OVERVIEW

Working River Online is designed for teachers as a collection of resources and mini-lessons to complement elementary grade level lessons related to the science and history of the Mississippi River 

SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO EXPLORE THIS SITE

1. BEGIN WITH THE INTRODUCTION SECTION 

1. • Get to know the context for the upper Mississippi River by viewing the Mississippi River Introduction video located below

   • View the park map to see if students can identify any landmarks, symbols, or icons. Compare this map with other maps of the Twin Cities area or a state of Minnesota map. 

   • View the video titled, Mni Sota - Dakota Sacred Waters, so students can get a feel for Dakota history as it relates to this area. Combine this with another classroom lesson you may have on hand. Combine this also with the slide deck for understanding indigeneous place names.

   • View the video titled, My Mighty Journey - A Waterfall's Story, which tells the geological story of St. Anthony Falls and how it traveled from Saint Paul to Minneapolis.

   • View the video titled, Building the Perfect Landscape, to understand how the falls area became the perfect place to build a city.

   • Have students read the article titled, A Most Amazing River, located below to get a feel for the importance of the Mississippi River.

2. EXPLORE A MAIN TOPIC 

• Explore four topics related to the upper Mississippi River:

• Geology - How did a great waterfall create the reasons for the Twin Cities to get their start? 

• Transportation - How does the Mississippi River provide a major transportation system?

• Power - What's so powerful about a waterfall in Minneapolis?

• Stewardship - How do we care for our waterways?

• Each topic is divided into four sections:

1. Introduce It: A video introducing the topic with related 'I Wonder' questions and vocabulary to explore

2. Learn It: Explore and learn about the topic through slide decks, videos, and readings

3. Do it: Complete a hands-on activity, experiment, product, or project

4. Know it: Take a short quiz to test knowledge about each topic

3. USE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Write Out Prompt: STUDENTS can practice writing about what they are learning by using the monthly writing prompt 

• Resource Section: TEACHERS can use valuable resources related to each main topic