Resources

BOOKS

• My Mighty Journey: A Waterfall's Story by John Coy, Illustrated by Gaylord Schanilec (Children's book with beautiful art that portrays the geology, history and people of this place on the Mississippi River, told from the perspective of the waterfall)

• River of History by John Anfinson (TEACHER RESOURCE; E-book available online)

• Walter Meets Mack: A Minnesota Adventure by Michael Stoesz (Historical novel for young readers that tells the story of an immigrant boy who finds himself with no money among the mills of Minneapolis in 1900; written by a former Minneapolis school teacher.)

• Where Is the Mississippi River? by Dina Anastasio, Illustrated by Ted Hammond (From WhoHQ, the New York Times best-selling series, this book is a brief historical introduction to the MIssissippi River written at a 3-7 grade level)

WEB LINKS

• Minneapolis Past: Saint Anthony Falls (TPT video; The story of Minneapolis starts with a waterfall that has a rich heritage of importance for Indigenous Dakota; 5.5 minutes in length)

• Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (National Park Service; Site features details about the river and park including more education materials, science resources, great photos, things to do and what to see within the park)

• River of History - Preface by John Anfinson (Read an introduction about the history of the upper Mississippi River from a former NPS Superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area)

BOOKS

• Minnesota's Geology by Richard W. Ojakangas and Charles L. Matsch (TEACHER RESOURCE; UPress; A highly acclaimed guide to the geological history that is unique to Minnesota)

WEB LINKS

• Geology Lesson Plans (TEACHER RESOURCE; National Park Service, Grand Canyon National Park; A collection of activities that teachers can use in the classroom to reinforce students' understanding of geologic principles, especially covering activities to better understand rocks, fossils, and canyons)

• Geology of Minnesota: A Guide for Teachers by G.B. Morey and Henk Dahlberg (TEACHER RESOURCE; Topics include basic geology, Minnesota landforms, geologic history, and the mineral industry of Minnesota)

• National Parks Adventure: Educator Guide (TEACHER RESOURCE; National Park Service, MacGillivray Freeman; A collection of activities that teachers can use in the classroom to reinforce students' understanding of geologic principles, especially covering rock layers and volcanoes)

• River of History - The Geology of the MNRRA Corridor by John Anfinson (Read in depth about the geologic history of the upper Mississippi River from a former NPS Superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area)

• Teacher Guide: Ask A Rock (TEACHER RESOURCE; Young Naturalist; A teacher's guide to the reading from the article titled, Ask A Rock; with vocabulary, study questions, adaptations, and assessments)

• Teacher Guide: Minnesota's Rocky Roots (TEACHER RESOURCE; Young Naturalist; A teacher's guide to the reading article titled, Minnesota's Rocky Roots; with vocabulary, study questions, adaptations, and assessments)

BOOKS

• Keystones of the Stone Arch Bridge by Carolyn Ruff (Historical fiction for young readers; Tells the story of the youngest worker building the railroad bridge to connect the mills of Minneapolis with the rest of the world) 

• Canoes  - A Natural History in North America by Mark Neuzil and Norman Sims (University of Minnesota Press; Tells the story of the canoe, from birch bark and dugout to modern materials and designs)

WEB LINKS 

• King Wheat by Merrill E. Jarchow (TEACHER RESOURCE; Minnesota Historical Society; A paper on the significance of growing, trading and transporting wheat in early Minnesota)

• River of History - Transforming the River I: Commerce and Navigation Improvements, 1823-1906 by John Anfinson (Read in depth about the history of river transportation and commerce on the upper Mississippi River from a former NPS Superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area)

• River of History - Transforming the River II: Commerce, Navigation Improvements and Hydroelectric Power, 1907-1963 by John Anfinson (Read in depth about the history of river transportation and commerce on the upper Mississippi River from a former NPS Superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area)

• River of History - St. Anthony Falls: Timber, Flour and Electricity by John Anfinson (Read in depth about the history of river transportation and commerce on the upper Mississippi River from a former NPS Superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area)

• River of History - The Patterns of Agriculture, Commerce, Industry and Transportation by John Anfinson (Read in depth about the history of river transportation and commerce on the upper Mississippi River from a former NPS Superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area)

• River Transportation (River Transportation from an Iowa perspective; topics include why rivers are important, steam-power boats, the growth of towns, and transportation of goods)

• Sweat Pads, Logging Berries, and Blackjack by William Durbin (Young Naturalists, Minnesota Conservation Volunteer; Learn about Minnesota logging camps and how they supplied the logs that headed down river to the Minneapolis sawmills at St. Anthony Falls)

• Transportation on the Mississippi by H.E. Hoagland (TEACHER RESOURCE; U of Chicago Press; A paper on the evolution of boats on the Mississippi River)

BOOKS

• Energy: Stop Faking it! Understanding Science So You Can Teach It by William C. Robertson, Ph.D. (TEACHER RESOURCE; National Science Teaching Association. A teacher resource to help understand energy basics—work, kinetic energy, potential energy, and the transformation of energy)

• Force and Motion: Stop Faking it! Understanding Science So You Can Teach It by William C. Robertson, Ph.D. (TEACHER RESOURCE; National Science Teaching Association; A teacher resource to help understand the basics of force and motion.)

• The Gristmill by Bobbie Kahlman. (Early pioneers would travel from far and wide to visit the gristmill for the essential service of having their grain ground. Communities often developed in areas where gristmills had been built. In The Gristmill young readers will find out how the miller produced flour--What was the source of power that turned the grinding stones?)   

• Mill by David MacCaulay (The mills at Wicksbridge are imaginary, but their planning, construction, and operation are quite typical of mills developed in New England throughout the nineteenth century) 

WEB LINKS

• 19th Century Technology at a Grist Mill (YouTube Video, ScienceOnline; Shows how a grist mill uses the energy of only water power to grind grain into flour!)

• Hydropower (Energy Kids, US Energy Information Administration; Website providing an overview of hydropower including the topics of the water cycle, hydroelectric power, hydropower and the environment, and different forms of hydropower.

• Mill City Museum (Minnesota Historical Society; Museum dedicated to learning about the milling era of Minneapolis; Multiple materials for educators and youth)

• Physics for Kids - Power (Ducksters; Power is explained from a mathematical perspective)

• Pros and Cons of Hydropower (TEACHER RESOURCE; Kids Discover; A description of some of the pros and cons of hydropower)

BOOKS

• 11 Books About Recycling for Elementary Students (Project Learning Tree; Suggested books covering the topics of pollution and recycling for readers age 5-11)

• A Kid's Guide to Saving the Planet; It's Not Hopeless and We're Not Helpless by Paul Douglas (In this inspiring, informative book, nationally recognized meteorologist Paul Douglas clearly and thoughtfully presents the daunting problems of climate change)

• City Green by DyAnne Disalvo-Ryan (An optimistic tale that manages to be both encouraging, yet realistic about how to do some good in your very own backyard -- Read aloud video)

• The Last Straw: Kids vs Plastics by Susan Hood (Readers will be fascinated as they learn about the growing plastic problem and meet just a few of the young activists who are standing up and speaking out for change)

• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss (This classic story teaches how to treat the planet with kindness and stand up and speak up for others -- Read aloud video)

• The River Ran Wild: An Environmental History by Lynne Cherry (This nonfiction picture book explores the true story of the Nashua River in Massachusetts and tells about restoration, renewal, and environmental consciousness -- Read aloud video)

• We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom (Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, this book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption -- Read aloud video)

WEB LINKS

• Adopt-a-Drain (Hamline University; A resource for classes or families to volunteer and get involved with keeping a storm drain clear and communities cleaner)

• Adopt-a-Drain Interactive (Waters to the Sea; Students use virtual games to learn about the water cycle, watershed, and how our actions can impact our water)

• Environmental Stewardship Lesson Plan (TEACHER RESOURCE; Every Kid in a Park; Engages students with learning how to be good stewards by knowing ways to protect federal lands and resources)

• Debris Tracker (National Geographic; Morgan Stanley; University of Georgia; Can an app help clean up plastic waste? This one can by getting citizen scientists involved -- get your class involved at school with this unique project that fights plastic) 

• Study Questions: Rich in Beauty (TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE; Study and learn facts and ideas based on the Young Naturalists nonfiction story , Rich in Beauty)

• Teacher Guide: Rich in Beauty (TEACHER RESOURCE; Young Naturalist; A teacher's guide to the reading from the article titled, Rich in Beauty; with standards, vocabulary, adaptations, and assessments)

• Teacher Guide: Splash (TEACHER RESOURCE; Young Naturalist; A teacher's guide to the reading from the article titled, Splash; with standards, vocabulary, adaptations, and assessments)

OCTOBER WRITE OUT

• Write Out is an annual writing event taking place in October, and is hosted by the National Writing Project and the National Park Service. The goal is to connect student writing with the outdoors based on an annual theme. Write Out uses robust resources as well as sound pedagogical strategies to support writers of all ages. 

POEM WRITING

• List Poem (A helpful mini-lesson for writing list poems for the monthly writing prompt)

• Tumble-Down Poem (A helpful mini-lesson for writing list poems for the monthly writing prompt)