episode ii (6.2mb pdf)

EPISODE I I TEACHERS’ GUIDE

Nancy O’Brien Wagner, Lansing Shepard,

Carol Schreider, Barbara Coffin

A joint project of the College of Natural Resources, University of Minnesota

and the Education Department of the Minnesota Historical Society

II

USE AND PHILOSOPHY ......................................................................................................................................... III

SERIES OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................... V

EPISODE II: CHANGES IN THE LAND

ORIENTATION .......................................................................................................................................................... 2

VIEWING GUIDE ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

LESSONS

Lesson 3: The Big Woods: A Settler’s Dilemma ........................................................................................................ 7

Lesson Worksheet ........................................................................................................................................................ 8

Lesson 4: Bison: A Keystone Species .......................................................................................................................... 11

Lesson Worksheet ........................................................................................................................................................ 12

ANSWER KEYS

Viewing Guide Answer Key .......................................................................................................................................... 14

Lesson 3 Worksheet Answer Key ................................................................................................................................... 16

Lesson 4 Worksheet Answer Key ................................................................................................................................... 18

SUGGESTED RESOURCES ...................................................................................................................................... 18

WEB SITE ............................................................................................................................................................ 19

MAPS ............................................................................................................................................................. 20

CONTENTS

III

Minnesota: A History of the Land is a four-part documentary series that weaves

together human and natural history and illustrates the historical and ongoing

importance of Minnesota’s landscapes to the social, cultural, and economic systems

of the region.

Throughout time, humans have altered their landscapes. In the 500 years since Europeans

arrived on this continent, the physical landscape has changed profoundly. Minnesota: A

History of the Land tells part of that story chronicling the vast changes that Minnesota’s

ecosystems have undergone, from presettlement to the present. By showing how humans

have shaped and interacted with the land, this series provides a powerful context for under-

standing the region’s current environmental challenges.

A set of powerful insights about the relationship between the physical environment and

humans binds the four episodes of the series together:

• How humans view the land determines how humans use the land. In Minnesota, for

example, different people have viewed (and thus used) these lands very differently.

Because of human perception and action, the landscape has been altered dramatically

and, in many cases, irrevocably.

• Apart from human perceptions, these lands have always had their own existence.

Landscapes are first and forever ecological entities that react to disturbances in ecologi-

cal ways—through an immense web of complex interdependencies, cycles, and energy

flows that is connected to landforms, soils, seasons, and rainfall patterns.

• The gap between human perception and ecological reality has led repeatedly to unin-

tended and often negative consequences. Because of this, people have been forced to

adjust their view of the land and thus their use of the land. This halting, adaptive

process means that the landscape shapes people even as people shape the landscape.

• In changing these landscapes, people not only replace old, complex landscapes with

new, simplified ones, they set the terms of engagement—the limits of what is possible

for future generations.

The series can be viewed in a number of ways: as social and political history, as a history of

environmental thought, as a history of technology, or even as lessons in ecology.

For more information about the series, visit: www.historyoftheland.org

USE AND PHILOSOPHY

The series can be viewed

in a number of ways —

as social and political

history, as a history of

environmental thought,

as a history of technology, or

even as lessons in

ecology.

T H E F O U R - P A R T D O C U M E N T A R Y S E R I E S D V DOriginal soundtrack by Peter Ostroushko

IV

Goals for Student LearningThis teachers’ guide is intended to help middle-school students view the Minnesota: A History

of the Land video series and develop an understanding of the following key concepts:

• The land (physical environment) has played a powerful role in shaping Minnesota’s

economies and communities.

• Minnesotans have had an enormous impact on the state’s waters, plants, and wildlife and

have an important role to play as stewards of the environment.

• The historical causes of the landscape’s current condition—its health, use, and long-term

sustainability—are essential to understanding crucial issues of conservation and natural

resource management.

How to Use the Teachers’ GuideWhile the video alone is an effective educational tool, this curriculum is designed to help

middle-school teachers guide students to uncover the main points in each episode and to

expand the ideas described above. As you watch the video in your classroom, we suggest you

break your viewing into smaller sections. Each hour-long episode is composed of three to

four segments that range from twelve to twenty minutes in length.

I. The Episode Orientation presents a synopsis of each one-hour video as well as an easy-

to-follow guide to viewing and using each video. The orientation includes:

• a summary of each episode’s content and a time-coded abstract for each segment

• Northern Lights links, which cue users to related chapters of Northern Lights: The Story of

Minnesota’s Past, a middle-school curriculum of state history developed by the

Minnesota Historical Society

• key terms needed to understand the concepts in the video, along with brief definitions. You

may find it useful to preview these terms with your students before watching the video.

• discussion questions that explore concepts presented in each episode and require students

to synthesize information, think through implications, and draw conclusions

II. In addition, a viewing guide for each episode provides a list of questions that help students

identify the main concepts of each segment. You may find it helpful to pause the video after

each segment to allow students to discuss and revise their answers.

III. Each episode has two lessons designed to amplify the central ideas presented in that

episode. Each lesson contains a lesson plan to guide teachers in setting up and conducting

that exercise, and a reproducible worksheet on which the students’ work is done. Additional

ideas for related extension activities are included for each episode.

IV. Additional resources such as reference maps, suggested resources, and answer keys are

included to help the teacher and students.

USE AND PHILOSOPHY continued

Northern Lights LinksN

T E A C H E R S ’ G U I D E

Nancy O’Brien Wagner, Lansing Shepard,

Carol Schreider, Barbara Coffin

A joint project of the College of Natural Resources, University of Minnesota

and the Education Department of the Minnesota Historical Society

V

EPISODE I: Ordering the Land / 16,000 BP–1870s

Witness 16,000 years of Minnesota’s fascinating early history.

Its unique place in North America is revealed through state-

of-the-art animations and graphics. Prominent members of

Minnesota’s Native American community describe their long

relationship with the land. With the arrival of Europeans

comes a new way of looking at the land, one that will change

the region forever. See how this is expressed in the land sur-

vey, which carves the natural world into squares that can be

bought and sold. The fur trade era and early lumbering are

brought to life with historic re-creations and photographs.

Discover what happens when early entrepreneurs fail to

understand the geology of St. Anthony Falls.

EPISODE II: Changes in the Land / 1870s–1900

Voices from the past and stunning nature videography re-

create the natural world Euro-Americans first encountered.

Find out what happens to North America’s most abundant

species as commercial hunters and the railroad arrive in

Minnesota. The majestic Big Woods are cut down to make

room for farms and villages. Visit one of the little-known

crown jewels of Minnesota, the Bluestem Prairie. Find out

why Minnesota has some of the richest soils in the world

and how Minneapolis becomes the flour-milling capital of

the world. Historic re-creations bring to life the bonanza era

of wheat farming. And experience the catastrophic fire that

ushers in a new way of looking at the land.

EPISODE III: Out of the Ashes / 1900–1940s

Never-before-seen historic footage brings to life the begin-

nings of conservation in Minnesota. Discover why

Minnesota is at the forefront of conservation in the United

States and the key role that women play. See what happens

to the Mississippi River as the population of the Twin Cities

explodes. Graphic animations help viewers imagine the

results of one man’s plan to flood the boundary waters

region. Then, get to know the fascinating character who

helps to save the region from destruction. In the series’ most

ambitious historic re-creation, find out which prominent

Minnesota conservationist begins his career promoting the

destruction of wolves.

EPISODE IV: Second Nature / 1940s and Beyond

Unique historic footage and photographs depict the

momentous changes brought to Minnesota during and after

World War II. A vivid re-creation brings to life the revolu-

tionary work of a University of Minnesota graduate student.

Simple inventions like nylon nets and the introduction of an

exotic species bring the fishery of Lake Superior to the brink

of collapse. Through rarely seen footage, experience the

extensive pollution of Lake Superior caused by the disposal

of over 60,000 tons of waste a day. Then, hear firsthand how

a group of citizens plays a central role in stopping this pollu-

tion. Discover the ways in which our own homes and busi-

nesses result in changes in the land as far away as the rain

forests of South America. Consider how the stories of

Minnesota’s past can inform our choices for the future.

SERIES OVERVIEW

Minnesota: A History of the Land brings to life the epic story of the people and landscapes of Minnesota from

the retreat of the last ice sheets to the growth of today's suburbs. This four-part documentary series features nature

videography from across the state, never-before-seen historic images, state-of-the-art animations, and historic

recreations. The original soundtrack for the series is by award-winning composer Peter Ostroushko.

For more background information on the series, visit www.historyoftheland.org

1

Changes in the Land1870s – 1900

E P I S O D E I I :

2

Episode SummaryBy the middle of the nineteenth century, a surge of European settlement makes new landscapes of the old. Loggers harvest the pine

forest of the north at an ever-accelerating rate. The Big Woods in the south-central region of Minnesota are cut and turned into

farms. The prairie fills with new settlers and booming bonanza farms. The flour mills at St. Anthony Falls bring wealth and renown

to the bustling city of Minneapolis. The landscapes of Minnesota are blanketed by farms and industry, and the area’s wildlife is deci-

mated with unprecedented fury by market hunters. After less than fifty years of settlement, the prairie is nearly gone, numerous

species have disappeared from the region, and the “inexhaustible” northern forest is strained by logging and fire. Changes in the

Land is the story of the monumental change that sweeps the landscape of Minnesota in the last half of the nineteenth century.

2.5 minutes Episode Introduction. An introduction summarizes thehistory told in Episode I and foreshadows the story thatis Episode II.

11.5 minutes The Big Woods tells the story of Minnesota’s decidu-ous forest biome. It explores the ecosystem and howthe Dakota lived in and used its many elements. Thesegment explains how European settlers moved intothe very places the Dakota had occupied, but, unlikethe Dakota, they viewed the woods as an impedimentto a better use of the land—farming. The settlers cutthe woods down, converting a forest ecosystem into afarming landscape that echoed the landscapes of theirformer homelands.

5.5 minutes Market Hunting describes how the hunt for furbearersthat had fueled the old Indian-based fur trade wasextended after 1850 to the rest of the region’s wildlifeon a scale that dwarfed that former trade. The segmentlooks at how the arrival of the railroad connected thestate with eastern markets and triggered an explosionin commercial hunting that decimated wildlife acrossthe state. The story of the passenger pigeon and itsextinction at the hands of market hunters is used as anexample of the wastefulness of this period.

13.5 minutes Plowing the Prairie explains how the prairie ecosys-tems of Minnesota functioned as highly complex com-munities of plants and animals that were adapted todrought, fire, and bison. Incoming settlers, however, val-ued the prairie only as land with deep, rich soils.

Farmers plowed the prairie, cutting off the nutrient-pro-duction process that had made the soil so rich. It was onthe prairie’s composting remains that settlers then plant-ed a single species of an imported grass called wheat.

10.5 minutes Wheat, Wheat, Wheat is the story of the rise and fall ofwheat farming in Minnesota. Railroads, again, werecentral to the expansion of wheat farming and thedestruction of the prairie. Giant corporate bonanzafarms were established in the Red River valley andbecame symbols of this era. In the end, the glut ofwheat on the market and declining soil fertility, disease,and insects brought the wheat era to a close. Unlike adiverse prairie, monoculture farmlands lost fertility andbecame less stable and less sustainable over time. Bythe end of the nineteenth century, the prairie inMinnesota was essentially gone.

9.5 minutes Slash and Burn describes the revolution that the lum-ber industry went through in Minnesota after the CivilWar, and the effect it had on the state’s northern forest.Railroads and advancing technology led to rapid defor-estation. Cutover land left stumps and brush that driedand became fuel for enormous wildfires. Little wasdone to halt the destruction, however, because it wasassumed—incorrectly—that farming would follow. Itwasn’t until a tragic fire wiped out the town of Hinckleythat voices of reform began to be heard.

1.5 minutes The Close provides a brief summary of Episode II andforeshadows the content of Episode III.

ORIENTATIONEpisode II: Changes in the Land (1870s – 1900)

Note: The bold face type listed here in the "segment descriptions" indicates that an intertitle marks the beginning of a new segment in the episode.

The italic type indicates the beginning of a new segment in the episode, but the transition is made through visuals and narration.

SEGMENT LENGTH DESCRIPTION

3

Episode Key Terms

Big Woods: a huge forest of oak, maple, and basswood that lay across much

of central and south-central Minnesota; part of the state’s deciduous forest

biome

biodiversity: the diversity of organisms living within an ecological system

bonanza farms: giant 1,000-acre corporate wheat farms that flourished in

the Red River valley in the late 1800s

monoculture: an ecological system composed of only one species

of plant or animal

cutover lands: once-forested lands of northern Minnesota that had been

cleared of trees

Northern Lights Links

The following chapters have contentthat connects to this episode:

Chapter 7: Minnesota’s Newcomers

Chapter 10: Sod Busters

Chapter 11: Flour, Lumber, and Iron

Discussion Questions

1. What did the settlers value about the Big Woods? The prairie? The northern forests? Why

did they value certain things and not others?

2. What effect did these views have on those landscapes?

3. What is the difference between a prairie and a farm field?

4. Why were fires in the cutover area so much worse than the natural fires that occurred

before the lumber era?

5. Why was the Hinckley fire so important in Minnesota’s environmental history?

6. What are some ways we can use the land without making things worse for the future?

7. New technology dramatically changed the pace of lumbering and farming in the 1800s.

Are there any similar changes happening today?

8. Is there an economic value to untouched prairies or forests? How might you decide that?

9. What do you think Minnesota’s farms and forests will look like in fifty years? Should we

change the direction we are going in?

?

Episode II: Changes in the Land ORIENTATION continued

N

4

The Big Woods

1. What types of trees were most common in the Big Woods? (Name two or more.)

2. What did the Big Woods need to continue itself?

3. Why did settlers cut down the Big Woods?

Market Hunting

4. How did the arrival of the railroad affect hunting?

Name: __________________________________________ Date: ______________ Class :_______________________

VIEWING GUIDEEpisode II: Changes in the Land (1870s – 1900)

Hunting car, circa 1880s. Photo courtesy of

Minnesota Historical Society.

5

Plowing the Prairie

5. What were some of the plants and animals found in a prairie? (Name two or more plants and

two or more animals.)

6. Why was Minnesota’s prairie soil so good for farming?

Wheat, Wheat, Wheat

7. How did railroads encourage the plowing of the prairie?

8. What caused bonanza farms to fail?

Episode II: Changes in the Land VIEWING GUIDE continued

Settler with oxen. Photograph by Richard Hamilton Smith.

6

Slash and Burn

9. How did railroads encourage the lumbering of the northern forests?

10. Complete the following chart.

Episode II: Changes in the Land VIEWING GUIDE continued

Intended Consequences:things people expected to happen

(name 1 or more)

Unintended Consequences:things people didn’t realize might happen

(name 2 or more)

THE LUMBER ERA (1830–1900)

What was it? The period when lumbermen cut down almost all of the Big Woods and Minnesota’s northern forest.

7

Lesson Objective Upon completion of this lesson, students will understand:

• how settlers faced complex decisions about how to

manage their land

• how the use of the land and commercial success

are connected

• that different trees have different values

MaterialsLesson 3 Worksheet

Background When the settlers arrived on the Minnesota frontier, they faced

many difficult choices and many difficult years. Though most

settlers arrived with enough materials, food, or money to sup-

ply them in their first year, this exercise asks students to pre-

tend that they had no such preparations. Historically, the

process of clearing the land, building a home, and developing

income would have taken months and often years. As milled

lumber became available, the cost and/or effort of building a

home decreased significantly.

Consider dividing the class into small groups. This exercise

requires strong math skills as students test out different scenarios

to raise money to build a farm. Consider analyzing one section

of the map as a whole class, and model how to figure out how

much money could be raised from the lumber on that section.

Procedure1. With the class, review the section The Big Woods in Episode

II. Review the concept of what the Big Woods biome was.

2. Ask students what settlers did to make their homes. What

were the settlers’ main motivations?

Extension Ideas:

• Complete a tree survey near your school. Measure thecircumference of trees around your school, and notetheir species. What types of trees are most common?How big are the trees nearby? Can you tell whether thesetrees were planted intentionally or just grew there?Which student has the largest tree in their backyard orneighborhood?

• Visit a state forest or nearby park to see what trees arenative to your area.

• The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources hasmanaged Minnesota’s forests since the early 1900s. Goonline for more information about “Big Trees” in yourarea and the health of your local forest:http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/index.html

LESSON 3 PLANEpisode II: Changes in the Land (1870s – 1900)

LESSON 3 PLAN: The Big Woods: A Settler’s Dilemma

3. Hand out the worksheet, and discuss the chart. Note that

the figures for tree prices are not actual historic prices.

However, the general relationships between the prices for trees

(e.g., oak wood was more valuable than aspen) are accurate.

Follow-Up Discuss the different scenarios that students developed.

• Who was able to build a home with destroying the fewest trees?

How did you do that?

• Who decided to cut down the most trees? Why did you make

that choice?

• Do you think the settlers made similar choices? Why do you

think settlers made the choices that they did?

• Is there some way to live off the land without destroying the Big

Woods? Could settlers have done something differently?

8

Name: __________________________________________ Date: ______________ Class :_______________________

LESSON 3 WORKSHEETThe Big Woods: A Settler’s Dilemma

Animals:Broad-winged hawksBarred owlsPileated woodpeckersYellow-bellied sapsuckersBobcats

Trees:10 acres elm15 acres sugar maple15 acres basswood

Animals:Wood ducksRed-shouldered hawksTurtlesFish

Trees:10 acres cottonwood15 acres silver maple10 acres green ash(5 acres in river)

Animals:Broad-winged hawksBarred owlsPileated woodpeckersYellow-bellied sapsuckersBobcats

Trees:10 acres elm10 acres sugar maple15 acres basswood(5 acres in prairie)

UPLAND FOREST (wetter) LOWLAND FOREST (wettest)

UPLAND FOREST (wetter)

160 ACRES

In the 1850s and 1860s, Minnesota settlers reached the Big Woods, a forest of native plants and animals thathad adapted to the shady deciduous forest. In the lowlands, the plants and animals adapted to the wetter envi-ronment. In the highlands, the plants and animals adapted to drier conditions. The diversity of plants, insects,birds, fish, and larger animals kept the local environment healthy. When the new settlers arrived, however,their first concern was to take care of their own families—by building homes and making money.

Imagine that you are a settler in the late 1800s. With your last savings, you are able to buy the 160 acres of land

pictured. With careful decisions and hard work, you just might be able to survive your first winter. Follow these steps

to see how your choices affect you and the land.

Animals:Red-tailed hawksGreat-horned owlsCat birdsTurkeysRuffed grouse

Trees:10 acres burr oak10 acres aspen10 acres white and red oak(10 acres in prairie)

UPLAND FOREST (drier)

9

Step 1: Locate your homestead or farm.Look at your land, and consider what natural resources exist on the land. Now consider what you can do with

your land to help support yourself and your family. To build a home, you will need to clear some land. If you

want to become a farmer, you will need to clear more land. Take a look at the requirements to build a home or a

farm, then answer the following question.

1. Where are you going to locate your home or

farm? Show where on the map, and explain

why you chose that location. (Hint: You may

want to think about water needs!)

Step 2: Raise your money.Now, you must decide how to raise the money to afford your new homestead. Look at some of the uses and prices for

trees, then decide how you are going to use or manage your land.

2. How are you going to make money to afford to build your place?

The Big Woods: A Settler’s Dilemma : LESSON 3 WORKSHEET continued

Land Required

MoneyRequired

Home

1-3 acres for a home and garden

$100 to build a house and buy household equipment

Farm

80 or more acres clearedfor crops and home

$200 to build a house and buy household andfarm equipment

Tree Type Use Price

bur oak construction $3.75 an acre

silver maple furniture, firewood $3.75 an acre

sugar maple sugar and syrup making or construction $3.50 an acre

red, white oak, elm construction $3.50 an acre

green ash construction $3.40 an acre

aspen, cottonwood furniture, paper, firewood $3.00 an acre

basswood construction, matchsticks, barrels $3.00 an acre

10

Step 3: Consider the consequences and plan for the future.

3. What are you going to do to support yourself after you have settled your land?

4. How will your choices affect the animals that live on your land?

The Big Woods: A Settler’s Dilemma : LESSON 3 WORKSHEET continued

11

Lesson Objective Upon completion of this lesson, students will understand

• how bison affect the prairie ecosystem and increase stability

MaterialsLesson 4 Worksheet

Posters, flip book materials, markers

Background None

Procedure1. With the class, review the section Plowing the Prairie in

Episode II.

2. Discuss with the class the meaning of a keystone species (a

species whose impact on an ecosystem is disproportionately

large), and brainstorm about other species that might be key-

stone species.

3. Hand out the worksheet, and discuss the chart.

4. Have students create a flip book, comic strip, or poster that

illustrates how the bison affected the prairie.

Follow-Up Allow students to present their projects. Possible discussion

questions include:

• In what other ways might bison have affected the prairies?

• Why did people hunt bison?

• If we could reintroduce bison to Minnesota, should we? Why

or why not?

• What other parts of this prairie ecosystem would

you want to study?

Extension Ideas:

• Consider planting some of the prairie plants that aredescribed in the film (also listed on the worksheet) in agarden, or visit a prairie or greenhouse to see what theseplants look like. Prairie Restoration, a business dedicatedto restoring natural plantings in Minnesota, has a goodWeb site at http://www.prairieresto.com/

• Agricultural animals like hogs and cattle have a significant impact on their environment. Ask students tovisit the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Web site tofind out more information on this topic:http://www.pca.state.mn.us/hot/feedlots.html

• Bison can be found in a few locations in Minnesota,including at Blue Mounds State Park, near Luverne insouthwestern Minnesota. For more information, go tohttp://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/blue_mounds/index.html

LESSON 4 PLAN: Bison: A Keystone Species

LESSON 4 PLANEpisode II: Changes in the Land (1870s – 1900)

12

Name: __________________________________________ Date: ______________ Class :_______________________

Bison were an important part of the prairie ecosystem and a central foodsource for many Plains Indians. To attract bison to different areas, Indiansoften set fires to the prairie to encourage growth of new, tender plants. Bisonpreferred eating these plants and would move to areas with new plantgrowth. Because bison grazed in a patchy pattern, the ground cover for fireswas patchy. This meant that when fires started, they tended to travel in aragged, patchy way and to burn only parts of the area. The plants and ani-mals in the areas where fires burned could quickly recover, expanding frompopulations in adjacent patches that had not been burned in the fire.

From the 1830s to the 1880s, however, as settlers arrived and Indians moved out, the balance of people, bison,

and plants on the prairie changed. The settlers destroyed the prairie and hunted the bison. By the end of the

1800s, the number of bison had decreased from over 30 million to around 4,000. No longer were the bison creat-

ing patchy grazed areas. When fires occurred, they were larger and more destructive. The plants and animals in

the burned areas could not recover as well.

In the 1900s, people began to study the remaining prairies and consider how the bison and the fires interacted

with the prairie. Study the chart on the following page to see how bison affected the prairie, then answer the

questions below.

Step 1: Answer these questions.

1. What types of plants do bison like to eat?

2. How are bison and insect populations connected?

3. Which bison behavior actually decreases plant growth?

Step 2: Make a flipbook, comic strip, or poster

Create a flipbook, comic strip, or poster that shows:

• how the presence of bison affected the prairie

• how the absence of bison

affected the prairie

LESSON 4 WORKSHEETBison: A Keystone Species

13

Bison: A Keystone Species : LESSON 4 WORKSHEET continued

What Bison Do Which Causes Which Causes Which Causes

Eat more grasses likebig bluestem grass, little bluestem grass,Indian grass, andswitchgrass

Decrease in proportionof these grasses in aprairie

Increased temporarygrowth of these plants

Decreased height ofthese plants

Fire to travel in patchypattern

Increased grazing ofbison in patches

Increased stability ofprairie ecosystem

Eat fewer forbs (broad-leaved plants) like wildindigo, evening prim-rose, ironweed, heathaster, and wood sorrel

Increase in proportionof these forbs and flowers in a prairie


Increased populationsof butterflies, moths,weevils, beetles, flies,and bees that eat theseplants


Increases populationsof other insects andbirds that eat theseinsects

Graze sporadically inpatches

Increased height diver-sity in prairie patches



Wallow (roll and rub onthe ground until dirtpatches form)

Decreased plant growthin patches of prairie

Compaction of soil,increased dampness ofsoil in spring, increaseddrought in summer


Increased diversity ofplants that can toleratesuch soil changes


Urinate, defecate, and die

Increased plant growthin patches of prairie

Increased grazing ofbison in patches


The Effect of Bison on the Prairie

14

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nd

wat

erfo

wl.

Wh

en t

he

railr

oad

s ar

rive

d, l

oca

l hu

nte

rsco

uld

co

nn

ect

to a

nat

ion

al m

arke

t.S

hip

pin

g m

eat

east

to

ok

on

ly a

few

day

s,an

d t

hat

was

wh

ere

the

bes

t p

rice

s w

ere.

Pro

fess

ion

al h

un

ters

hu

nte

d n

earl

y ev

ery

gam

e an

imal

in M

inn

eso

ta.

Ther

e w

ere

suga

r m

aple

s, A

mer

ican

bas

swoo

ds, o

aks,

and

Am

eric

an e

lms.

Sha

de. T

he p

lant

s in

the

Big

Woo

ds fo

rest

dep

ende

d on

sha

de to

rep

rodu

ce

and

flour

ish.

The

sett

lers

cut

dow

n th

e tr

ees

to m

ake

way

for

farm

s, a

nd u

sed

the

woo

d fr

om th

etr

ees

as b

uild

ing

mat

eria

l.

15

ANSW

ER K

EY

Th

e lu

mb

er c

om

pan

ies

inte

nd

ed t

om

ake

mo

ney

by

cutt

ing

tre

es a

nd

selli

ng

lum

ber

.

Th

e lu

mb

er c

om

pan

ies

inte

nd

ed t

ocl

ear

the

lan

d f

or

farm

ers.

En

orm

ou

s fir

es c

on

sum

ed w

ho

leto

wn

s an

d k

illed

peo

ple

.

Th

e cu

tove

r la

nd

did

no

t m

ake

go

od

farm

lan

d.

Wh

ite p

ine

alm

ost

wen

t ex

tinct

.

Th

e h

ug

e fir

es e

nco

ura

ged

th

ed

evel

op

men

t o

f th

e co

nse

rvat

ion

mo

vem

ent.

Rai

lro

ads

mad

e it

easi

er t

o t

ran

spo

rt t

he

log

s to

th

e m

ills.

Lu

mb

er c

om

pan

ies

no

lon

ger

had

to

rel

y o

n t

he

un

pre

dic

tab

le f

low

of

the

rive

rs t

o t

ran

spo

rt lo

gs.

Rai

lro

ads

cou

ld r

each

are

as t

hat

riv

ers

and

str

eam

s co

uld

n’t.

16

ANSW

ER K

EY

An

swer

s w

ill v

ary,

bu

t sh

ou

ld s

ho

w t

he

loca

tion

of

the

ho

me

and

far

m, a

nd

sho

uld

exp

lain

wh

y th

ey c

ho

se t

ho

se a

reas

. Sav

vy s

tud

ents

will

pla

ce t

he

ho

me

by

the

rive

r fo

r ac

cess

to

wat

er, a

nd

pla

ce t

he

farm

on

th

e p

rair

ie la

nd

s.

An

swer

s w

ill v

ary.

17

ANSW

ER K

EY

An

swer

s w

ill v

ary

bu

t co

uld

incl

ud

e fa

rmin

g, s

ellin

g t

imb

er, o

r h

un

ting

.

An

swer

s w

ill v

ary,

bu

t af

fect

ed a

nim

als

sho

uld

mat

ch t

he

area

s w

her

e th

e st

u-

den

t h

as d

ecid

ed t

o lo

cate

ho

me

(an

d f

arm

). It

is im

po

rtan

t to

rem

emb

er t

hat

mo

st o

f th

ese

anim

als

hav

e h

abita

t re

qu

irem

ents

th

at r

equ

ire

inta

ct c

hu

nks

of

fore

st.

Bis

on

eat

mo

re g

rass

es s

uch

as

big

blu

este

m g

rass

, litt

le b

lues

tem

gra

ss,

Ind

ian

gra

ss, a

nd

sw

itch

gra

ss t

han

forb

s (b

road

-leav

ed p

lan

ts)

such

as

wild

ind

igo

, eve

nin

g p

rim

rose

, iro

n-

wee

d, h

eath

ast

er, a

nd

wo

od

so

rrel

.

Bis

on

eat

less

fo

rbs

(bro

ad-le

aved

pla

nts

) th

an g

rass

like

pla

nts

. Th

isin

crea

ses

the

pro

po

rtio

n o

f fo

rbs

and

flow

ers

in a

pra

irie

, wh

ich

cau

ses

anin

crea

se in

th

e p

op

ula

tion

s o

f b

utt

er-

flies

, mo

ths,

wee

vils

, bee

tles,

flie

s, a

nd

bee

s th

at e

at t

ho

se p

lan

ts.

Wh

en b

iso

n w

allo

w, t

hat

act

ual

lyd

ecre

ases

pla

nt

gro

wth

in s

pec

ific

pat

ches

of

the

pra

irie

.

18

SUGGESTED RESOURCES

Web Sites

Animal Feedlot Pollution: www.pca.state.mn.us/hot/feedlots.html

Bison at Blue Mounds State Park: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/blue_mounds/index.html

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: www.dnr.state.mn.us/

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources – Interactive Maps: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/index.html

Minnesota’s Forest Health: www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/index.html

Minnesota: A History of the Land – Interactive Maps: http://www.historyoftheland.org

Minnesota Historical Society: Forests, Fields and Falls: http://discovery.mnhs.org/ConnectingMN/

Minnesota Historical Society, Northern Lights: http://www.mnhs.org/school/classroom/nlights.html

Minnesota Office of Environmental Education: www.moea.state.mn.us/ee/index.cfm

Prairie Restoration: http://www.prairieresto.com/

Books for Teachers

Sansome, Constance. Minnesota Underfoot. Voyageur Press, 1983.

Tester, John. Minnesota’s Natural Heritage. University of Minnesota, 1995.

Wagner, Nancy O’Brien and Hilary Wackman. Northern Lights: The Stories of Minnesota’s Past (annotated Teacher’s

Edition). Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2004.

Books for Students

Arthus-Bertrand, Yahn. The Future of the Earth: An Introduction to Sustainable Development for Young Readers.

Harry N. Abrams, 2004.

Dolan, Edward. Our Poisoned Waters. Dutton Books, 1997.

Hoose, Phillip. The Race to Save the Lord God Bird. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2004.

19

WEB SITE

Minnesota: A History of the Land is a four-part documentary series that weaves together human and natural

history and illustrates the historical and ongoing importance of Minnesota’s landscapes to the social, cultural,

and economic systems of the region. To learn more about the series, and dig deeper into the history of

Minnesota, visit the web site. On the site, you can:

• View Interactive Maps

• View 4-minute Video Clip

• Order the CD Soundtrack

• Order the Series on DVD

www.historyoftheland.org

The Minnesota: A History of the Land web

site provides brief overview of each episode,

behind-the-scenes information, video trailer,

interactive maps, and much more.

On the web site, you will have

access to interactive maps featured in

the 4-part video that illustrates

Minnesota’s major biomes, water-

sheds, and glacial history.

20

Scale:

0 50 mi

Major Lakes & Rivers LAC QUI PARLE

BIG STONE

STEVENS

SWIFT

TRAVERSE

CHIPPEWA

LINCOLN LYON

MURRAYPIPE-STONE

YELLOW MEDICINE

REDWOOD

RENVILLE

ROCK NOBLES JACKSON MARTIN FARIBAULT

NICOLLET LE SUEUR

COTTON-WOOD WATON-

WANBLUEEARTH

BROWN

FREEBORN

DODGE

RICE GOODHUE

MOWER

STEELEWASECA WINONAOLMSTED

WABASHA

FILLMORE HOUSTON

SCOTT DAKOTA

CARVER

SIBLEY

MCLEOD

MEEKERHENNEPIN RAM-

SEY

WASHIN

GTON

ANOKA

CHISAGO

ISANTIBENTON

WRIGHT

COOK

ITASCA

KOOCHICHING

LAKE

ST. LOUIS

Aitkin CARLTON

CASS

BELTRAMICLEARWATER

CLAYBECKER

DOUGLASGRANT

KITTSON

MAHN-OMEN

LAKE OF THE WOODS

MILLE LACS

KANABEC

HUBBARD

CROW WING

NORMAN

PENNINGTON

POLK

RED LAKE

ROSEAU

OTTER TAIL

MARSHALL

WADEN

A

TODD

STEARNS

MORRISON

KANDIYOHI

POPE

PINE

SHERBURNE

WILKIN

Upper Red Lake

Lower Red Lake

Lake of the Woods

Rainy Lake

Lake Winnibigoshish

Lac qui Parle

Lake Pepin

Mille Lacs

Leech Lake

Lake Superior

Big Stone Lake

Red River

Red River

Mississippi River

Mississippi River

Root River

Minnesota River

Cannon River

St. Croix River

Saint Paul

Duluth

Mankato

Minneapolis

Grand Marais

InternationalFalls

Worthington

Morris

Bemidji

Hinckley

Moorhead

Roseau

GrandRapids

Brainerd

Rochester

MAP 1: MINNESOTA COUNTY REFERENCE MAP

21

Lake Superior

Mississippi

Red River

Watersheds

MAP 2: MAJOR WATERSHEDS OF MINNESOTA

Lake Superior

Mississippi

Red River

Watersheds

22

Lake Superior

Basin

Mississippi HeadwatersBasin

Minnesota River Basin

Lower Mississippi-

Cannon-Root

Rivers Basin

Lower Mississippi-

Reno Rivers BasinLower Mississippi-Cedar-

Wapsipinicon Rivers Basin

Des Moines

River Basin

Red River Basin

Rainy River Basin

Missouri-Big Sioux Rivers Basin

Missouri-Little Sioux Rivers Basin

Major Watersheds

St. Croix River

Basin

MAP 3: SUBWATERSHEDS OF MINNESOTA

23

Prairie

Deciduous Forest

Coniferous Forest

Biomes (around 1850)

MAP 4: MAJOR BIOMES OF MINNESOTA (around 1850)

Prairie

Deciduous Forest

Coniferous Forest

Biomes (around 1850)

24

Over 16001400-16001200-14001000-1200600-1000Lakes

Elevation (feet)

MAP 5: ELEVATIONS OF MINNESOTA

Over 16001400-16001200-14001000-1200600-1000Lakes

Elevation (feet)

25

Low

Middle

High

Precipitation

MAP 6: PRECIPITATION PATTERNS OF MINNESOTA

Low

Middle

High

Precipitation

26

Population DensityPer Sq. Mile 2000

10 or fewer

11 to 50

51 to 100

101 to 200

More than 200

MAP 7: MINNESOTA POPULATION DENSITY/SQUARE MILE (circa 2000)

27

Major RiMajor Ri

Develocombined and minin

AgricuForest/combined and brush

Wetlanprairie wepeatlands

Lakes Rivers

Land Use inMinnesota

MAP 8: LAND USE IN MINNESOTA 2000

Major RiversMajor Rivers

Developed combined urban, rural, and mining development

AgricultureForest/Brush combined forested landand brushland

Wetland prairie wetlands,peatlands, forest swamp

Lakes Rivers

Land Use in Minnesota 2000

episode ii (6.2mb pdf)

Documents