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Additional Resources by Northern Lights Chapter
Enrich your Minnesota Studies instruction with additional resources, organized by Northern Lights chapters. Find books, videos, web sites, experiences, and more.
Resources by chapter
Click on each chapter to see descriptions and links for related resources.
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Before studying Minnesota, think about what Minnesota means to you. What makes our state unique? Learn how exploring our history, geography, government, and economy teaches us the stories of Minnesota’s past.
Interesting Facts about Minnesota
An online resource with facts and information about Minnesota using maps to tell the stories. This StoryMap uses ESRI's ArcGIS Online Story Map platform.
Minnesota in Profile
Created by the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office, this webpage contains general statistics about Minnesota, including population, education and more. Students conducting research about Minnesota today could find helpful information on this webpage.
Minnesota State Symbols Game
This simple picture game tests knowledge related to Minnesota's state symbols. Use this game to introduce students to aspects of Minnesota's shared culture and history.
Minnesota State Symbols
The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library created this webpage, containing images and descriptions of all official state symbols, along with links to related resources. Start the school year off by having students fill in an outline of the state with the symbols they think are most important or their favorites. Bonus: teachers can use the illustrations to decorate the classroom!
Life in Minnesota today is very different than it was for people living here thousands of years ago. Explore how storytelling and physical evidence help people understand how others lived in the past.
No other group of people currently living in Minnesota has been here longer than the Dakota. Their way of life many generations ago was very different than it is today. Read oral histories passed down through the years by Dakota storytellers to learn about the culture and values of early Dakota people.
Gibbs Farm
Gibbs Farm is a historic site interpreting pioneer and Dakota life in the mid-1800s. Schoolchildren will learn from costumed 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.
Bdote Memory Map
Hear from Dakota people about the significance of Bdote in Dakota history, culture, and modern-day. This resource contains a memory map with videos, text content, and a teacher page.
Native American Artist-in-Residence: Gwen Westerman
Ribbonwork artist Gwen Westerman shares her experiences as a Native American Artist-in-Residence (NAAIR) at the Minnesota Historical Society.
Seth Eastman: Depictions of Native American Life Primary Source Set
This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes:
- a topic overview
- ten to twenty primary sources
- links to related resources and
- a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
U.S.-Dakota War of 1862
This website shares historical background, a timeline of events, public programs, books links to photos, documents and artifacts relating to the U.S. Dakota War of 1862.
Hundreds of years ago, the Ojibwe migrated west along the Great Lakes and settled in what is now Minnesota and Wisconsin. Learn about Ojibwe traditions and ways of life that changed with the seasons.
Native American Artist-in-Residence: Pat Kruse
Pat Kruse participated in the Native American Artist-in-Residence program in 2014. Watch to him talk about his birchbark art and see demonstrations.
Native American Artist-in-Residence: Jessica Gokey
Jessica Gokey participated in the Native American Artist-in-Residence program in 2014. Listen to her talk about her beadwork.
Nenda-gikendamang ningo-biboonagak
"We Seek to Learn Throughout the Year" is an introduction to Ojibwe language through graphics and games from the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission.
Mille Lacs Indian Museum Field Trip
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 American Indians make and sell.
Seth Eastman: Depictions of Native American Life Primary Source Set
This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes:
- a topic overview
- ten to twenty primary sources
- links to related resources and
- a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
Hungry Johnny
At the community feast, observing the bounty of festive foods and counting the numerous elders yet to be seated, Johnny learns to be patient and respectful despite his growling tummy.
Ojibwe Lifeways (PDF)
"Ojibwe Lifeways" is an article for young naturalists about the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine. An educator-created "Teacher's Guide" contains a corresponding study guide and activity ideas.
Night Flying Woman
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.
Ojibwe Shoulder Bag 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.
The fur trade brought American Indians and Europeans together as trading partners in Minnesota and other parts of North America. Many people were involved in this trade over the course of several hundred years. Explore the roles and relationships of the people involved in the fur trade and the seasonal nature of the work.
Voyageurs National Park
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 three visitors centers for those who want to visit. They also have traveling trunks available for rental on the topics of voyageurs and wolves.
Grand Portage National Monument
Live History. Celebrate Heritage. Travel into the past to discover the present. Explore the partnership of the Grand Portage Ojibwe and the North West Company during the North American fur trade and the NPS today. Follow pathways into a distant time. Experience the sights and smells of a bustling depot reconstructed in its exact location. Hear the beat of the drum echo over Gichigami — Lake Superior.
Seth Eastman: Depictions of Native American Life Primary Source Set
This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes:
- a topic overview
- ten to twenty primary sources
- links to related resources and
- a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
Snake River Fur Post Field Trip
Northern Lights teachers love the fur trade! Check out the classroom resources, like books, objects, vocab support, Ojibwe history, living history links and more. Book your field trip to discover the big business of the fur trade, huddle in a wigwam, hear stories, and see the goods that would have been exchanged at "stores" like this.
The United States was a young nation that was growing quickly and desired more land. During the mid-1800s, it acquired millions of acres of land from Minnesota’s Dakota and Ojibwe. Land changed hands through a series of written agreements called treaties. Learn how life was changing in dramatic ways for those connected to the land.
Minnesota State Boundaries
An overview of the creation of the political boundaries that currently define the state lines in Minnesota.
Minnesota Territory, 1855
A map of the Minnesota territory prior to its admission into the union.
Minnesota Territory (MNHS)
This Web site contains activities and stories about Minnesota in the years before it became a state.
Why Treaties Matter
This online resource, a companion to an exhibit now on display at the Minnesota State Capitol, contains a virtual exhibit, numerous videos, and educator resources.
Historic Fort Snelling Field Trip
Enrich your field trip by exploring this rich website. Find Northern Lights chapter alignments and standards connections, and reinforce your field trip with the website's room-by-room photo tour. Historic Fort Snelling is a great place to learn about military history, from the Civil War to WWII, fur trade history, slavery in Minnesota, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, and more. Its location — at the junction of rivers— has been significant for centuries to many American Indian communities.
Little Crow/Taoyateduta
A compelling biography for young readers that traces the life of the Dakota leader Taoyateduta (Little Crow) and his role in the U.S. — Dakota Conflict of 1862.
Who Was George Bonga? (PDF)
"Who Was George Bonga?" is an article for young naturalists in the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine. An educator-created "Teacher's Guide" contains a corresponding study guide and activity ideas.
Historic Fort Snelling Educator Resources
Check out the many resources for studying about Fort Snelling and its place in the history of Minnesota and the nation.
Seth Eastman: Depictions of Native American Life Primary Source Set
This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes:
- a topic overview
- ten to twenty primary sources
- links to related resources and
- a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
Life in Minnesota changed drastically as a result of land treaties in the 1850s. During that decade, the population shifted from being mostly American Indian to being mostly European American. Hear the stories of St. Paul’s first public-school teacher and an early Swedish immigrant, which show some of the ways immigrants influenced the region during Minnesota’s territorial years.
Background on the Minnesota Constitutional Convention of 1857
An overview of the politics that informed the creation of the state of Minnesota and the creation of its Constitution.
Creating Minnesota
A 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.
Two Constitutions?
A video detailing 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.
(H)our History Lesson: Teaching Engaged Citizenship, Federalism
A learning experience that helps learners better understand different views on the balance of power between federal, state, and local governments.
Minnesota Government
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.
Gibbs Farm
Gibbs Farm is a historic site interpreting pioneer and Dakota life in the mid-1800s. Schoolchildren will learn from costumed 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.
Minnesota State Capitol Field Trip
After three years of repair and restoration, the State Capitol is open for guided tours beginning January 2017. Meet civics benchmarks as you explore the capitol's history, art and architecture. Students visit the chambers where government decisions are made. Weather permitting, visit the golden horses on the roof.
Oliver Kelley Farm Field Trip
Do your students know where food comes from? Experience the story of farming — then and now — through new, improved 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 new teaching kitchen, guest animal building, and more.
Slavery caused a major division between Northerners and Southerners. These groups often had differing views about its morality and necessity. War broke out when Southern states left the Union. Find out how the experiences of individuals—enslaved African Americans and a soldier in the First Minnesota Regiment—illustrate the impact of slavery and the Civil War on Minnesota.
Slavery’s Reach by Christopher Lehman
An account of how a set of mutually beneficial relationships between southern slaveholders and Minnesotans kept the men and women whose labor generated the wealth enslaved.
Dred and Harriet Scott Multimedia Curriculum Kit
In 1846, enslaved African Americans Dred and Harriet Scott filed suit in a Missouri court to win their freedom. After eleven long years, the United States Supreme Court ruled against the Scotts, denying them their freedom and rejecting the ability of Congress to forbid slavery in the territories. It remains one of the most controversial decisions in United States history. This flexible curriculum kit focuses on the story of Dred and Harriet’s quest for freedom for themselves and their daughters. By watching the portrayals of Dred and Harriet and examining primary sources of the period, students will begin to understand the differing perspectives on the issue of slavery during the turbulent decades leading up to the Civil War.
Historic Fort Snelling Field Trip
Enrich your field trip by exploring this rich website. Find Northern Lights chapter alignments and standards connections, and reinforce your field trip with the website's room-by-room photo tour. Historic Fort Snelling is a great place to learn about military history, from the Civil War to WWII, fur trade history, slavery in Minnesota, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, and more. Its location — at the junction of rivers— has been significant for centuries to many American Indian communities.
Civil War Letters of the Christie Family
Letters from three brothers fighting 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.
Dred and Harriet Scott
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. While most people have heard of the Dred Scott Decision, few know anything about the case’s namesake.
Historic Fort Snelling Educator Resources
Check out the many resources for studying about Fort Snelling and its place in the history of Minnesota and the nation.
In the summer of 1862, a complex mix of factors led to the U.S.-Dakota War, a deadly conflict with devastating consequences. Explore the stories of individuals who lived through the war and experienced it from a variety of perspectives.
Gibbs Farm
Gibbs Farm is a historic site interpreting pioneer and Dakota life in the mid-1800s. Schoolchildren will learn from costumed 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.
Little Crow/Taoyateduta
A compelling biography for young readers that traces the life of the Dakota leader Taoyateduta (Little Crow) and his role in the U.S. — Dakota Conflict of 1862.
U.S.-Dakota War of 1862
This website shares historical background, a timeline of events, public programs, books links to photos, documents and artifacts relating to the U.S. Dakota War of 1862.
During the late 1800s, Minnesota’s landscape changed in major ways. Settlers “busted the sod,” or prepped the land for farming. Meanwhile, railroads appeared quickly, changing the way people lived and worked. Read about one family, who came to southwestern Minnesota, built a farm, and lived through these and other changes.
Little Habitats on the Prairies (PDF)
"Little Habitats on the Prairies" is an article for young naturalists about the tall grass prairies in the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine. An educator-created "Teacher's Guide" contains a corresponding study guide and activity ideas.
James J. Hill House Field Trip
James J. Hill and his railroad changed settlement, ag, and commerce nationwide. Enhance your instruction with clips about Empire Builder and the site itself. Bring students on a lively tour of life in a Gilded Age mansion. Tailor the visit to suit your class.
Oliver Kelley Farm Field Trip
Do your students know where food comes from? Experience the story of farming — then and now — through new, improved 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 new teaching kitchen, guest animal building, and more.
Forests, Fields, and the Falls
Explore Minnesota's early industries of logging, farming and milling in this interactive graphic novel.
In the late 1800s, important industries developed in our state. People found ways to profit from the state’s natural resources, such as soil, water, timber, and minerals. Follow the stories of industrialists Charles Pillsbury (flour milling), Frederick Weyerhaeuser (lumber), and Henry Oliver (iron mining) to learn how these Minnesota industries developed.
Lumberjack Math
The Lumberjack Math combines the study of math and social studies in grades 5, 6, 7, and 8 in six interactive lessons. These materials will help students better understand the life and economics of an early twentieth century logging camp, and reinforce math skills in an interdisciplinary setting.
St. Anthony Falls Primary Source Set
This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes a topic overview, ten to twenty primary sources, links to related resources and a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
Forest History Center Field Trip
Enhance your lessons on Minnesota industries with a visit to the Forest History Center in 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, check out the interactive map of the site, complete with photos!
Forests, Fields, and the Falls
Explore Minnesota's early industries of logging, farming and milling in this interactive graphic novel.
Mining on the Iron Range Primary Source Set
This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes:
- a topic overview
- ten to twenty primary sources
- links to related resources and
- a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
Mill City Museum Field Trip
Built into the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill, Mill City Museum is located on the historic Mississippi Riverfront. Here, visitors of all ages learn about the intertwined histories of the flour industry, the river, and the city of Minneapolis.
Business owners and their employees worked to build the state’s new industries during the early 1900s, although they sometimes disagreed about working conditions and pay. Workers flooded into cities from other countries and states, as well as from Minnesota’s rural areas. Discover the stories of two workers, one on the Iron Range, and one in Minneapolis.
Citizenship & Participation
A series of lessons that teaches students what it means to be a U.S. citizen and how citizenship is obtained. In this sequence students will compare and contrast personal and political rights with social responsibilities and personal duties. Students will also explore global citizenship, and the rights and responsibilities of citizens in other countries. They will also learn about community engagement by selecting a problem of their own and creating a plan to solve it.
Mining on the Iron Range Primary Source Set
This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes:
Mill City Museum Field Trip
Built into the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill, Mill City Museum is located on the historic Mississippi Riverfront. Here, visitors of all ages learn about the intertwined histories of the flour industry, the river, and the city of Minneapolis.
Increasing awareness of issues affecting society in the late 1800s and early 1900s led to the Progressive Movement. Reformers sought to improve their communities by organizing groups and campaigning for changes. Targets of reforms included government, corporations, and discrimination.
Primary Source Packet: Data of the Progressive Era
The Data of the Progressive Era Primary Source Packet provides resources that familiarize students with historical collection and presentation of data. The data sets in this packet and the corresponding guiding questions provide an avenue for integrating data, and the stories they tell, into the history curriculum.
Shaping Voyageurs: The 1880s to 1927
ArcGIS Web Map of Aerial Photographs of Voyageurs National Park in 1927. Explore and experience the cultural landscape of Voyageurs National Park as it appeared in 1927.
Forest History Center Field Trip
Enhance your lessons on Minnesota industries with a visit to the Forest History Center in 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, check out the interactive map of the site, complete with photos!
Temperance to Prohibition Primary Source Set
This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes:
- a topic overview
- ten to twenty primary sources
- links to related resources and
- a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
In April of 1917, the United States joined a war that many countries in Europe had been fighting since 1914. Minnesotans participated in a variety of ways. Hear about a state agency established in response to fears about people’s safety, one county’s contribution to the war effort, and—finally—a celebration held in Minneapolis the night the war ended.
Primary Source Packet: War Photographs 1861–2011
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 27 reproduction photographs of 9 wars included in this packet and 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.
Primary Source Packet: World War I — American Experiences of War
The World War I — American Experiences of War Primary Source Packet consists of 23 full-color photographs of objects, posters, newspapers and songs that speak to Americans' war experiences during the Great War Years (1914-1918). The images included in this packet and the corresponding guiding questions provide an avenue for students to construct knowledge about WW1 and the impact that it had on the lives of Americans who lived through it.
Teaching with Curated Collections: WW1
A curated collection of photographs depicting posters, newspaper clippings, clothing, tools, letters, and more that provide a lens into the experiences of Amercians who lived and served in World War 1.
World War I on the Minnesota Home Front Primary Source Set
This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes:
- a topic overview
- ten to twenty primary sources
- links to related resources and
- a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
For most Americans—and Minnesotans—life changed dramatically from the 1920s to the 1930s. The stories of a young jazz musician and a farm family illustrate the contrast between the Jazz Age Twenties and the Great Depression of the Thirties. Learn, too, about lifestyle changes for women, what happened when the money stopped flowing, and the government’s response to economic crisis.
Living New Deal
This website consists of resources that are designed to help learners explore New Deal sites, find summaries of New Deal programs, watch videos about the New Deal, follow policy debates, and more.
"Forest Builders" in Minnesota Conservation Volunteer (PDF)
"Forest Builders" is an article for young naturalists about the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine. An educator-created "Teacher's Guide" contains a corresponding study guide and activity ideas.
Morgan Park: U.S. Steel's Company Town in Duluth Primary Source Set
This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes:
- a topic overview
- ten to twenty primary sources
- links to related resources and
- a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
Civilian Conservation Corps Primary Source Set
This primary source set created by the Minnesota Digital Library includes:
- a topic overview
- ten to twenty primary sources
- links to related resources and
- a teaching guide which includes classroom discussion questions and activities.
Duluth Lynchings Online Resource
Primary sources about the 1920 lynching of three young black men in Duluth. Search historical documents and listen to oral history interviews of blacks who lived in Duluth around the time of the lynchings. Designed for older students.
Days of Rondo
Evelyn Fairbanks 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.
"What's In My Footlocker?"
This animated, interactive discovery activity engages students in stories about the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) using 3-D objects, oral history audio clips, vocal narration, and music.
Wanda Gag: Storybook Artist
Wanda Gág (1893–1946 ) is famous for her elegantly written and whimsically illustrated children’s books. Learn about her life in this biography.
From 1941 to 1945, the United States fought alongside the Allies in World War II. With the country at war, Minnesotans worked for the war effort in the armed forces and on the home front. Meet some of these individuals and learn about the role government plays during war time.
Civil Liberties and Equity
This lesson plan helps students understand the role of civil liberties in U.S. society.
Justice Deferred: Japanese Internment Camps
"Justice Deferred" is a Story Map that explores Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese Internment Camps during WWII. See how geography and map exploration help answer questions about this time period.
Historic Fort Snelling Field Trip
Enrich your field trip by exploring this rich website. Find Northern Lights chapter alignments and standards connections, and reinforce your field trip with the website's room-by-room photo tour. Historic Fort Snelling is a great place to learn about military history, from the Civil War to WWII, fur trade history, slavery in Minnesota, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, and more. Its location — at the junction of rivers— has been significant for centuries to many American Indian communities.
Historic Fort Snelling Educator Resources
Check out the many resources for studying about Fort Snelling and its place in the history of Minnesota and the nation.
Days of Rondo
Evelyn Fairbanks 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.
After World War II ended, Minnesotans looked forward to the future. Suburbs grew as people focused on the safety of home. However, another kind of war, the Cold War, developed between nations with different beliefs. The Cold War caused two deadly conflicts, one in Korea and another in Vietnam. Learn the story of an Ojibwe marine who fought in Vietnam, and learn about some federal and state policies of the time.
Mapping Prejudice
Work that identifies and maps Minnesota racial covenants, clauses that were inserted into property deeds to keep people who were not White from buying or occupying homes.
Racial Housing Covenants in the Twin Cities
An overview of discriminatory housing practices in the Twin Cities and the contributions that racial covenants have had on the prevalence of racial disparities in the state today.
Voices of the Rondo Neighborhood
This activity engages students with oral history excerpts from the Rondo neighborhood, to investigate the question, "How do communities of color in Minnesota influence urban renewal projects, and in what ways do these projects affect them?"
Hmong in Minnesota
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.
Days of Rondo
Evelyn Fairbanks 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.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Minnesotans joined with others nationwide to speak out for changes they wanted to see in society and government. Activists used different strategies to bring attention to causes they believed in, such as ending the Vietnam War. Hear stories of those who fought for this, as well as for equal opportunities for African Americans, American Indians, and women.
Youth Movements (1903-2020)
Youth are powerful voices in past and present calls for justice. Highlighting the experiences of children, teenagers, and young adults in social movements emphasizes not only the presence of young people in the past, but also involvement in issues important to them. This set highlights the experiences of various communities, including child laborers in the early 20th century, youth involved in the Civil Rights Movement, and environmental activists.
Black History, Black Voices
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.
Should 12-Year-Olds Be Allowed to Vote?
This video revisits Minnesota State Representative Phyllis Kahn’s decades-long fight to expand voting rights to young people, and explores who has historically had voting rights in the U.S. and how the overall trend toward greater access may continue into the future.
Setting the Stage for Civil Rights
The Setting the Stage for Civil Rights Primary Source Packet provides resources that help expand the narrative of African Americans' struggle for civil rights. The sources and corresponding guiding questions share stories about how the foundation for the larger movement was laid decades earlier.
In the last half of the twentieth century, Minnesotans became increasingly connected to the rest of the globe. One reason for this is the invention of new technologies. Read stories about three items found in your school that represent changes in today’s world—milk, sticky notes, and digital classroom tools.
Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom
“Connecting Minnesota Geography with Agriculture” includes 17 standards-based lessons, 42 PDF maps and an interactive GIS map with multiple map layers designed to engage K-12 students and inspire interest in the geography of Minnesota agriculture.
Offshoring: Definition & Facts
An overview of the practice of outsourcing operations overseas, usually by companies from industrialized countries to less-developed countries, with the intention of reducing the cost of doing business.
The Two Sides of Offshore Outsourcing
As more companies hunt for cheaper labor in places like India and China, offshore outsourcing has become a flashpoint in the presidential campaign and in state legislatures. Outsourcing is spreading from the manufacturing sector into the service economy and affecting white-collar workers, many with higher wages and skill levels. While outsourcing often gets blamed for job losses, finding cheaper labor can also save or even create jobs.
Minnesota’s Changing Climate Curriculum for Grades 3-8
This set of lesson plans explores Minnesota’s unique biomes and what a changing climate will mean for the state. It is a model for place-based climate change education.
Climate Lit
Climate Lit is a resource hub for building young people’s climate literacy with literature, film, and stories in other media.
Climate Change: The Science Behind Melting Glaciers & Warming Oceans
A book about climate change for middle readers who want to learn the science behind a warming planet and make a difference for their own future.
Climate Change & Global Warming
An overview of the causes, consequences, and potential solutions for addressing climate change.
Oliver Kelley Farm Field Trip
Do your students know where food comes from? Experience the story of farming — then and now — through new, improved 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 new teaching kitchen, guest animal building, and more.
A noticeable change took place in Minnesota’s population between 1980 and 2010. Though the majority of residents remained European American, populations of several other groups grew at much faster rates during this period. Discover stories of six individuals or families, each with a different idea of what it means to be a Minnesotan.
Sparked
Reflections on the murder of George Floyd and the uprisings that followed and on racism in Minnesota, as told by former and current residents of the state.
George Floyd Tributes
This collection includes an extremely large variety of works paying tribute or memorializing George Floyd, from simple tags to large portraits.
The Journey to Juneteenth: Celebrating Black Freedom
This video discusses the history of Juneteenth and how Minnesotans in modernity honor this holiday celebrating Black freedom.
Native American Artist-in-Residence: Pat Kruse
Pat Kruse participated in the Native American Artist-in-Residence program in 2014. Watch to him talk about his birchbark art and see demonstrations.
Native American Artist-in-Residence: Jessica Gokey
Jessica Gokey participated in the Native American Artist-in-Residence program in 2014. Listen to her talk about her beadwork.
Native American Artist-in-Residence: Gwen Westerman
Ribbonwork artist Gwen Westerman shares her experiences as a Native American Artist-in-Residence (NAAIR) at the Minnesota Historical Society.
Minnesota's Immigrants
Learn about immigration to Minnesota in the past and present from this site from the University of Minnesota.
Nenda-gikendamang ningo-biboonagak
"We Seek to Learn Throughout the Year" is an introduction to Ojibwe language through graphics and games from the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission.
Mille Lacs Indian Museum Field Trip
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 American Indians make and sell.
Hmong in Minnesota Online Resource
Minnesota Historical Society resources about the history and culture of Minnesota’s Hmong people.
Hmong in Minnesota
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.
Hungry Johnny
At the community feast, observing the bounty of festive foods and counting the numerous elders yet to be seated, Johnny learns to be patient and respectful despite his growling tummy.
Ojibwe Shoulder Bag 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.
Minnesota K12 GIS Education
Geoinquiries are designed to be easy activities for students to explore map-based content. These activities do not require a login, although having students logged in allows them to do more with the data. All documents are in Google Docs. You can make a copy of the document and make any edits you wish to make the Geoinquiries fit your needs.
The Decolonial Atlas
The Decolonial Atlas is a collection of maps which challenge traditional notions of humankind’s relationship with the land, people, and state. It’s based on the premise that cartography is not inherently objective. The orientation of a map, its projection, the presence of political borders, which features are included or excluded, and the language used to label a map are all subject to the map-maker’s bias – whether deliberate or not. This resource contains maps with names in Indigenous languages.
StoryMap: Maps that Tell Stories
StoryMapJS is a free tool that helps users tell stories on the web that highlight the locations of a series of events. Users can tell stories with large photographs, works of art, historic maps, and other image files.
ESRI: Online maps for primary and secondary schools
Curated and standards-based map content that provides teaches with a means to teach their students modern digital mapping applications.
Google Earth Education
Step-by-step guides and tutorials on Google Earth and mapping tools, product information, and classroom resources to help teachers integrate Google’s Geo technology into their instructional practice.
Minnesota on the Map
This volume brings together maps of Minnesota through five centuries, showing what happened in the past and what was planned for the future.
Primary Source Packet: Mapping Community Change
The Mapping Community Change Primary Source Packet familiarizes students and teachers with historical maps. The maps in the packet and the corresponding guiding questions provide an avenue for analyzing history and geography through the lens of community growth and decline.
Juvenile Justice System - MN House Research Department
An overview of the objectives of the Minnesota juvenile court system, the different categories of juvenile defenders, and the options the court has for the disposition, treatment, and placement of juvenile offenders.
Broken Promises, Shattered Lives: Minnesota’s juvenile justice system is failing young people, families and victims of violence
Part 1 of a series from the Star Tribune examining how Minnesota's juvenile justice system is failing young people, families and victims of violence.
Introduction to the Juvenile Justice System
These materials teach middle school students about the Minnesota Juvenile Justice System. Informational powerpoint is followed by a chart that compares the adult with the juvenile system and an online vocabulary game. Students are asked to apply knowledge to hypothetical cases. A fun Powerpoint Jeopardy game supports learning.
Lesson Warehouse - Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education (MAGE)
Lessons organized by the MAGE and indexed according to the Minnesota Academic Standards in History and Social Studies benchmarks, keywords, and grade levels.
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy with Primary Sources Videos
Culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) is a teaching framework established by Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Using footage of exemplar classroom teachers and their students, these videos demonstrate how primary sources can provide an effective vehicle for students to engage in culturally relevant learning.
General Minnesota studies resources
NEW! State Flag and Seal Coloring Pages
Color the new state flag and state seal.
Grade 6 Curriculum Guide (PDF)
This document provides support for implementing Minnesota’s 2011 Social Studies standards and benchmarks. It provides an essential question and learning targets for each Grade 6 social studies benchmark.
Grade 6 Resource List (PDF)
This document provides support for implementing Minnesota’s 2011 Social Studies standards and benchmarks. It provides an annotate resource list and "I can" statements for each Grade 6 social studies benchmark.
MNopedia
MNopedia is an online encyclopedia about Minnesota created by the Minnesota Historical Society and its partners.
Minnesota Book of Days
"This Day in Minnesota History" has events that happened in Minnesota for every day of the year.
Education Resource Portal
A curated collection of resources about specific subjects in Minnesota and U.S. history.
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.
Making History
The past comes alive through craft projects celebrating Minnesota’s history and people.