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EPISODE I 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 .......................................................................................................................................... II
SERIES OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................... V
EPISODE III: OUT OF THE ASHES
ORIENTATION .......................................................................................................................................................... 2
VIEWING GUIDE ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
LESSONS
Lesson 5: The Mississippi River and Pollution ......................................................................................................... 8
Lesson Worksheet ........................................................................................................................................................ 10
Lesson 6: The Story of the Wolf ................................................................................................................................. 13
Lesson Worksheet ........................................................................................................................................................ 14
ANSWER KEYS
Viewing Guide Answer Key .......................................................................................................................................... 19
Lesson 5 Worksheet Answer Key ................................................................................................................................... 21
SUGGESTED RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................................... 23
WEB SITE ............................................................................................................................................................ 24
MAPS ............................................................................................................................................................. 25
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
Out of the Ashes1900 – 1940s
E P I S O D E I I I :
2
Episode SummaryBy 1900, most of the state’s landscape has changed, and a growing number of people are beginning to understand the magnitude of
what has been lost and the consequences of the choices they had made. In the early 1900s, a reform movement and a conservation
ethic emerge as the impact of landscape change from the nineteenth century is understood.
The lumber industry still dominates land use in the north, but the rise of scientific forestry and reformers’ success in forming the
Chippewa National Forest launch a new way of interacting with Minnesota’s forests. The Mississippi River is assaulted by urban
waste, but efforts to clean the river finally begin with the construction of a treatment facility in St. Paul. In the Boundary Waters, a
historic battle is waged to preserve a wilderness from a development scheme that would have flooded the region. And though
wildlife throughout the state remains jeopardized by human encroachment, the crisis spurs intensive scientific study. As these strug-
gles to save landscapes and wildlife continue, a revolutionary new way of viewing and using the landscape emerges. It is a philoso-
phy based in the new science of ecology.
ORIENTATIONEpisode III: Out of the Ashes (1900 – 1940s)
3.0 minutes Episode Introduction. The status of Minnesota’s land-scapes and the wealth they had generated at the turnof the twentieth century is reviewed. The brief overviewforeshadows a shift in the attitude of Minnesotans asthey came to see the unintended consequences of theiractions and the emergence of the concept of ecology.
10.0 minutes Out of the Ashes describes how the devastation left bylogging and forest fires spurred calls for reform inMinnesota’s northern forests. When a huge tract of tim-berland was taken from the Ojibwe Indians and openedfor logging, reform groups became active. They pro-ceeded to clash with land developers and settlers overwhich vision of forestry would prevail. Reformersembraced the ideals of scientific forestry and the con-servation of natural resources. Developers wanted tocontinue clear-cutting forests and selling the cutoverland to settlers. A compromise plan allowed for selec-tive logging and reforestation in the newly createdChippewa National Forest, heralding a new era ofresource management in the state.
9.0 minutes An Amazing Site is the story of the earliest attempts tocontrol sanitation problems in Minneapolis and St. Paul.Nowhere in Minnesota was the transformation of thenatural landscape so dramatic as it was in the bur-geoning Twin Cities. The cities’ prime location at thenexus of biomes and major rivers had brought industrialsuccess and a booming population, but this rapidgrowth generated a flood of waste that threatened thevery health of the cities.
Reform groups pushed for the first sewage system,which improved public health but brought an unintendedconsequence. Untreated waste flowed directly into theriver and destroyed its health. Finally, in the 1930s, a newtreatment facility helped restore the health of the river.
18.0 minutes Bewildering Beauty tells the tale of how beginning inthe 1920s, a new view of the land challenged nine-teenth-century assumptions of land use in Minnesota.For ten years, conservationists, led by ErnestOberholtzer, battled with Minneapolis lumbermanEdward Backus over what would be done withMinnesota’s vast northern wilderness. Backus plannedto dam the boundary waters to create electricity, butOberholtzer and others wanted the pristine lakes andforest to remain a wilderness. Backus’s ultimate defeatsignaled a new public appreciation for intact ecosys-tems and the value of managing natural resources forrecreational use.(continued)
SEGMENT LENGTH DESCRIPTION
3
12.5 minutes Eye of the Wolf. By the 1920s, years of reckless huntingpractices, along with massive habitat loss, had pushedMinnesota’s game populations toward alarmingly lowlevels. Attempts to restore numbers through predatorcontrol, game propagation efforts, refuge establish-ments, and stiffer hunting regulations could not stop thedecline. As populations of game and other wildlifecrashed, a new profession of science-based conserva-tion arose. Promoted by two of its well-known practi-tioners—Aldo Leopold and Sigurd Olson—it employednew discoveries about the relationship of wildlife to the
environment. The science was called ecology, and itssuccess in helping to rebuild wildlife populationshelped steer the public toward a more inclusive under-standing of the land.
3.0 minutes The Close reviews the changes in people’s understand-ing of the biological landscape and how it works. Thereis new recognition of the need to work within the eco-logical limitations of natural systems of the land.
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 (continued)
Episode III: Out of the Ashes ORIENTATION continued
Episode Key Terms
virgin forest: a wooded area that has never been lumbered
scientific forestry: an early twentieth-century approach to managing forests that
employed the scientific method for the purpose of sustaining them
conservation: the controlled use or protection of natural resources so that the
natural resources will survive and remain healthy
sewage: human-generated liquid and solid human waste that is carried off in
drains and sewers
wastewater treatment facility: a plant that processes sewage to remove danger-
ous parts before it enters the waterways
draining: a system of installing ditches and underground pipes that drain water
from wetlands to create farmlands
ecology: the relationship between plants, animals, and their environment
Northern Lights Links
The following chapters have contentthat connects to this episode:
Chapter 11: Flour, Lumber, and Iron
Chapter 13: The Common Good
Chapter 19: Transforming the Land
N
4
Discussion Questions
1. In the debate over the creation of the Chippewa National Forest, local settlers
clashed with forest reformers from the cities. Do you think that people who live near
a resource should have more say in how that resource is used?
2. Do you think the efforts to protect the Chippewa National Forest were effective?
What do you wish had happened and why?
3. Why is the creation of a sewer system so important for human health? Why is the
creation of sewage treatment plants so important for fish health?
4. Do you think that the boundary waters would have been preserved from develop-
ment if Backus had never tried to create his dams?
5. Why might wolves and other predators be so important to the ecology of an
ecosystem?
6. Between 1920 and 1940, the change in the way people came to view their landscapes
was considered revolutionary. Why?
7. Around 1900, conservationists believed that conservation was about efficiency and
controlled use of the landscape’s resources. By 1940, this idea had undergone some
changes. Explain. What did not change?
8. If you could go back and undo what happened to the Chippewa National Forest,
Mississippi River, western pothole region, or boundary waters, which area would
you choose to change? Why?
?
Episode III: Out of the Ashes ORIENTATION continued
5
Out of the Ashes1. For years, the Ojibwe lands had been protected by treaties. In the 1890s, some of the Ojibwe lands were
opened up, and people began to debate about the use of those lands. Which groups were interested in the
former treaty areas? (Name two or more)
2. What was scientific forestry? Why were people interested in that idea?
3. Why was the creation of the Chippewa National Forest so special? (Name three or more reasons.)
An Amazing Site
4. The creation of a sewer system helped clean up the Twin Cities’ streets, but what did it do to the Mississippi River?
5. How did the new wastewater treatment facility help this problem?
Name: __________________________________________ Date: ______________ Class :_______________________
VIEWING GUIDEEpisode III: Out of the Ashes (1900 – 1940s)
6
Bewildering Beauty
6. Draw or describe what Edward Backus wanted to do to the boundary waters?
7. Why was Ernest Oberholtzer so against Backus’s plans?
8. How did Oberholtzer and the Quetico-Superior Council fight Backus?
Episode III: Out of the Ashes VIEWING GUIDE continued
Sewell Tyng and Ernest Oberholtzer lead the fight to protect the
Boundary Waters. Photo courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society.
Eye of the Wolf
9. In the 1920s, how did people view predators like wolves?
10. What was actually causing the decline in game?
11. Complete the following chart.
12. How did Aldo Leopold and Sigurd Olson’s attitudes toward predators change?
7
Episode III: Out of the Ashes VIEWING GUIDE continued
Intended Consequences:things people expected to happen
(name 1 or more)
Unintended Consequences:things people didn’t realize might happen
(name 1 or more)
THE DRAINING OF THE WETLANDS ERA (1910–30)
What was it? The period when farmers dug ditches and placed pipes underground to drain water from wetlands in western Minnesota.
8
Lesson Objective Upon completion of this lesson, students will understand:
• What human factors affect water pollution
• How water health is measured through dissolved oxygen levels
• How to graph water oxygen levels
MaterialsLesson 5 Worksheet
Graph paper, markers, tape
Background The level of dissolved oxygen in water is used as an indicator of
water quality. Plants and animals need oxygen to survive.
When the Mississippi River is healthy, it has a dissolved oxygen
level of between 6 and 12 mg/L (milligrams/liter), depending
on the season and the temperature of the water. Scientists can
quickly test the oxygen levels to evaluate water quality.
Oxygen and bacteria are important in the decomposition of
raw sewage. When raw sewage enters a waterway, it consumes
much oxygen; fish and other animals and plants cannot sur-
vive in conditions of low dissolved oxygen. In a “primary treat-
ment facility,” the waste is allowed to settle, the solid waste is
removed (to be buried or burned), and the liquid waste is
returned to the water system. In a “secondary treatment facili-
ty,” the liquid waste is treated by adding and mixing in oxygen
and bacteria, which speed up the process of decomposition
and protect the oxygen levels downstream. As wastewater treat-
ment technologies and methods improve, so does the quality
of our waterways.
LESSON 5 PLANEpisode III: Out of the Ashes (1900 – 1940s)
LESSON 5 PLAN: The Mississippi River and Pollution
Procedure1. With the class, review the section An Amazing Site in
Episode III.
2. Discuss with the class the location and characteristics of the
Mississippi River. Have they seen the river? How does it look in
northern Minnesota? How does that compare to how it looks
in the Twin Cities or southern Minnesota? Would they ever
want to drink from it or swim in it? What would they want to
know before they decided to drink from it or swim in it?
3. With the students, read the worksheet and discuss the factors
that likely affected water quality.
4. Ask the students to create their time-line charts. There are
many different ways to chart this information. Students can
create separate charts for each period or each place, or com-
bine all the information into one chart.
Follow-Up Allow students to present their charts. Possible discussion ques-
tions include:
• What makes a chart effective or readable?
• At what places or during which periods was the quality of
water higher?
• Why did the oxygen levels generally increase the farther the test
sites were from the Twin Cities?
• Above which test sites do you think additional pollution is
going into the river?
• What other factors could you measure to evaluate water quality
in the Mississippi River?
9
Extension Ideas:
• Consider mimicking the effects of pollution in our watersources. Collect three clear glasses, a sponge, somefood sprinkles, and a pitcher of water. Ask students toimagine that the sprinkles are raw sewage. Fill one glasswith water and add 1/8 of a teaspoon of sprinkles. Askthem if they would want to drink that water. Continueadding sprinkles, and question them when the water isundrinkable. Place the sponge at the top of one glass,then pour half the “polluted” water through the sponge“treatment facility,” and half into the glass without atreatment facility. Which water is cleaner? How is thissituation similar to the sewer systems and street runoffsystem that we have?
• Contact the DNR for information about Project WET.Project WET is an international, interdisciplinary, waterscience and education program for formal and non-formaleducators of K-12 students. The goal of Project WET is tofacilitate and promote awareness, appreciation, knowl-edge, and stewardship of water resources through thedevelopment and dissemination of classroom-readyteaching aids and through the establishment of state andinternationally sponsored Project WET programs. Call theDNR Information Center, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN55155-4040; telephone: 651-296-6157 or 888-MINNDNR;TTY: 651-296-5484 or 800-657-3929.
• The Web site “Water on the Web” offers two sets of curricula.“Basic Science” offers opportunities for high school andfirst-year college students to learn basic science throughhands-on science activities, in the lab and in the field, and by working with state-of-the-art technologies accessiblethrough this Web site. “Water Science” offers a two-semester water resource management curriculum for second-year technical students or undergraduates in waterresource management, water science, or environmentalresource management programs. Check out: www.waterontheweb.org
Episode III: Out of the Ashes LESSON 5 PLAN continued
10
Name: __________________________________________ Date: ______________ Class :_______________________
LESSON 5 WORKSHEETThe Mississippi River and Pollution
Before settlement, the Mississippi was a healthy river, fed by streams and wetlands that naturally cleansedthe water and regulated the water table. With the arrival of settlers, the character of the river dramaticallychanged. In St. Paul, new dams raised the levels of the river and drowned out valleys above the dams. InMinneapolis, logging mills clouded and choked the water with sawdust. As the human population in theTwin Cities increased, more pollution and sewage flowed directly into the river, damaging the naturalplants and animals, and harming the health of other humans downriver.
In the 1880s, Minneapolis and St. Paul realized they needed to clean up their water in order to protect public
health. Together, the cities built their first water systems. Minneapolis and St. Paul both collected water from
above the cities, using pipes to bring water to homes. Once used, however, the polluted water and waste were
returned directly to the Mississippi—with no treatment—or sat festering in the streets.
By the 1920s, the Mississippi River was seriously ill, and the cities were to blame. In the 1920s, scientists and
local citizens realized that they had a serious problem. Scientists studying the river took measurements of the
river’s dissolved oxygen levels. When oxygen levels are too low, plants and animals suffocate. In 1926, scientists
found only a handful of fish surviving in the river below the Twin Cities. Something needed to be done.
In 1938, the Twin Cities built a sewage treatment plant just south of St. Paul. Both cities now collected clean
water from the Mississippi River north of the cities, and both cities sent their sewage to this treatment plant.
This meant that there was no more raw sewage in the streets, and people’s health improved. It also meant
that sewage was treated: the solids were removed and buried, and the liquids were treated with chlorine to
destroy dangerous bacteria. The treated water was then added back into the river.
TWIN CITIES POPULATION
Popu
latio
n
Year
1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 20000
500,000
1,000,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
1,500,000
11
Below the cities, the water quality improved dramatically. Over the next seventy years, scientists continued to
improve the river’s health. In 1966, the treatment facility was improved, and new techniques for treating the
liquids were created. In 1972, new laws required that water quality standards be maintained. In the mid-1980s,
the treatment facility was expanded again. Over the years, scientists continued to measure the dissolved oxygen
levels in the river. Study the following map and data on the river’s health, then use your graph paper to create
a river time line to chart how the river’s health changed.
The Mississippi River and Pollution: LESSON 5 WORKSHEET continued
Lake Pepin
Mississippi River
Mississippi River
Root River
Minnesota River
Cannon River
St. Croix River
MinneapolisSt. Paul
Saint PaulTest Site
Metro SewageTreatment Plant
NewportTest Site
Red WingTest Site
HastingsTest Site
Grey CloudTest Site
DISSOLVED OXYGEN LEVELS (mg/L)
1926 1934–38 1939–41 1942–55 1956–65 1966–78 1979–87 1988–97 1998–2003
St. Paul 0.8 7.4 N/A 6.8 6.5 7.6 7.55 7.6 8.04
Newport 0.5 1.1 N/A 4.3 1.8 3.9 6.84 7.5 7.48
Grey Cloud N/A 1.7 N/A 4.1 1.7 3.3 6.77 7.2 7.28
Hastings 0.3 4.8 N/A 6.2 5.5 6.6 6.88 7.7 7.37
Red Wing 2.2 6.2 N/A 6.4 6.9 7.2 7.37 7.4 7.88
12
Step 1: Create a river time-line chart.
With your graph paper, create a chart that shows the dissolved oxygen levels at each place in each time period.
There are many different ways to chart this information.
Step 2: Answer the following questions.
1. Overall, how did the oxygen levels change between 1926 and 2003?
2. What different things caused the water quality to improve?
3. Generally, which places had the highest levels of dissolved oxygen, and which places had the lowest?
What might have caused those patterns?
4. Between which two time periods did the dissolved oxygen levels decrease? What might have caused that?
5. What do you think are the major causes of water pollution today?
The Mississippi River and Pollution: LESSON 5 WORKSHEET continued
13
Lesson Objective Upon completion of this lesson, students will understand:
• How human attitudes toward wolves as predators have
changed over the past 100 years
• How changes in human attitudes and behaviors have
affected wolves
• How to communicate this information to others
MaterialsLesson 6 Worksheet
Scissors, markers, tape, cardboard or shoeboxes, Popsicle
sticks (all optional: used if creating finger-puppet theater)
Background As the information in the student text shows, human attitudes
toward wolves have changed significantly over the past 100 years.
These attitudes have greatly affected human behavior toward
wolves and, therefore, the size and health of wolf populations.
Of all the regulations concerning wolves, the 1973 Endangered
Species Act had the greatest impact. This act gave wolves “endan-
gered” status in all states but Minnesota, meaning that wolves
were in danger of becoming extinct. In Minnesota, wolves were
given “threatened” status, which means that they were likely to
become “endangered” in the near future. Animals under either
classification are protected from hunting, and their critical habi-
tats are protected from destruction. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service is responsible for enforcing the Endangered Species Act.
Procedure1. With the class, review the section Eye of the Wolf in Episode III.
2. Discuss with the class the image of wolves in stories like
“Little Red Riding Hood” and “Peter and the Wolf.”
Brainstorm adjectives that describe these images of wolves.
3. Discuss with the class the image of wolves in the film. How
do Aldo Leopold and Sigurd Olson describe wolves?
Brainstorm words that describe the modern image of wolves.
How do these two images of wolves compare?
4. Divide students into groups of three to five, and ask them to
read the worksheet and prepare a five-minute presentation
that illustrates how human attitudes and behaviors have
affected wolves and their ecology over the past 100 years. You
may want to allow one day for preparing their presentations
and one day for presenting. If students use the finger-puppet
templates, they may want to use a copying machine to dupli-
cate the illustrations to make multiple finger puppets.
Follow-Up Allow students to present their shows. Possible discussion
questions include:
• What makes a show more effective?
• Has wolves’ behavior changed at all?
• How have human attitudes affected wolves?
• Why have people’s attitudes changed? What attitudes and
assumptions about wolves are the hardest to change?
• Do you think we should allow wolves to multiply and expand
their territory in Minnesota? Why or why not?
Extension Ideas:
• Minnesota is home to the leading wolf research and educa-tion organization at the International Wolf Center near Ely.The center has a Web site at www.wolf.org that has infor-mation for students and ideas for educators.
• Through the elyminnesota.com web site, students can viewa live “wolf cam” to see the wolves at the International WolfCenter. Go to www.elyminnesota.com/cams/wolfcam/ toview the wolves.
• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for manag-ing wolf populations. They have much information online,including maps of wolf locations, wolf population numbers,and updates on the status of wolves as threatened or endan-gered. Go to midwest.fws.gov/wolf/l for more information.
LESSON 6 PLAN: The Story of the Wolf
LESSON 6 PLANEpisode III: Out of the Ashes (1900 – 1940s)
14
Name: __________________________________________ Date: ______________ Class :_______________________
By 1973, the gray wolf was nearly extinct in the lower forty-eight states.
Historically, wolves had ranged across almost all of the United States,
Canada, and Mexico. However, after decades of hunting and trapping,
the only gray wolves in the lower forty-eight states were found in
northern Minnesota, with a scattered few on Michigan’s Isle Royale.
In 1973, the Endangered Species Act was passed, and gray wolves were
listed as “endangered,” meaning it was illegal to kill or harm them.
After thirty years, the efforts to help gray wolves recover are paying
off: gray wolves have returned naturally to Wisconsin and Michigan
and have been successfully reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park.
How did this happen? Why were people hunting and trapping wolves in 1960 and carefully reintroducing them
in the Rocky Mountains in 1995? The story of the wolf is really a story about people. Read through the following
passage and prepare a presentation that explains this story. You can develop a short play, poem, finger-puppet show,
or other method to present your ideas. You can use the finger-puppet templates on the next page or create your own.
LESSON 6 WORKSHEETThe Story of the Wolf
MINNESOTA WOLF POPULATION TRENDS 1951–98
Popu
latio
n es
timat
e
Year
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
1950 1965 1980 1995
Lowest estimate Highest estimate
2,450
1,500–1,7501,235
19981988
1977
Wolf population expansion in Minnesota.Courtesy of the International Wolf Center.
15
fold here
fold here
Pupp
et T
heat
re In
stru
ctio
ns1.
Cu
t ou
t an
d fo
ld t
hea
ter
on t
his
pag
e.
2.C
olor
an
d cu
t ou
t pi
eces
fro
m f
ollo
win
g pa
ge.
3.Ta
pe o
r gl
ue
tabs
to
mak
e fi
nge
r pu
ppet
s or
atta
ch t
o po
psic
le s
tick
s.
The Story of the Wolf : LESSON 6 WORKSHEET continued
16
The Story of the Wolf : LESSON 6 WORKSHEET continued
Hunt
erFa
rmer
Elk
Deer
Wol
f
Envi
ronm
enta
list
17
The Story of the Wolf : LESSON 6 WORKSHEET continued
Act I: Wolves Are Considered BadIn the early 1900s, wolves were considered dangerous killers who competed with humans. Wolves killed deer and
other big game, apparently reducing the number of game for hunters. Wolves also sometimes killed cattle and other
livestock. Both hunters and farmers seemed to have good reasons to get rid of wolves. In Minnesota, the government
paid bounties for dead wolves, rewarding people for killing them. It was thought that decreasing the numbers of
predators would increase the numbers of game animals, but that didn’t happen.
Act II: People Begin to Reconsider the Wolf QuestionIn the 1930s and 1940s, people began to question their assumptions about wolves. Even after people nearly eliminat-
ed wolf populations, game species were not recovering. Naturalists like Sigurd Olson and Aldo Leopold began to sus-
pect that eliminating wolves wouldn’t solve the problem. Olson realized that wolves were an integral (central) part of
their wilderness community. Leopold came to understand that when people consider animals only for their econom-
ic worth, they ignore the important role animals play in the larger balance of nature. People like Leopold and Olson
realized that wolves were important to the greater ecology, but they didn’t fully understand the wolf ’s role in its
ecosystem.
Act III: The Wolf Is ProtectedIn the late 1950s and 1960s, people began to realize that wolves were about to disappear. Wisconsin and Michigan
passed laws to protect wolves in 1957 and 1965, respectively. Unfortunately, those efforts came too late: there were no
wolves left in Wisconsin or Michigan (outside of Isle Royale) by 1965. Minnesota eliminated its wolf bounty in 1965
but continued to allow hunting of wolves.
In 1973, the federal Endangered Species Act was passed, protecting wolves from harm or hunting. In the late 1970s,
wolves returned to Wisconsin, and in the late 1980s, wolves returned to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Wolves were
finally recovering in the Midwest.
Act IV: Wolves Are Reintroduced to YellowstoneIn 1995, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided to reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone National Park. At first, many
people who lived by the park in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho were opposed to the idea. Many of these people were
ranchers who feared the wolves would kill and eat their livestock. Others were hunters who worried that the wolves
would eat all the elk. No one knew what would happen.
By 2004, the wolves in Yellowstone were successfully reproducing and expanding their territory. As the ranchers have
feared, some wolves have killed some livestock. Mostly, however, the wolves hunt wild elk and deer.
In Yellowstone, scientists were able to study the “before” and “after” of the wolf reintroduction. They have uncovered
some evidence that proves that Leopold and Olson were right: wolves are a very important part of the ecological
community. In Yellowstone, the wolves have killed off half the coyotes (their main competitors for food). The
decrease in coyotes has led to an increase of rodents, which has led to an increase of other smaller predators like
hawks, eagles, foxes, fishers, wolverines, lynx, and bobcats. Wolves have also eaten many elk, and the wolves’ presence
has forced the elk to move about more, seeking protection from the wolves. Since the elks are moving more, they are
no longer staying in the willow stands along the streambeds, eating all the young willows. This means the willow
trees have begun to recover, and the birds, fish, amphibians, insects, and beavers that rely on the willow stands are
increasing too.
18
The Story of the Wolf : LESSON 6 WORKSHEET continued
Act V: Wolves in Minnesota In Minnesota, the wolf population has recovered from around 750 in 1973 to around 2,500 in 1998. The wolf range
has expanded back down into central Minnesota. Wolves do occasionally kill livestock, and hunters still worry that
the wolves will kill all the deer. However, deer populations in Minnesota are at unnaturally high levels in the early
years of the twenty-first century (deer do very well in recently lumbered areas and along farm fields). Wolves also
tend to chase down and kill deer that are weak, sick, or feeble. Hunters, on the other hand, kill the deer that happen
to walk nearby, whether healthy or not. Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering removing wolves in
Minnesota from the “threatened list,” and returning management of wolves to Minnesota’s state government. When
that happens, Minnesota plans to establish a minimum population level of 1,600. If there are more wolves than that
in Minnesota, the state could allow hunting of wolves again.
As you prepare your story, decide what you think: Should wolves in Minnesota be removed from the “threatened list”?
Should we allow wolves to continue to increase and expand? Or should we allow hunting of wolves again in the future?
Now, create a presentation that tells this story in five acts. As you create your presentation, think about these guide-
lines and goals:
All five acts are covered. ____ /10
The changes in human attitudes are clearly shown. ____ /30
The presentation shows how human attitude have affected wolves. ____ /30
The presentation is creative, clear, and accurate. ____ /15
The presentation is dramatic, entertaining, and interesting. ____ /15
Total: ____ /100
19
ANSW
ER K
EY
Ob
erh
oltz
er a
nd
th
e Q
uet
ico
-Su
per
ior
Co
un
cil w
ent
to W
ash
ing
ton
, D.C
., an
dp
ush
ed t
hro
ug
h a
bill
cal
led
th
e S
hip
stea
d-N
ola
n A
ct in
Co
ng
ress
. Th
is p
rote
cted
pu
blic
lan
ds
in t
he
bo
un
dar
y w
ater
s ar
ea f
rom
flo
od
ing
an
d p
rese
rved
fo
rest
s o
nla
kes
and
riv
ers.
Ob
erh
oltz
er h
ad s
een
th
e flo
od
ing
dam
age
that
Bac
kus’
s ex
istin
g d
ams
had
cau
sed
to
sh
ore
lines
, tim
ber
sta
nd
s, a
nd
loca
l far
mer
s’ f
ield
s. H
e d
idn
’t w
ant
mo
re d
ams
to d
o m
ore
dam
age.
Bac
kus
wan
ted
to
bu
ild a
ser
ies
of
dam
s th
at w
ou
ld g
ener
ate
lots
of
elec
tric
ity.
Th
e cr
eatio
n o
f th
e C
hip
pew
a N
atio
nal
Fo
rest
was
a r
esu
lt o
f a
com
pro
mis
eb
etw
een
lum
ber
ers,
far
mer
s, a
nd
co
nse
rvat
ion
ists
. Th
e lu
mb
erin
g p
ract
ices
in t
he
Ch
ipp
ewa
(leav
ing
5 p
erce
nt
of
tree
s u
ncu
t, le
avin
g t
rees
alo
ng
sh
ore
lines
un
cut,
req
uir
ing
sla
sh t
o b
e p
iled
an
d b
urn
ed)
wer
e co
nsi
der
ed r
adic
al, a
nd
it w
as o
ne
of
the
first
man
aged
fo
rest
s in
Min
nes
ota
. It
mar
ked
th
e b
egin
nin
g o
f a
new
app
roac
h t
o la
nd
use
in M
inn
eso
ta.
Sci
entif
ic f
ore
stry
was
th
e at
tem
pt
to f
ind
a m
idd
le g
rou
nd
bet
wee
n c
om
ple
tely
clea
r-cu
ttin
g a
n a
rea
and
no
t lu
mb
erin
g it
at
all.
Sci
entif
ic f
ore
stry
att
emp
ted
to
use
a s
cien
tific
met
ho
d t
o c
ut
do
wn
so
me
of
the
tree
s an
d le
ave
oth
ers
to h
elp
the
fore
st g
row
bac
k. P
eop
le w
ante
d t
he
fore
sts
to b
e ab
le t
o r
eco
ver
afte
r th
eyh
ad b
een
lum
ber
ed.
Un
trea
ted
sew
age
was
pu
mp
ed d
irec
tly in
to t
he
Mis
siss
ipp
i Riv
er. S
oo
n t
he
rive
rw
as u
nh
ealth
y, a
nd
th
ere
was
n’t
eno
ug
h o
xyg
en. T
her
e w
ere
met
han
e g
as, s
tro
ng
smel
ls, a
nd
few
fis
h.
Th
e n
ew p
lan
t tr
eate
d t
he
sew
age
bef
ore
it w
ent
into
th
e ri
ver.
So
on
th
e h
ealth
of
the
rive
r im
pro
ved
, th
e o
xyg
en le
vels
incr
ease
d, a
nd
th
e fis
h r
etu
rned
.
Th
e lu
mb
er b
aro
ns
(lum
ber
ers)
, far
mer
s (s
ettle
rs),
and
ref
orm
ers
(co
nse
rvat
ion
ists
) w
ere
inte
rest
ed in
th
ese
lan
ds.
20
ANSW
ER K
EY
Peop
le th
ough
t tha
t wol
ves
and
othe
r pr
edat
ors
wer
e ba
d. T
hey
thou
ght t
hat b
yre
duci
ng p
reda
tors
, the
y co
uld
incr
ease
the
num
ber
of g
ame.
The
sta
te p
aid
peop
lebo
untie
s to
kill
pre
dato
rs.
The
dest
ruct
ion
of h
abita
t was
cau
sing
ani
mal
pop
ulat
ions
to d
eclin
e.
Farm
ers
had
new
land
to g
row
cor
nan
d w
heat
on.
B
ird
bree
ding
, nes
ting,
and
feed
ing
grou
nds
wer
e de
stro
yed.
Ther
e w
ere
few
er w
ater
fow
l to
hunt
.
Leop
old
and
Ols
on r
ealiz
ed th
at p
reda
tors
wer
e a
part
of a
larg
er e
colo
gica
l sys
-te
m. T
hey
real
ized
it w
as im
port
ant t
o pr
otec
t eve
ry p
art o
f the
eco
logi
cal s
yste
m—
not j
ust s
peci
fic a
nim
als.
ANSW
ER K
EY
21
22
ANSW
ER K
EY
Oxy
gen
leve
ls in
crea
sed
, esp
ecia
lly b
etw
een
192
6 an
d 1
934–
38.
Bu
ildin
g t
he
pla
nt
in 1
938,
imp
rovi
ng
th
e p
lan
t in
197
2, t
he
new
law
s in
th
e 19
70s,
and
exp
and
ing
th
e p
lan
t in
th
e 19
80s.
St.
Pau
l had
hig
her
leve
ls o
f o
xyg
en a
bo
ve t
he
trea
tmen
t p
lan
t. R
ed W
ing
als
o h
adh
igh
er le
vels
. Rig
ht
bel
ow
th
e tr
eatm
ent
pla
nt,
at N
ewp
ort
an
d G
rey
Clo
ud
site
s,le
vels
oft
en w
ere
low
er. I
t is
wo
rst
bel
ow
th
e p
lan
t b
ecau
se t
hat
is w
her
e th
e tr
eat-
ed s
ewag
e co
mes
ou
t. B
y th
e tim
e th
e ri
ver
reac
hes
Red
Win
g, f
arth
er d
ow
n-
stre
am, d
isso
lved
oxy
gen
leve
ls h
ave
imp
rove
d a
litt
le b
it th
rou
gh
nat
ura
l mix
ing
pro
cess
es.
Bet
wee
n 1
934–
38 a
nd
194
2–55
, an
d b
etw
een
194
2–55
an
d 1
956–
65 t
he
oxy
gen
lev-
els
dec
reas
ed. T
his
mig
ht
be
bec
ause
th
e ri
ver
com
ing
into
th
e ci
ties
was
mo
rep
ollu
ted
up
stre
am, o
r b
ecau
se t
he
incr
easi
ng
po
pu
latio
n c
ause
d m
ore
sew
age,
wh
ich
co
uld
no
t b
e tr
eate
d a
s ef
ficie
ntly
.
An
swer
s w
ill v
ary.
So
urc
es o
f w
ater
po
llutio
n in
clu
de
ind
ust
rial
po
llutio
n, s
tree
tru
no
ff, a
nd
far
m r
un
off
.
23
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
Web Sites
International Wolf Center: www.wolf.org
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 Environmental Atlas: http://www.lmic.state.mn.us/EPPL7/Atlas/
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
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wolf Information: http://midwest.fws.gov/wolf/
Water Science: www.waterontheweb.org
Books for Teachers
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.
24
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.
25
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
26
Lake Superior
Mississippi
Red River
Watersheds
MAP 2: MAJOR WATERSHEDS OF MINNESOTA
Lake Superior
Mississippi
Red River
Watersheds
27
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
28
Prairie
Deciduous Forest
Coniferous Forest
Biomes (around 1850)
MAP 4: MAJOR BIOMES OF MINNESOTA (around 1850)
Prairie
Deciduous Forest
Coniferous Forest
Biomes (around 1850)
29
Over 16001400-16001200-14001000-1200600-1000Lakes
Elevation (feet)
MAP 5: ELEVATIONS OF MINNESOTA
Over 16001400-16001200-14001000-1200600-1000Lakes
Elevation (feet)
30
Low
Middle
High
Precipitation
MAP 6: PRECIPITATION PATTERNS OF MINNESOTA
Low
Middle
High
Precipitation
31
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)
32
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
