History Education News

Students Get Squirrelly at the Forest History Center!

The forest becomes an outdoor classroom in the Forest History Center’s new program, Squirrel’s World. This highly interactive program helps teachers achieve academic standards for science and social studies. “Kids are encouraged to look at the forest through the eyes of a red squirrel. They discover, analyze and record things that are important for the survival of squirrels in northern Minnesota woods,” says Ed Nelson, assistant site manager. “Five learning stations look at food, habitat, anatomy, predation and ecosystems.” For Fourth Grade.

Staff naturalists work with groups of 15 students for two to three hours. Students use GPS units to navigate the woods. The cultural element of Squirrel’s World sets it apart, teaching that a healthy forest is good for both squirrels and humans. “Our initial reviews from teachers and students are very positive. Teachers like the structure and the kids are having fun and learning,” Nelson said.

For more information, contact Ed Nelson, (218) 327-4482.

Cook Up your Own "Recipe for Mill City"

Bring the story of Minnesota milling into your classroom with the Mill City Museum’s online resources. The online lesson “Recipe for a Mill City,” intended for third-graders, can accompany your field trip to the museum, and the “Exhibit Scavenger Hunt” offers grade-appropriate museum activities for students in grades K-12. If you cannot make the trip to the museum this year, try the National Park Service’s online Teaching With Historic Places lesson: “Wheat Farms, Flour Mills and Railroads: A Web of Interdependence.” This lesson meets American History standards for grades 5-12.

All of these Mill City resources, as well as links to other Minnesota Historical Society online sources and activities, can be found on the Mill City School Resources website.

Get rare glimpse of CIVIL WAR FLAG

Do your students study the Civil War? Give them an up-close glance at a fascinating artifact few Minnesotans get to see. An engaging new podcast from Minnesota Historical Society Curator Matt Anderson tells the story of the 28th Virginia Infantry Battle Flag.

The flag has made been making history for nearly 150 years. Captured by the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry during Pickett's charge at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, the flag is now a highly treasured item in our collections.

This battle flag has many stories to tell. Thanks to our new web feature, Collections Up Close: Podcasts & Blogs, your students have the chance interact with the real stuff of history. They can also see, firsthand, that Minnesota history is U.S. history.

Do you have ideas for future podcasts you'd like to see from our curators? Let us know. Future podcasts will feature not just 3D objects, but also materials drawn from the Fine Art, Library, State Archives, Manuscripts, and Sound & Visual collections.

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