ESTEP 2.0 Summer 2026 Workshops
We have a great line up of workshops for this summer!
Why ESTEP?
- Low cost
- Content and pedagogy based on MN Science Standards
- Participants earn graduate credit OR stipend
- Workshops facilitated by MN professors and K12 teachers
Focus Goals:
- Experience and investigate place-based MN phenomena on which to build or "MINNESOTIFY" your units
- Enhance content and pedagogy knowledge and skills in earth and environmental science with multidisciplinary approaches in mind
- Use the NGSS progressions and available Minnesota PLDs to help guide your 3D teachercraft no matter the age group you teach
- Model best practices in three dimensional teaching and learning strategies, and give you plenty of opportunities for practice
- Build and contribute to a network of colleagues working toward the same goals
What's different this summer?
This summer, we want to offer a variety of workshops that ALL teachers of science will benefit from, regardless of what age students they teach. Any Minnesota educator can:
- take any workshop, (or more than one!)
- learn and grow over a 2 - day or 5 - day workshop,
- stay local or venture away from home - it's up to you and what you need!
ESTEP 2.0 Summer 2026 Workshops
5 - day Workshops
June 22-26, 2026
Geology and Resources of Central Minnesota: A Field Course
TBD in St Cloud Area; Dr. Kate Pound, Lee Schmitt
Registration Fee: $325 (higher fee due to van rental/fuel fees)
Optional Housing Information coming soon!
July 6-10, 2026
Geologic History and Resources of Southwest Minnesota: A Field Course
Gustavus Adolphus College, St Peter, MN; Dr. Kate Pound, Dana Smith
Registration Fee: $325 (higher fee due to van rental/fuel fees)
Optional Housing Available: $300 total for Sunday - Friday, single room/air conditioning, floor bathrooms, kitchen including full sized refrigerator, lounge and laundry room
July 20-24, 2026
Astronomy
Winona State University; Dr. Jennifer Anderson, Kate Rosok
Registration Fee: $275
Optional Housing Available: $225 total for Sunday - Friday, double suite (2 participants per suite, each gets a private single room in the suite)/air conditioning, with shared private bathroom, full size floor kitchen with full sized refrigerator, lounge.
*If you would like your own full suite/private bathroom - please register twice (total $450)
2 - day Workshops
Registration Fee: $175 per workshop
June 24-25, 2026
Schoolyard MN Phenomena for All Students
Bemidji State University; Bemidji, MN; Dr. Hillary Barron, Dana Smith
July 14-15, 2026
Environmental Physics: Bringing MN Phenomena into the Physics Lab
Mankato East High School, Mankato, MN; Eric Koser, Dana Smith
July 22-23, 2026
Geologic Phenomena of the Metro Area
University of St Thomas, St Paul, MN; Dr. Kate Pound and Lee Schmitt
August 4-5, 2026
How to Facilitate Authentic Investigations
TBD - Metro Area; Dr. Russ Colson, Mary Colson
All ESTEP 2.0 Summer 2026 Workshops offer participants graduate credits from Minnesota State Moorhead (1 credit/2 - day workshop, 3 credits/5 - day workshop) OR $80/day stipend. Participants choosing credit must also complete two reflections and a lesson plan assignment.
Participants are responsible for registration fee, lodging, food and mileage.
ESTEP 2.0 5 - day workshops will have optional housing available for an additional fee.
Registration will open soon!
Questions? Email estep@mnsta.org
ESTEP is funded through 2027 through generous grant funding provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
Minnesota science teachers should know about:
