Investigating Biodiversity in your schoolyard part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Todd Koenig Zimmerman High School 25900 4th Street West Zimmerman, MN 55398 Based on an original activity from Mike Link and the Audubon Center of the North Woods
In this field lab students will investigate the biodiversity around their school. Students will perform a biodiversity count using transect line. The students will develop multiple hypotheses relating to biodiversity and propose additional procedures for studying, collecting and testing these questions.

Insect Investigations part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Jaime Souza, Audubon Center of the North Woods, Sandstone, MN, based on a recent Bio-blitz that I participated in at the July MnStep in Sandstone
This activity is a field investigation or bio-blitz where students are collecting as many different types of insects as they can. Back in the lab, they will record their findings, sort and classify the insects found. This will lead into a class discussion on biodiversity and the importance of insects and their benefits all living things.

Diversity of Life in Your Neighborhood part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Daniel C. Bearfield, Pipestone Area School, Pipestone, MN based on Bio Blitz as introduced by Mike Link of Audubon Center of the North Woods as part of MnSTEP program in July, 2007
This is a field investigation on diversity of life where students count the number of kinds organisms in two locations. Students report their results on posters and propose reasons why there might be difference in diversity between the locations.

Investigative Case - Protistan Tales of Atlantic White Cedar Swamps part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Investigative Case Based Learning:Examples
Developed by Monica Bruckner, Montana State University, based on the Protistan Tales of Atlantic White Cedar Swamps WebQuest by Sarah Bordenstein, Marine Biological Laboratory.
The Protistan Tales of Atlantic White Cedar Swamps WebQuest features a guided exploration of microbial diversity. It introduces students to the extreme habitat of the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp and encourages them to explore characteristics of the microorganisms that live there. The WebQuest applies the personification theme of Aesop's Fables as a means to acquaint students with protists. It challenges them to search for microbial "personality traits" and to implement these traits into a creative storyline.