can go to a body of water and collect the macroinvertebrates there and identify them. Based on what they find, they can assess the water quality by determining the biotic index.

Using Benthic Marcoinvertebrates Captured by Rock Baskets to Determine Biodiversity in a River. part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Amanda Meyer
In this ecology investigation, students will build and place rock baskets to collect benthic macroinvertebrates in a local waterway. They will observe and identify their macroinvertebrates and use the data to determine the pollution tolerance index for various areas of a river.

Natural Stream Tables part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Jeff Lindstrom Churchill Elementary, Cloquet, MN
This activity is a field investigation on stream tables.

What Is Water? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Cristy Rajdl Holy Family School Sauk Centre, MN
What Is Water? is an introductory lesson that introduces students to the properties of water and its presents in the environment.

Stream Study: Assessing the relative health of streams by macro-invertebrate collection and Identification part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Pete Eaton
This activity is a field investigation where students gather data on stream health by collecting macro-invertebrates at three different locations and then develop an experimental question through land use and topographic map research to explain differences in water quality.

Investigating water quality through quantative and qualitative analysis of benthic macroinvertebrate sampling. part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Matthew Duffee, Tartan High School, Oakdale MN, based on work done by Wayne Pikal, MNDNR
In activity is a Biology field lab where students will investigate the relative health of an aquatic system based on bioindicators. Students will then summarize and reflect upon their findings.

Who Wants To Live Here? Water Sampling At Our Local Pond and Stream part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Susan Van Kekerix
This activity is a field activity where students will perform various water quality tests to determine the types of organisms that live in a local pond and stream, and the characteristics that those aquatic environments seem to have that the organisms favor.

Investigating Macroinvertebrates: How Clean is Our Lake? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Joan McKinnon
This 3-part lesson begins with a field activity beside a lake or stream where students collect and identify macro invertebrates. During the second and third portions of the lesson, students conduct research to answer questions that they have regarding the macro invertebrates that they have identified and then based on the types of macro invertebrates found make a general determination of the cleanliness of the lake.