New!! Island Scrub-jays (appropriate for 6th grade and up)
What affects the beak length of Island Scrub-jays on Santa Cruz Island?
The storyline in this STEM kit has students studying the Island Scrub-Jays which separated from mainland scrub-jays almost a million years ago and have some interesting differences now. Students will study the bird’s beak shape and size, their feeding performance, vocalizations and heritable traits to understand off-spring survival rates.
New!! From Forests to Faucets (appropriate for 6th grade and up)
Explore the factors that affect the quality and quantity of water we drink in Colorado!
The storyline in this STEM kit takes students on an exploration of different aspects of the water cycle as they use a physical model to measure infiltration and runoff in forested and burned trials. Students then use a topographic model to analyze how precipitation patterns cause water scarcity on Colorado’s eastern slope and learn how people divert water under the Continental Divide. The kit mimics the science of Dr. Tim Covino’s research lab at Montana State University.
New!! Fossil Forests (appropriate for 6th grade and up)
Explore how fossil wood is used to determine the climate of Wyoming 50 million years ago!
The storyline in this STEM kit takes students on an exploration of tree structure to determine the similarities and differences between hardwoods, conifers, and palms. Using a physical model, students simulate fossilization and study real fossil wood. Students use information about nearest living relatives, graphing temperature and precipitation ranges of various plants to characterize the ancient climate in the same way as a paleobotanist for National Geographic does.
GetWET Field Experience (appropriate for 9th grade and up – available only in September & October)
Explore surface and groundwater outdoors and check for quality and quantity!
The GetWET Observatory is an outdoor hands-on groundwater education facility located on CSU property along Spring Creek. There is a groundwater well field that allows students to study the interaction between the creek and the groundwater by collecting and analyzing data on the physical and chemical properties of the water and soil. Using the GetWET field backpacks, students study water quality and quantity issues and how they relate to use, conservation, and flooding. This is an OUTDOOR STEM Friday experience available on 9/26, 10/3 10/10 and 10/17 ONLY.
Salts of the Earth (appropriate for 6th grade and up)
Explore how farmers can reduce soil salinity on their croplands and improve crop yields!
The storyline of this kit explores drought and its effects on cropland within Colorado. Students use models to visualize groundwater wells in confined and unconfined aquifers and discover where salt in soil comes from. Another model of the Big Sandy watershed in the Arkansas River Valley is used to measure and analyze salinity data that mimics techniques that Dr. Ryan Bailey’s group uses at CSU. Students think of solutions to this real-world problem based on the data they collect.
Wonder of Wolves (appropriate for 6th grade and up)
Explore how scientists study wolves to learn about their pack dynamics and biology!
Wolf biology comes alive in this storyline. Students become wildlife biologists as they learn about wolf behavior. A pack hunting simulation based on actual computer modeling and scat analysis of hair samples analyzed microscopically demonstrate the wide variety of food sources used by wolves. Audio recordings of wolf communication convey another data point. Each kit represents a separate wolf, and the data collected throughout is used to build a class map that is analyzed to identify wolf packs, a den, and possible human conflicts.
Colors of Life (appropriate for 8th grade and up)
Explore how an absorption spectrum be used to monitor chemical processes.
Students become both chemists and physicists while studying light using 3D-printed spectrometer. In this storyline students move from exploring how an electronic spectroscope works to graphing absorption spectra of a variety of biological pigments. This background allows students to then image chemical reactions for a pH change and explore the process of respiration in living yeast using real-time data collection and analysis. Dr. Jesse Wilson’s laboratory at CSU helped to design the software for the electronic spectroscope, and they are using tightly focused laser light to study biological molecules in a similar manner to the experiments in this kit.
Note: This kit would be a great supplemental activity for AP Chemistry and AP Physics classes.
Bees, Please! (appropriate for 4th grade and up)
Explore how we can increase bee biodiversity in our neighborhoods!
Students become entomologists, botanists and ecologists as they work through the storyline of this kit. Students study their bee type (each kit contains a different species) and exchange data and information with other groups to explore native bee biodiversity and behavior. Building flower models brings structure and function to the understanding of pollination. Data from CSU’s Native Bee Watch run by Lisa Mason is analyzed by the class. In the end, Students determine how their lunch would look without bees.
Get Energized! (appropriate for 4th grade and up)
Explore how we systematically test different metals to make a better rechargeable battery!
The storyline in this STEM kit takes students through systematic testing of four metals to determine combinations that produce the greatest voltage. As students learn to use a digital balance and multimeter, explore the concept of electrolytes and electricity, and share ideas with their partner on which combinations of metals to try, they mimic skills and techniques straight out of Dr. Amy Prieto’s research laboratory at CSU!
Going Viral (appropriate for 6th grade and up)
Explore how a community can protect itself from a viral outbreak!
In this storyline, students model the spread of a virus in an unvaccinated community and study a variety of microbes, using a microscope to estimate the size of a virus compared to a bacterium and a blood cell. Through a simulation, students use manipulatives to model an immune response. The spread of the virus through the community is repeated, this time with a vaccinated population. Dr. Jennifer McLean’s research laboratory at CSU helped to develop this project.
High-Tech Rocks! (appropriate for 7th grade and up)
Explore how natural mineral resources are optimized for high-tech electronic devices!
The storyline in this STEM kit takes students on an exploration of how the shape of the unit cell of a crystal structure causes different useful properties. Students use dynamic tools to model quenching and annealing of molten metal and use a phase diagram to predict what metal they are electroplating from a green liquid. The students gain an understanding of the techniques used by solid-state chemist, Dr. Jamie Neilson, in his lab at CSU.
Secrets of the Hibernators (appropriate for 7th grade and up)
Explore how studying hibernators could help people with osteoporosis!
In this STEM kit, students learn how three different hibernators might hold clues that could one day help people. By measuring the metabolism of a yeast culture at different temperatures, students analyze their own data in the same way Dr. Greg Florant studies how hibernating ground squirrels might adapt to a changing climate. Bear bone specimens from Dr. Seth Donahue’s research collection are analyzed to demonstrate that these animals have already solved a common problem that humans face as we age.
Soils of Fire (appropriate for 5th grade and up)
Explore how the intensity of a wildfire affects where a tree’s carbon goes!
In this kit, students analyze three soil samples from the 2020 Cameron Peak wildfire of Colorado. Through physical and chemical analysis, they determine which sample was unburned, moderately burned, and intensely burned in the fire zone to discover how carbon moves from trees to the soil and atmosphere as part of the carbon cycle. The science is straight out of Dr. Francesca Cotrufo’s lab at CSU.
Vital Ice (appropriate for 7th grade and up)
Explore how glaciers record past atmospheric events and permafrost thawing affects people!
In this kit, students build a model with roads and buildings on permafrost and observe changes as the permafrost undergoes cycles of freezing and thawing. A second model of an ice core from the Ruth Glacier in Denali National Park is analyzed to identify annual layers, melt events and volcanic ash deposits using authentic data. Students construct a timeline to discover what has happened in Alaska between 1880 and 2012.
