STEM from Home
Attention all students, teachers, and STEM lovers of all ages! We’ve compiled tons of resources for learning about STEM from home from Minnesota and National institutions. So get ready to experiment, join in on a live program, immerse yourself in a museum tour, or take an in-depth dive into a fascinating STEM topic!
Science Experiments
3M Science at Home
These simple, at-home experiments conducted by 3M scientists use common household items and are designed to reinforce core scientific principles.
4H STEM Camp
Try these three hands-on activities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to learn problem solving, creative and critical thinking, and inspire kids to think about how science and technology impacts our everyday lives. Learn how to code a computer game about clovers, practice digging for artifacts, and design your own constellation on a starry night.
BettyLab
The BettyLab was created to foster a sense of discovery through culinary science and personal expression. Hands-on activities provide an educational and delicious way to learn, try and test while spending quality time together.
Little Bins for Little Hands
Many fun science experiments for preschool and elementary school aged children, many using household ingredients. This is your home for all things slime!
The Happy Scientist
Many experiments targeted toward elementary school students.
STEM Outside
sBird Buddies!
This book-based STEAM adventure toolkit includes five topics for exploration through fiction and nonfiction books, hands-on activities, new vocabulary, and fun writing prompts. Each topic also includes recommendations for kid-friendly digital media (websites, podcasts, apps, and video). In the Appendix you'll find printable "Best of the Birds", bird words, Bird Buddies name tags, journal covers, and certificates.
Discover the Forest
The USDA has put together tons of outdoor activities for kids of all ages - tree, plant and rock ID, geocaching, learning about fossils, stargazing, and much more! Includes options for rainy days, last-minute, and free activities.
Geology in Minnesota State Parks
Information from the DNR about many fascinating geological features in state parks including old mines and quarries, evidence of volcanoes, glaciers, and ancient seas.
Geocaching
Geocaching is like a global scavenger hunt that's optimized for the modern era. It's a great way to explore the outdoors and you can do it almost anywhere in Minnesota.
Let’s Go Birding
Birding introduction guide from the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer.
Long Lake View
A virtual, nature-based, distance learning experience brought to you by Long Lake Conservation Center. Join virtual video adventures led by Long Lake Naturalists, participate using field journals, and explore hands-on, screen-free activities that relate to each adventure.
Minnesota Freshwater Quest
In this Quest, Heroes are challenged to identify the threats to species and human health in their own community's waterways. Then, teams of students identify and implement meaningful solutions to make a measurable improvement.
Minnesota Skies
A monthly guide from the Bell Museum to observing celestial objects and events in Minnesota.
Minnesota Wildflowers Guide
Photos and information about wild plants that grow in Minnesota, both native and non-native.
Native Skywatchers
Explore skymaps from numerous cultures.
Project Learning Tree Family Activities
The DNR has curated outdoor activities geared toward families in Minnesota.
Summer Activity Guide for State Parks
The DNR’s guide to birding, fishing, hiking, geocaching, waterfalls, and much more in Minnesota state parks.
Wilderness Inquiry Online Resources
Find resources for learning about outdoor history and culture, natural resources, outdoor stewardship, and more!
STEM Online
Biology Games from Arizona State University
Learn about biology through games such as: The Bee Waggle Dance Game, Busy Bones, Cell Parts Game, Frankenstein’s Lab, Lizard Island, and more.
Dakota County Virtual Programs
The ‘Wild Inside’ archive has videos about creating nature journals, birdwatching, tree identification, and much more.
EagleCam
The eagle camera from the Minnesota DNR Nongame Wildlife Program.
Ecosystem Tours
Take a biology virtual reality tour with Arizona State University of a desert, tropical rainforest, temperate forest, bee colony or hummingbird feeder.
EngineerGirl
#EngineerGirlShow highlights amazing women in engineering to inspire the next generation.
FalconCam
Cameras at the Boswell Energy Center near Cohasset and the Hibbard Renewable Energy Center in Duluth provide a closer look at the life of peregrine falcons, the fastest raptors on the planet.
Gridlock Buster Traffic Control Game
Gridlock Buster is an online traffic control game from the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies based on tools and ideas that actual traffic control engineers use in their everyday work.
History of Mathematics Project
A virtual interactive exhibit including interactive exhibits and learning journeys.
International Owl Center
Live streamed non-releasable great horned owls from the International Owl Center in Houston, Minnesota.
International Wolf Center
These cameras are live-broadcasting the International Wolf Center’s ambassador wolves.
Kiddy Coders Club
Weekly free workshops for kids covering various fun coding projects.
Learn How to Become
Learn How to Become outlines education and career-planning steps students need to take to pursue careers in science, technology, medicine, the arts, and other fields.
Living River Online
This online program helps kids understand how organisms live within an ecosystem. Three interactive stations feature exciting videos and fun learning modules about floodplains, mussels, pike and the Mississippi River! The course explores different ways to look at the river to determine its vitality.
Minnesota Science Museum Learn from Home
Experiment: Play, put on a clean lab coat, or get your hands dirty with these games, activities, experiments, and lesson plans. Explore: Dig deep into science stories, news, blog posts, interviews, and Q&As with scientists and Science Museum experts. Escape: Sit back, relax, and immerse yourself in science videos, visualizations, and IMAX and Omnitheater movies.
NASA Jet Propulsion Lab - How to Do a Science Project
In this video series, a JPL scientist, engineer and educator team up to help students learn how to observe the world around them and ask questions about the things they observe.
NASA STEM @ Home Resources
Hands on activity ideas and videos split into K-4, 5-8., and 9-12, as well as e-books, virtual tours and apps, be a scientist talks, videos, coloring pages, puzzles, and more.
National Museum of Natural History
The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History virtual tours allow visitors to take self-guided, room-by-room tours of select exhibits and areas within the museum from their desktop or mobile device.
National Parks Virtual Tours
Google Earth’s virtual tours of some of our amazing national parks.
NASA’s Langley Research Center virtual tour
NASA’s Glenn Research Center virtual tour
Physics Force
Videos from the University of Minnesota Physics Circus Show.
Plum Landing
Outdoor activities to learn about nature, games, and videos from the PBS kids show, materiales en Espanol.
Research Spotlights
Short videos highlighting recent research achievements from the University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering.
Rosie Research
Parents and kids can follow along science experiments live at home.
SciGirls
Twin Cities PBS program that engages girls (and boys), families and educators nationwide around STEM.
TED talks
Over 3,000 engaging, brief lectures on a variety of subjects. Easily searchable.
The Mysterious World of Dr. Biology
In this fun video and game, there have been some unusual things happening in Dr. Biology's laboratory and they need your help.
Women of the Mississippi River
This storymap from the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area aims to celebrate the voices of women and recognize their struggles and successes in protecting the Mississippi River.
STEM Research Resources
Academic Online Research
A guide for doing organized online academic research with smart keywords, evaluating the credibility of a source, links to open access journal databases and other strong information bases, creating proper citations, and more.
Alchemie
App allows students to learn and practice reaction mechanisms by moving and manipulating individual bonds and electrons, free or paid versions available.
Body Systems
A useful educational resource about human anatomy.
ChemMatters
The American Chemical Society’s magazine for high school students that helps them make connections between chemistry and the world around them.
Einstein Light
Einstein Light is an interactive module on relativity.
MAS Student Science Journal (pdf)
This resource was developed by MAS for middle school students looking to compete in a science fair, guiding them through developing and carrying out a science project.
Open Education Database
The Open Education Database provides resources for students to learn about careers in the sciences, take free, open online courses, and explore college rankings.
Reach for the Stars
An annual compilation in guidebook form of opportunities for students to challenge themselves outside of the classroom.
Warp - Special Relativity Simulator
Warp, a special relativity simulator, visualizes relativistic phenomena that are generally not observable in the everyday world.
