Enrich your Minnesota Studies instruction with additional resources, organized by Northern Lights chapters. Find books, videos, web sites, experiences, and more.
Click on each chapter to see descriptions and links for related resources.
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6th Grade Minnesota History Pass
Get free admission to MNHS sites and museums for Minnesota students in the 6th grade during the current school year.
MNopedia Website
Broaden your knowledge of Minnesota history with short articles and primary sources from MNopedia. This is an online encyclopedia about Minnesota created by the Minnesota Historical Society and its partners.
This Day in Minnesota History Website
Make connections between past and present with "This Day in Minnesota History," which summarizes events that happened in Minnesota for every day of the year.
Tribal Nations of Minnesota Website
Explore the seven tribal nations of Minnesota and connect to their government websites.
Native American History and Culture Resources Website
Learn about products, experiences and resources developed to broaden your knowledge and engage students around Native American history and culture.
Native American Artist in Residence Videos
Watch Native American artists talk about the work they do, the traditions they uphold, and the ways they narrate their own history through their residency with MNHS collections.
MNHS Collections Online
Search for photographs, three dimensional and archaeological objects, artwork, oral histories, moving images, maps, and more. A single search can display items across many of our collections.
Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub
Keyword search digitized newspapers from across Minnesota’s past and geography.
Library of Congress Online Collections
Search the largest archival library in the world for Minnesota-based books, films and video, audio recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps, manuscripts, and more.
Primary Source Packet: War Photographs 1861–2011
Enrich students' historical inquiry skills with primary sources. The War Photographs 1861-2011 Primary Source Packet consists of photos documenting nine different wars-from the Civil War to the War in Afghanistan. The corresponding guiding questions provide an avenue for youth to analyze how photographs tell the different stories of changing warfare from the Civil War to recent wars.
Before studying Minnesota, think about what Minnesota means to you. How do you connect to your community? How is your story part of Minnesota history? Learn how exploring our history, geography, government, economy, and communities teaches us the stories of Minnesota’s past.
Minnesota in Profile Website
Analyze general statistics about Minnesota, including population, education and more. Generate questions or assumptions students have about Minnesota and use this site to find answers.
Minnesota State Symbols Website
Explore Minnesota’s state symbols, including how they became official and resources to learn more. Have students identify their favorites, or design state license plates featuring the symbols.
Minnesota’s Biomes Article
Read about Minnesota’s four biomes and their characteristics in this Young Naturalists article from the MN DNR. Use the Teacher’s Guide for tips on classroom implementation.
Primary and Secondary Sources Video
Learn the difference between primary and secondary sources with examples from the Minnesota Historical Society’s collections.
Our Home: Native Minnesota Exhibit (St. Paul)
Native Americans, including the Daḳóta and Ojibwe peoples, have lived on the lands now known as Minnesota since time immemorial. Explore this exhibit online or visit the Minnesota History Center to learn more about their stories, enduring presence, and deep connection to the land.
State Flag and Seal Coloring Pages
Color the state flag and state seal and examine their origins, symbols, and more.
Life in Minnesota today is very different from thousands of years ago. Explore two ways we understand how people lived in the past. One way is learning from the Native American oral tradition. Another method involves studying the physical evidence left by people from long ago.
Jeffers Petroglyphs Field Trip
Engage with the stories, symbols, and traditions connected to roughly 5,000 sacred rock carvings made by the ancestors of today’s Native Americans at the Jeffers Petroglyphs site in Comfrey.
Three Sisters Garden Lesson
Dig deeper into the Three Sisters story and companion gardening with corn, squash, and beans with this lesson and recipe from North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS).
Wic̣aḣapi Burial Mounds (St. Paul)
Learn more about earthen burial mounds along the edge of the Mississippi River bluff in St. Paul and explore videos from Native community members describing the cultural and spiritual significance of the site.
Thunder on the Plains Article
Read about the legacy of bison on the prairie and their return from the edge of extinction in this Young Naturalists article from the MN DNR. Use the Teacher’s Guide for tips on classroom implementation.
MN Unraveled Podcast: Searching for Bison
Listen and learn about the significance of the bison on the landscape and people of Mní Sóta Maḳóc̣e (mNEE SOH-tah mah-KOH-cheh).
Read about brothers who look to the stars and spin stories, some inspired by Uncle, some of their own making. The best one involves their grandmother and her place in the forever sky.
Kids of all cultures journey through time with the Ojibwe people as their guide to the Good Path and its universal lessons of courage, cooperation, and honor.
No other group of people currently living in Minnesota has been here longer than the Daḳóta. Reflect on the stories handed down through generations since time immemorial and examine the ways Daḳóta people narrate their own history.
Daḳóta Homeland Video
Hear from Daḳóta community members about the significance of homeland here in Mní Sóta Maḳóc̣e (mNEE SOH-tah mah-KOH-cheh).
Hoċokata Ṫi Museum (Shakopee)
Visit the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s public exhibit, Mdewakanton: Dwellers of the Spirit Lake, learn about how the Mdewakanton Daḳóta people narrate their own history and culture. Explore online educator resources including "A Guide to Reliable Native American-Related Teaching Resources," "Minnesota Native American Essential Understandings for Educators," Daḳóta moon calendars, and videos.
Daḳóta Land Maps
Download or order maps created by Marlena Myles (Spirit Lake Daḳóta, Mohegan, Muscogee) showing the Daḳóta names of places across Mní Sóta Maḳóc̣e.
Digitized Books by Ohiyesa
Read Ohiyesa (Charles Eastman)’s books online. Stories from Chapter 3 (“The Badger and the Bear” and “The Ghost Wife”) are from his book, Wigwam Evenings: Sioux Folk Tales Retold. Written with his wife, Elaine Goodale Eastman, this collection helped preserve a number of Daḳóta stories meant to teach values.
Laḳóta Winter Counts Video
Watch a 5-minute video from the Smithsonian Institute examining how waníyetu iyáwapi (wahn-EE-yeh-too ee-YAH-wah-pee), or winter counts, were used to record important events. This video pairs well with the Ch. 3 Investigation, though it will spoil the ending if you view the entire video beforehand. (Note: the experts in this video discuss Laḳóta Winter Counts, which are also part of the Oc̣éṭi Ṡakówiƞ and their practices are very similar to Daḳóta waníyetu iyáwapi practices.)
Seven Council Fires Collection
Examine Daḳóta, Laḳóta, and Naḳóta cultural objects found in the Minnesota Historical Society’s artifact collection.
Voice from Pejuhutazizi Book
Through five generations at Pejuhutazizi, (peh-ZHOO-tah-zee-zee), the place where they dig the yellow medicine, Teresa Peterson's family members have listened to and told stories. Read stories from her family’s oral tradition that bring people together, impart values and traditions, deliver heroes, reconcile, reveal place, and entertain.
Our Sacred Land of Phežúta Book
Read this children's book that shows plants of all kinds that fill a blooming landscape—and offer healing and knowledge to benefit those who connect with phežúta (medicines) and give thanks for their bounty.
Hundreds of years ago, Ojibwe people migrated west along the Great Lakes. Some settled along the way, while others traveled into Mní Sóta Maḳóc̣e and beyond. Examine traditional Ojibwe ways of life that changed with the seasons, and discover how these lifeways remain important to Ojibwe people in Minnesota today.
Ojibwe Homeland Video
Hear from Ojibwe community members about the prophecy that brought them to Minnesota, and their deep relationship with the water and land.
Nashke Games
Explore Ojibwe Games, including a fur trading simulation called “Miigwech,” a version of the Ojibwe Snake Game, and more. Educator resources and discounts are available.
Boise Forte Native Names Map
Created by the Bois Forte Band and the Ely Folk School, this map features the original Ojibwe names and meanings of over 100 sites in the Lake Vermilion area.
Harvesting Wiigwaas Video
Watch this video to learn more about how Ojibwe people harvest wiigwaas, or birchbark, sustainably.
Mille Lacs Indian Museum Field Trip (Onamia)
Teach your students about the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. For hundreds of years, the band has lived near one of Minnesota's largest lakes. Play games band members played. Discover language, dance, music, and art passed down for generations. Learn how the band lives today. Explore activities year round in the The Four Seasons room, and tour the Trading Post to see art Native Americans make and sell.
Ojibwe Lifeways Article
Read about how one Ojibwe family continues to practice seasonal traditions in this Young Naturalists article from the MN DNR. Use the Teacher’s Guide for tips on classroom implementation.
Ojibwe Shoulder Bag Curriculum Kit
Based on stories from the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in Central Minnesota, this kit can enrich your lessons on native culture, wherever you live in the United States or beyond.
How the Birds Got Their Songs Picture Book
Read the story of how the Great Spirit challenged all the birds to a contest, and the gift of birdsong was born! This traditional story, told in both English and Ojibwe, explains bird behavior and where humans should go to hear the prettiest of birdsongs.
Read about three young cousins who explore the woods in search of medicines that heal and purify, also gathering advice from wise beings who offer life lessons cherished through generations.
Expand stories from the Ojibwe oral tradition with this retelling of a traditional Ojibwe story that celebrates what First Human and First Wolf see, taste, hear, smell, and touch as they wander Aki, the Earth, to be the namers of things.
Read about eleven-year-old Travis Skinaway who learns about his American Indian culture and history as he practices the Creator’s game, lacrosse.
The fur trade brought Native Americans and Europeans together as trading partners. Many people were involved in this trade over several hundred years. Explore the roles and relationships of the people involved in the fur trade and the seasonal nature of their work.
Pipestone National Monument (Pipestone)
Explore the sacred Íƞyaƞ Ṡá K’ápi (EEN-yahn SHAH k’AH-pee) site where Indigenous peoples have quarried red stone to make C̣aƞnúƞpa (chahn-NOON-pah), or pipes used in prayer and ceremony.
Virtual Metis Museum Learning Resources
Explore the virtual Museum of Métis History and Culture for online exhibits, collections, and resources related to the Métis community.
Grand Portage National Monument (Grand Portage)
Explore the partnership of the Grand Portage Ojibwe with the North West Company in the North American fur trade and with the National Park Service today. Watch their museum video, “Rendezvous with History” in English or Ojibwemowin for a living history look into the story of the fur trade at the Grand Portage trading post. Explore their website for more information about the history of the site, their collections, resources, and coloring pages.
Seth Eastman: Depictions of Native American Life Primary Source Set
Use primary sources to examine depictions of Native American life. This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes ten to twenty primary sources and a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
Who Was George Bonga? Article
Read about African-Ojibwe fur trader and interpreter George Bonga in this Young Naturalists article from the MN DNR. Use the Teacher’s Guide for tips on classroom implementation.
Voyageurs National Park (International Falls)
Understand the waterways that supported the fur trade. Voyageurs National Park was established in 1975, but is filled with evidence of over 10,000 years of human life and use. Signs of Native Americans, fur traders and homesteaders, signs of logging, mining, and commercial fishing are scattered throughout the park. Voyageurs has four visitor centers for those able to visit.
Snake River Fur Post (Pine City)
Learn about the fur trade at the fur post on Ginebig-ziibi (Snake River). Site visits are limited to self-guided walking tours to explore interpretive signage.
Daḳóta and Ojibwe peoples saw the United States expand its reach. The new nation was growing quickly and desired more land. The US government acquired Native lands through agreements called treaties with Native nations. Learn how life was changing for those with deep connections to the land.
Why Treaties Matter Website
Dig deeper into the creation and lasting impact of treaties. This online resource, a companion to an exhibit now on display at the Minnesota State Capitol, contains a virtual exhibit, numerous videos, the text of major Minnesota treaties for land, and educator resources.
Treaty Site History Center (St. Peter)
Visit the site of the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux and learn about the profound impact of the 1851 treaty. Then, explore the walking trails of the treaty site.
Minnesota State Boundaries Article
Examine the creation of the political boundaries that currently define the state lines in Minnesota.
Daḳóta Land Maps
Download or order maps created by Marlena Myles (Spirit Lake Daḳóta, Mohegan, Muscogee) showing the Daḳóta names of places across Mní Sóta Maḳóc̣e.
Bdote Memory Map
Hear from Daḳóta people about the significance of Bdote in Daḳóta history, culture, and modern-day. This resource contains a memory map with videos, text content, and a teacher page.
Map of Minnesota Territory, 1855
Analyze this map of the Minnesota territory prior to its admission into the union.
Little Crow/Taoyateduta Book
Read this compelling biography for young readers that traces the life of the Dakota leader Ṭaóyatedúta (tah-OH-yah-tay-DOO-tah), or Little Crow, and his role in the US-Daḳóta War of 1862.
Land treaties in the first half of the 1800s drastically changed life in Minnesota. During the 1850s, the population shifted from being mostly Native American to mostly European American. Learn how newcomers influenced the region during Minnesota’s territorial years.
Tales of the Territory Website
Interact with activities and stories about Minnesota in the years before it became a state on this archived website.
Creating Minnesota Book
Reference this history of Minnesota that brings to light the “state of the state” through intimate accounts of significant moments in our past, including a three-act play about Minnesota’s statehood that depicts the competing interests of Natives, traders, and politicians who lived in the same territory but moved in different worlds.
Minnesota State Capitol (St. Paul)
Meet civics benchmarks as you explore the state capitol's history, art and architecture. Students visit the chambers where government decisions are made. Weather permitting, visit the golden horses on the roof.
Two Constitutions? Video
Learn about the history of the Minnesota constitutional convention and the political turmoil that resulted in two separate legal documents being created to serve as the constitutional framework undergirding the laws of Minnesota.
Minnesota Government Website
Examine a diagram of the different branches of the Minnesota government. The image of the organizational structure of the Minnesota government is accompanied by explanations of the roles and powers of each branch.
Oliver Kelley Farm (Elk River)
Experience the story of farming — then and now — at the Kelley Farm. Show the intro clip in class, view the farm animal gallery, read about Oliver H. Kelley, and visit the site! Field trips tailored to Northern Lights feature the original 1860s farm, the teaching kitchen, guest animal building, and more.
Gibbs Farm (Falcon Heights)
Learn from historic interpreters about Jane and Heman Gibbs and their children, their relationship with the Dakota of Cloud Man’s village, and the history of the farm. Gibbs Farm, located in Falcon Heights, has field trip options from May-October and offers classroom outreach from November-March. It is operated by the Ramsey County Historical Society.
By the 1850s, slavery had caused a major division in the United States. In general, this division split the nation into Northern states and Southern states. Civil war broke out when several Southern states left the United States. Learn about the impact that slavery and the war had on Minnesota.
Dred and Harriet Scott Multimedia Curriculum Kit
Examine accessible primary sources and prepared lessons on the landmark Dred and Harriet Scott case, as well as other Freedom Suits made in Minnesota. This flexible curriculum kit also includes videos of actors portraying the Scotts, reproduction newspapers, a timeline, maps, and more.
Dred and Harriet Scott Book
Read about the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision Dred Scott v. Sandford, in which the slave Dred Scott was denied freedom for himself and his family, raised the ire of abolitionists and set the scene for the impending conflict between the northern and southern states.
Free Papers Book
Read poems inspired by the testimony of Eliza Winston, an enslaved woman from Mississippi who escaped to freedom in Minnesota in 1860. Listen to poems read by poet Mary Moore Easter in the MN Unraveled podcast episode on Eliza Winston.
Historic Fort Snelling
Visit Historic Fort Snelling in person, or explore their rich web content from afar, to examine the significance of this site over time. Check out the “Where Two Waters Meet” film, explore the Commandant’s House in a virtual tour, and investigate stories of military history, from the Civil War to WWII, fur trade history, slavery in Minnesota, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, and more.
What Fort Snelling Means to Me Videos
Explore the impact of what Fort Snelling means to different Minnesotans to examine multiple perspectives about the significance of our shared history at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers.
Civil War Letters of the Christie Family
Read letters from three brothers who fought in the Civil War. Digital images of some of the most interesting letters from the collection are online. Typed transcripts have been created to make the letters easier to read.
In the summer of 1862, a complex mix of factors led to the US-Daḳóta War. This deadly conflict had devastating consequences. Learn from people who experienced the lead-up, war, and aftermath from a variety of perspectives.
U.S.-Daḳóta War of 1862 Website
Explore in-depth analysis of the US-Daḳóta War of 1862, including historical background, oral histories, videos, and primary sources.
Broken Promises Treaty Interactive
Explore the decisions and outcomes that Daḳóta people faced when the U.S. government desired to buy and open the land to newcomers in the 19th century. This interactive will take about 10 minutes to complete.
"From the 'Sioux massacres' to the 'Dakota genocide' Lesson
Analyze and evaluate examples of how the US-Daḳóta War has been written about in Minnesota newspaper from 1862 to the present using newspaper headlines.
Little Crow/Taoyateduta Book
Read this compelling biography for young readers that traces the life of the Dakota leader Ṭaóyatedúta (tah-OH-yah-tay-DOO-tah), or Little Crow, and his role in the US-Daḳóta War of 1862.
Through Dakota Eyes Book
Investigate primary source accounts of the war from Daḳóta people, in their own words. (Note: acts of violence that may be inappropriate for children are described in this volume. Be sure to pre-read and select excerpts for developmental appropriateness.)
During the late 1800s, Minnesota’s landscape and population changed dramatically. New federal laws pushed Ojibwe people onto reservations. There, American-style land ownership practices were forced on them. Settlers moved onto the land, eager to farm it. Townsfolk established new communities. Railroads expanded across the state.
North Star Voices: Prince of Fergus Falls Video
Watch Prince Alberty Honeycutt’s journey to Fergus Falls and uncover the Black community he helped to build on the prairie.
Little Habitats on the Prairies Article
Read about the habitats on the Minnesota prairie and ways that humans have transformed this landscape over time in this Young Naturalists article from the MN DNR. Use the Teacher’s Guide for tips on classroom implementation.
Night Flying Woman Book
An Ojibway Narrative With the art of a practiced storyteller, Ignatia Broker recounts the life of her great-great-grandmother, Night Flying Woman, who was born in the mid-19th century and lived during a chaotic time of enormous change, uprootings, and loss for the Minnesota Ojibway. But this story also tells of her people's great strength and continuity.
James J. Hill House (St. Paul)
Bring students on a lively tour of life in a Gilded Age mansion. James J. Hill and his railroad changed settlement, agriculture, and commerce nationwide. Through an inquiry-based activity and guided exploration, students will engage in critical thinking to explore the lives of the Hill Family and Staff and how the “Empire Builder” legacy continues to impact St. Paul and the state of Minnesota. Tailor the visit to suit your class.
Oliver Kelley Farm (Elk River)
Experience the story of farming — then and now — at the Kelley Farm. Show the intro clip in class, view the farm animal gallery, read about Oliver H. Kelley, and visit the site! Field trips tailored to Northern Lights feature the original 1860s farm, the teaching kitchen, guest animal building, and more.
Forests, Fields, and the Falls Website
Explore Minnesota's early industries of logging, farming and milling in this interactive graphic novel based on primary sources.
Minnesota’s Three Major Railroads Primary Source Set
Analyze this primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library, which includes ten to twenty primary sources and a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
As Minnesota’s rural areas filled with newcomers, so too were the state’s biggest cities. The new city dwellers came from other countries and other places in Minnesota. Minnesota’s Native communities continued to experience change. Another US government assimilation tactic resulted in Indigenous children being sent to Indian boarding schools.
National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
Access online resources for educators to teach about the history of Native American boarding schools, including curriculum guides, an interactive map, recommended reading, and a resource database.
Storied: Bohemian Flats Videos
Watch this 8-part short video series that illustrates the life and community of Bohemian Flats with primary source images and excerpts.
Native Governance Center Resources
Explore accessible, introductory-level resources, including articles, videos, and audio features, on a variety of topics related to sovereignty, governance, and nation rebuilding.
Citizenship & Participation Unit
Review this series of lessons from iCivics on all things citizenship. Browse lessons related to civic responsibility, naturalization, and more.
Mill City Museum (Minneapolis)
Learn about the intertwined histories of the flour industry, the river, and the city of Minneapolis. Built into the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill, Mill City Museum is located on the historic Mississippi Riverfront.
In the late 1800s, important industries developed in Minnesota. Industrialists and others profited from the state’s natural resources, including soil, water, timber, and minerals. These industries used up natural resources and harmed the landscape. Laborers were underpaid for dangerous work. Learn how natural resources, people, and machines helped build Minnesota’s major industries.
Mill City Museum (Minneapolis)
Learn about the intertwined histories of the flour industry, the river, and the city of Minneapolis. Built into the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill, Mill City Museum is located on the historic Mississippi Riverfront.
Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls) Primary Source Set
Analyze this primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library, which includes ten to twenty primary sources and a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
MN Unraveled Podcast: The Power of a Waterfall
Listen to stories of the history of Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls) and how it has changed over time.
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi Project (Minneapolis)
Visit Owámniyomni to learn about Dakota values, the significance of the River and the Mnísota Dakota Tribes’ vision for cultural and environmental restoration at the Falls. Access videos, articles, and more on their website to learn about the history of the Falls and Dakota lifeways.
Forest History Center (Grand Rapids)
Meet lumberjacks, climb a 100-foot 1930s fire tower, board the floating cook shack and enjoy nature programs and events at this interactive logging camp. From your classroom, enjoy a virtual tour with an accompanying activity guide.
Lumberjack Math Lessons
Combine math and social studies with this unique web resource supporting grades 5-8. Access interactive lessons on life in an early twentieth century logging camp, using economic and mathematical lenses to draw conclusions.
Forests, Fields, and the Falls Website
Explore Minnesota's early industries of logging, farming and milling in this interactive graphic novel based on primary sources.
Mining on the Iron Range Primary Source Set
Analyze this primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library, which includes ten to twenty primary sources and a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
My Mighty Journey Picture Book
Read the story of the past twelve thousand years of Minnesota told from the perspective of the only major waterfall on the Mississippi River, with stunning artwork.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were increasing efforts to solve society issues. These resulted in the creation of the Progressive Movement. Reformers sought to improve their communities by organizing groups and campaigning for changes. The progressive desire to make a better world influenced the United States’ entry into World War I.
Primary Source Packet: Data of the Progressive Era
Analyze data sets from the Progressive Era, as the people of the time prepared them, and draw conclusions about the problems Minnesotans faced at the turn of the 20th century, and how they measured them.
Votes for Women Online Exhibit
Explore the Minnesota women who paved the way for woman suffrage in this online exhibit. Browse the legacy of these women by the causes they fought for.
Women's Suffrage Primary Source Set
Analyze this primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library, which includes ten to twenty primary sources and a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
Forest History Center (Grand Rapids)
Climb a 100-foot 1930s fire tower and experience a multimedia presentation about the Cloquet / Moose Lake fire, complete with accounts from survivors.
Setting the Stage for Civil Rights Primary Source Packet
Expand the narrative of African Americans' struggle for civil rights with primary sources and corresponding guiding questions that document stories about how the foundation for the larger movement was laid decades earlier.
Duluth Lynchings Website
Deepen your knowledge on the lynchings that were committed in Duluth in 1920. Access oral histories, timelines, videos, and documents related to the lynchings. (Note: Content on this website addresses disturbing racial violence. Select and preview materials for developmental appropriateness.)
Many Americans—and many Minnesotans—faced both good times and challenges during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. At first, those challenges were mostly economic. Eventually, global threats emerged, leading to another world war.
Living New Deal Website
Explore resources designed to help learners locate New Deal sites, find summaries of New Deal programs, watch videos about the New Deal, follow policy debates, and more.
"What's In My Footlocker?" Online Interactive
Engage students in stories about the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) through this interactive discovery activity. Explore 3-D objects, oral history audio clips, vocal narration, and music.
Forest Builders Article
Read about the young people who found work in the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression in this Young Naturalists article from the MN DNR. Use the Teacher’s Guide for tips on classroom implementation.
Civilian Conservation Corps Primary Source Set
Analyze this primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library, which includes ten to twenty primary sources and a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
Days of Rondo Book
Read about Evelyn Fairbanks, who lived along Rondo Avenue—the heart of St. Paul's largest black community—from the 1930s through the 1950s. Her memoir tells stories of a vibrant community that vanished with the coming of the freeways in the 1960s.
Civil Liberties and Equity Lesson
Help students understand the role of civil liberties in U.S. society using the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans as a case study.
Justice Deferred: Japanese Internment Camps Story Map
Explore Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese concentration camps during WWII. See how geography and map exploration help answer questions about this time period.
Ed Nakasone Oral History
Read and listen to an account of Pearl Harbor by Ed Nakasone, who grew up in Hawaii and later went on to serve in the Military Intelligence Service and live in Minnesota.
Tuskegee Airmen Short Video Series
Watch short video interviews with Dr. Harold H. Brown, a native of North Minneapolis, who started his military career at Historic Fort Snelling and became a member of the elite Tuskegee Airmen who fought in WWII.
Decoded Podcast
Listen to this Ampers episode on the untold stories of Native veterans in Minnesota whose tribal languages helped win World War II. Hosted by Travis Zimmerman (Grand Portage Band of Ojibwe), it includes interviews with code-talkers Reuben St. Clair and Lex Porter.
Native Words, Native Warriors Lessons
Examine the importance of Native languages with this interactive website from the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of the American Indian. Chapter 3 focuses on boarding school experiences, particularly how forced assimilation attempted to eliminate these languages. Other chapters highlight military service of Native Americans, particularly as Code Talkers in World Wars I and II, and demonstrate the benefit of Native languages.
After World War II ended, Minnesotans looked forward to the future. Many of them focused on the safety and security found at home. This happened against the backdrop of a new kind of war. It was called the Cold War, and it took place at home and abroad.
Voices of the Rondo Neighborhood Activity
Expand on the Creating Connections activity with oral history excerpts from the Rondo neighborhood, investigating the question, "How do communities of color in Minnesota influence urban renewal projects, and in what ways do these projects affect them?"
Rondo Neighborhood Primary Source Set
Analyze primary sources of the Rondo neighborhood before the highway project was approved, and during and after the highway was constructed.
Mapping Prejudice Maps
Map Minnesota racial covenants, which were clauses inserted into property deeds to keep people who were not White from buying or occupying homes.
I Remember Rondo Video
Watch Rondo elder and co-founder of Rondo Days, Floyd G. Smaller Jr., reading a poem about his memories of Rondo.
Brothers of Rondo Documentary
Watch this documentary about how the stories of four men demonstrate the importance of Black culture and community, and how the Rondo neighborhood—and its destruction for the construction of I-94—were instrumental in laying a foundation of resilience in their lives.
America's Secret War Documentary
Watch TPT’s documentary about the secret CIA-led war in Laos during the Vietnam War. Explore video clips in the Extras section and access the Teacher’s Guide.
Hmong in Minnesota Book
Read an engaging history of the arrival of the Hmong in Minnesota in the 1970s, their struggle to build community in a new land, and the challenges they face today.
Veterans' Voices: Minnesota in Vietnam
Listen to veteran’s voices in this audio series from Ampers collecting the experiences of Minnesota veterans in Vietnam.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Minnesotans were speaking out. There were changes they wanted to see in society and government. People used different strategies to bring attention to causes they believed in.
Setting the Stage for Civil Rights Primary Source Packet
Expand the narrative of African Americans' struggle for civil rights with primary sources and corresponding guiding questions that document stories about how the foundation for the larger movement was laid decades earlier.
Separate, Not Equal: Minnesota’s Integration Story Video
Watch this short film by Minneapolis educator Derek Francis about the Hale-Field Pairing in 1971. Listen to interviews with students and teachers who were a part of the initiative.
Black History, Black Voices Website
Deepen your understanding of Black history and the contributions Black Americans have made to Minnesota. Black History, Black Voices is an initiative that centers Black narratives, history, and issues through ongoing programs, content, and resources created by members of Minnesota’s Black community.
Ethnic Studies Lesson Plans
Examine resources created by the RIDGS, a collective of ethnic studies departments at the University of Minnesota, for teaching ethnic studies across grades K-12.
Two-Spirit & LGBTQIA+ History Maps
Explore stories of LGBTQIA+ people across the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota in these dynamic story maps.
Youth Movements Primary Source Set
Highlight the experiences of various communities, including child laborers in the early 20th century, youth involved in the Civil Rights Movement, and environmental activists, to document how youth have leveraged their collective power to make a difference.
Should 12-Year-Olds Be Allowed to Vote? Video
Revisit Minnesota State Representative Phyllis Kahn’s decades-long fight to expand voting rights to young people, and explore who has historically had voting rights in the U.S. Hosted by Touissant Morrison, who also narrates Ch. 16 in the Northern Lights Interactive eBook.
During the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Minnesota’s global connections were increasing. This was not just happening in our state. It was part of a worldwide process called globalization. From farming to climate challenges to social media and more, global changes are driving local transformations.
Minnesota Farm Advocates Video
Watch this clip of Lou Anne Kling talking about the program she founded, Farm Advocates, that helped assist farmers during the 1980s Farm Crisis and continues to operate today.
Community Supported Agriculture Video
Watch this video to introduce students to the ways farmers have connected with community members to bring their products to market.
Nature on the Move Article
Read about how we can help living beings in the natural world adapt to climate change in this Young Naturalists article from the MN DNR. Use the Teacher’s Guide for tips on classroom implementation.
Bringing Back the White Pine Audio
Listen to a Minnesota Public Radio feature about restoration efforts for the White Pine, including an interview with Jack Rajala, featured in Ch. 17.
Waḳaƞ Ṭípi Awaƞyaƞkapi Learning Center (St. Paul)
Explore the educational resources from Waḳaƞ Ṭípi Awaƞyaƞkapi interpretive center in St. Paul, including plant medicine, water, and winter stories from the Daḳóta oral tradition.
Impact of Social Media on Minnesota Youth Video
Watch this Kare 11 news feature reporting on the impact of social media usage on young people circa 2026.
Rise and Remember Archive (Minneapolis)
Explore images from the Rise and Remember collection, a community-led organization which caretakes and archives tributes left at the George Floyd Memorial.
Minnesotans often band together to advocate for causes that are important to them. People don’t only gather to bring change, though. Sometimes they form communities for other reasons. What impact do you want to make in your community?
People of Minnesota Book Series
Use this series of short books about the stories of a variety of people who now call Minnesota home as reference materials or excerpted reading for students.
Meet Women's Hockey Trailblazer, Bonnie Shea
Listen to a Minnesota Public Radio feature about Bonnie Shea and watch a video about her accomplishments. Also consider this video from the University of Minnesota: Duluth, also chronicling her resilient hockey career.
MN Unraveled Podcast: Meatpacking in Minnesota
Listen to the history of meatpacking in Minnesota, including interviews with Andrea Duarte-Alonso and her father, Leonardo Duarte. (Note: podcast includes detailed descriptions of the slaughter and meat-packing processes.)
MN Unraveled Podcast: Hmong Foodways
Listen to an exploration of how Hmong foodways sit at the intersection of community tradition, culture, and history, including an interview with Pakou Hang.
Shared Places, Public Spaces Video
Watch a conversation about the process of renaming Justice Page Middle School in Minneapolis, formerly Ramsey Middle School. Panelists include student leaders Hawa Ibrahim and Olivia Bordon, educators Elissa Cedarleaf Dahl and Paul Sommers, and special guest Justice Alan Page.