ESTEP Home Summer 3-8 Summer HS Sat Seminars Virtual Shorts Resource Repository
Fall 2025 Registration IS OPEN!!!
Go to our REGISTRATION PAGE to sign up!
ESTEP 2.0 Online Courses
Our online, mostly asynchronous, FREE graduate courses are available for any MN 3-12 science teachers in any discipline!
3-8 grade teachers! Dive in and improve your content and pedagogy knowledge in earth and environmental science areas! Our courses are designed for TEACHERS and will be invaluable as you continue to develop your science classes, and develop your student sense-making approach!
High School Teachers! ESTEP 2.0 is for teachers of all disciplines! We have many courses that are intentionally interdisciplinary so be sure to look at our syllabi to see which benchmarks from life, earth and space, chemistry and physics will be covered in each course! There is something for every Minnesota science teacher in this new series of courses!
Do you want to pick up a 9-12 Earth and Space Science License? New legislation states that all students must complete one credit of Earth and Space science in high school to graduate. These courses will help deepen your understanding of the key content areas and 3-dimensional pedagogy. Along with our summer bootcamps, these courses will help those of you working toward passing the required content MTLE exam to add additional licensure in 9-12 Earth and Space Science.
Fall 2025 ESTEP 2.0 Online Courses
Our courses are offered through the Continuing Studies Department at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Each 3-credit, graduate level course is facilitated by expert instructors who are leaders in their fields and based in Minnesota at NO COST to you!
Please note that these are 3 credit, graduate level courses, and while mostly asynchronous, each require approximately 4-8 hours of work per week, per course.
CONTENT COURSES
GEOS 599: Rocks and Natural Resources - Dr. Kate Pound
This course focuses on the geologic history of Minnesota, particularly the rocks and sediments in Minnesota.
You will learn about the rock types that are present, how they form, and the minerals in those rocks. You will
learn how to identify Minnesota rocks and minerals through a variety of activities, readings, mini-lectures,
videos, and discussions. It also focuses on the ways in which Minnesota’s natural resources are extracted and
used in our everyday lives, as well as a brief examination of how the various Minnesota rock sequences were
assembled into their current configuration. This course is suitable for educators (6th-12th grade) that wish to
build on their existing understanding of earth science, as well as educators with little to no knowledge of earth
science that want to stretch themselves as they build their content knowledge. This course includes content
pertinent to the licensure standards and will help educators prepare to teach using the Next Generation
Science Standards and the 2019 Minnesota Earth Science Standards.
GEOS 599: Rocks and Natural Resources ALSO requires your attendance at ONE 3 hour, Saturday morning, synchronous virtual meeting, and the completion of a required Final Pedagogy assignment. Choose ONE: Oct 11 from 9:00 am - noon OR Nov 1 from 9:00 am - noon
GEOS 599: Earth Science Essentials - Dr. Russ Colson
This course provides a review of key concepts and practices of earth science at a level appropriate for science teachers already holding a degree in science. This largely-self-learning online course addresses many of the state licensure standards in earth science and is intended as partial preparation, along with in-person earth science teaching workshops addressing science as a practice, for teaching earth science at the high school level.
NOTE: This course is required to take GEOS 599: Earth Science Essentials 2
PEDAGOGY (TEACHING) COURSES
Pedagogy (Teaching) courses require up to 3 synchronous meetings, set by the instructor.
*If you are enrolled in a pedagogy course AND Rocks and Natural Resources, you do NOT have to attend the Oct 11/Nov 1 synchronous session.
!!!NEW!!! GEOS 599: Traditional Environmental Science - Dr. Hillary Barron THIS COURSE IS FOR APPROPRIATE FOR K-12 TEACHERS OF SCIENCE.
Typical practices in Western science place humans at the top of a hierarchy, which effectively removes us from ecosystems and establishes a model of knowing and learning about the natural world that separates us from it. Indigenous Science practices, in contrast, place humans within ecosystems and uphold responsibility to the beings in it. This course examines the similarities and differences in Indigenous and Western Science, and critically grapples with approaches to problem-solving for environmental issues. We will apply these concepts to the Minnesota Science Standards and create action plans for how to use them in curriculum and instruction.
!!!NEW!!! GEOS 599: Teaching and Learning ES in 3D II - Marlene Schoeneck
This course is for teachers in all content areas who have already completed Teaching and Learning Earth Science in 3D, Part I. It will take you further in your 3D learning, by iving deeper into the storylining process, but with more of an emphasis on collaboration and honing what these pedagogies look like in the classroom.
NOTE: Prerequisite of GEOS 599: Teaching and Learning ES in 3D required to take this course.
IMPORTANT DETAILS
ALL online courses are designated as blended. This means that the courses are offered in an asynchronous style, with scheduled assignment turn in dates and assessments. Professors will be available for questions, etc via office hours or scheduled appointments. In order to earn a passing grade and credit for the course, participants MUST commit to both asynchronous AND synchronous requirements. A final pedagogy assignment is also required for all content courses.
Questions? Email Dana Smith at estep@mnsta.org
Tentative Future Course Offerings
Please note these are tentative and are subject to change.
Spring 2026
Severe Weather/ Natural Disasters - Dr. Rachel Humphrey (prerequisite: Meteorology)
Earth Science Essentials 2 - Dr. Russ Colson (prerequisite: Earth Science Essentials)
Traditional Environmental Science - Dr. Hillary Barron
Teaching and Learning Earth Science (Env) in 3D - Marlene Schoeneck
Fall 2026
Earth’s (MN) Geologic History - Dr. Bryce Hoppie
Teaching and Learning Earth (Env) Science in 3D II - Marlene Schoeneck (prerequisite: Teaching and Learning Earth Science in 3D)
Traditional Environmental Science - Dr. Hillary Barron
Spring 2027
Severe Weather/ Natural Disasters - Dr. Rachel Humphrey (prerequisite: Meteorology)
Teaching and Learning Earth (Env) Science in 3D - Marlene Schoeneck
Traditional Environmental Science - Dr. Hillary Barron
Environmental Chemistry
Astronomy
MnSTA/ESTEP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement
We are committed to reflecting the diversity of Minnesota educators that participate in our programs. We are especially focused on teachers of BIPOC and underrepresented populations, alternatively licensed educators, and educational assistants working toward licensure.
Funding for this project was 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:
