St. Cloud - Minnesota Civics Summit: Civics Organizations and Civics Education Professionals
2025-02-22 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | Atwood Memorial Center, St. Cloud University, 720 4th Ave. South, St. Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Come join us to showcase your civics program or offering, with a goal to provide a comprehensive directory of civics resources for teachers to engage 11th -12th grade students in their learning. Can’t attend? Email information about your civics offering for our statewide directory of civics resources to civics@lwvmn.org.

11:30am – Lunch & Networking
9:00am – Coffee, Bagels, and Networking
9:30am – Welcome – MN Representative Dean Urdahl (Ret) and Senator Steve Cwodsinski Introduction to MN Civics Summit Civics and Program Sharing by All
11:00am – Wrap-Up and break before lunch

Register for this morning session to gather and help get our directory of civics resources started!
Sponsored by: MINNESOTA CIVICS SUMMIT – A new, collaborative effort to jumpstart the new civics standards for 11th and 12th graders in Minnesota, to support teachers in their engagement of students in civics and voting. Organizing partners include the Minnesota Humanities Center, MN Department of Education, League of Women Voters of MN, YMCA Center for Youth Voice, Federal Bar Association, MN Council on the Social Studies, TeachingCivics.org, and other interested teachers, community members and civics organizations. More information at lwvmn.org/civics.
Registration
This event is free, however registration is required. Please register by Friday, February 14, 2025.
Register Now

St. Cloud - Minnesota Civics Summit: Pre-Conference Professional Development
2025-02-22 11:30 - 15:00 | Atwood Memorial Center, St. Cloud University, 720 4th Ave. South, St. Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
What does it look like to build a classroom where students have productive discussions on challenging topics? A key evidence-based practice in civics education is the discussion of current events and controversial issues, but in today’s polarized political climate, many students are experiencing fewer opportunities to engage in these kinds of essential discussions in their classrooms. Spend the first half of the session exploring a method for building student capacity for civic discussion in ways that allow them to cultivate empathy and develop their own voice. Then, share your thoughts and needs about the resources and support you need to teach the new Academic Standards in Social Studies, and meet the new legislative requirement that students take a course for credit in citizenship and government in 11th or 12th grade.

11:30am – Lunch & Networking
12:00pm – Welcome & Introduction to MN Civics Summit
12:15pm – Professional Development Workshopon Respectful Conversations in Schools™ A highly interactive workshop where educators will learn about and practice a strategy for having challenging, respectful conversations in class about important, sometimes divisive, issues. Led by Amy Anderson, YMCA Center for Youth Voice.
1:45pm – Short Break
2:00pm – Listening & Sharing Session to Support Teachers in Implementing Anchor Standards Small and large group discussions on current tools being used, existing gaps, needed supports, and new efforts to help teachers. Led by Brittany Rawson-Haeg, MN Department of Education.
2:45pm – Large group report out, wrap-up, summary and adjourn by 3:00pm

Sponsored by: MINNESOTA CIVICS SUMMIT – A new, collaborative effort to jumpstart the new civics standards for 11th and 12th graders in Minnesota, to support teachers in their engagement of students in civics and voting. Organizing partners include the Minnesota Humanities Center, MN Department of Education, League of Women Voters of MN, YMCA Center for Youth Voice, Federal Bar Association, MN Council on the Social Studies, TeachingCivics.org, and other interested teachers, community members and civics organizations. More information at lwvmn.org/civics.
CEUs will be provided.
Registration
This event is free, however registration is required. Please register by Friday, February 14, 2025.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Carlton – Dakota and Ojibwe Language Symposium
2025-03-03 08:00 - 2025-03-04 16:00 | Black Bear Resort and Casino, 1785 Highway 210, Carlton, MN, 55718, United States
The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council’s Language Revitalization Working Group, partnering with the Minnesota Humanities Center, is hosting the 4th Annual Dakota and Ojibwe Language Symposium. This year the symposium will be held on Monday, March 3rd and Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at Black Bear Casino Resort in Carlton, MN. The goal of the symposium is to bring people working in Dakota and Ojibwe language revitalization together. We will use this time to celebrate successes, highlight the current state of the field, shape future language revitalization efforts, and elevate the visibility of Indigenous languages throughout the state of Minnesota. By bringing people together, we hope this symposium serves as an opportunity for individuals to network with other Dakota and Ojibwe language professionals.
Breakfast and lunch are included for those attending in person. Participants are responsible for booking their own overnight accommodations. Participants are responsible for booking their own overnight accommodations if needed and can call Black Bear Casino Resort at 1-888-771-0777 or book online.
CEUs will be available for educators attending the symposium.
If you have any questions, please email Skyler Kuczaboski at skyler.kuczaboski@state.mn.us or call/text 651-304-4149.
Registration
REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT HAS CLOSED
Please contact Jessica Rust at jessica@mnhum.org with any registration questions.
Exhibitor Application
Spots for tabling at the Symposium are now full.
Please note: No sales will be allowed at symposium. This application is meant for informational/educational booths that are handing out free information and literature, not selling items.
If you have any questions, please email skyler.kuczaboski@state.mn.us or call/text 651-304-4149.

Erskine - National History Day Educator Workshop
2025-03-17 10:00 - 15:00 | Garden Valley Technologies, 206 Vance Ave. S., Erskine, 56535, United States
Curious about National History Day and how to present historical content in ways that honor and respect diverse communities? Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society, for a workshop designed for 6-12th grade educators. Hosted by the Northwest Service Cooperative, this session will spotlight Minnesota’s Indigenous communities, featuring an update from the Minnesota Department of Education on the recently passed Indigenous Education for All legislation, a presentation from the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition on the history and legacy of residential boarding schools, an introduction to National History Day by the Minnesota Historical Society, and a curated overview of high-quality educator resources. Educators will gain practical strategies and resources to guide students in creating projects with honor, respect, and cultural sensitivity.
Educators will receive 4.5 clock hours and a $75 stipend following their participation in the workshop.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Prior Lake - Teaching American Indian Content to All - MIEA Conference
2025-03-20 09:00 - 17:00 | Mystic Lake Center, 2400 Mystic Lake Boulevard NW, Prior Lake, MN, 55372, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center at the 41st Annual Minnesota Indian Education Association (MIEA) Conference on Thursday, March 20! MHC will be presenting the session “Teaching American Indian Content to All” from 9:15–10:15 and tabling in the vendor area throughout the day. Stop by our table to view MHC’s educator resources and learn more about our work with educators.
Please Note: The full MIEA Conference runs from March 18-21. Registration and payment through MIEA for the full conference are required to attend.
Learn More
About MIEA
The primary goal of MIEA is to create and uphold a robust communication network while fostering quality education and unity among American Indians. This objective serves to ensure the continuous flow of information and heightened awareness regarding both local and statewide educational endeavors. Specifically, MIEA is dedicated to persistent awareness and proactive efforts that cater to the distinct educational and culturally specific needs of American Indian students across the state. Through these concerted actions, MIEA aims to significantly contribute to the educational and cultural enrichment of American Indian communities.

St. Paul - Many Fronts: Poetry and Memorials at the Capitol Mall
2025-04-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Veterans Service Building, 20 West 12th St, St. Paul, MN, 55155, United States
Many Fronts: Poetry and Memorials at the Capitol Mall provides participants an opportunity to reflect on the experiences and perspectives of service members, Veterans, and civilians in how we understand the nature of military conflicts, and how the public remembers and interprets the experience of war and service through memorials, monuments, and ekphrastic poetry. The program will include an interactive writing activity and participants will have the opportunity to share their stories and experiences. Facilitators will guide participants through the writing activity and there will be time for group discussion about monuments and memorials on the Minnesota State Capitol Mall.
Participants will meet in the Veterans Service Building and then walk to the Lower Capitol Mall, where most of the program will occur. Most of this event will take place outdoors, weather permitting. In case of inclement weather, the program will be conducted indoors at the Veterans Service Building.
About the Facilitators
Jessi M. Atherton is a mother, healer, Veteran, poet, lover of scrabble and charcuterie. Her writing touches on lived experiences and themes of motherhood, military, mental health, grief, healing, and humanity. Jessi is a Minnesota Humanities Center 2019 Veterans Voices awardee, a member and facilitator of Warrior Writers, a board member of the League of Minnesota Poets, and the Minnesota Assistant Counsel for Veterans. She is a 2023 Pat Tillman Scholar and US Army Veteran who served in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jessi’s work has been published throughout the years with Nodin Press, The Cuddy Foundation, Iliad Press, McGregor Publishing, the International Library of Poetry, and Middle West Press. Her first full collection, “The Time War Takes,” came out in April 2023 and received honorable mention in Senators Bob and Elizabeth Dole Inaugural Biennial Award for Distinguished Book in Veterans Studies, 2024 and made Community of Literary Magazines and Presses must read for Women’s History Month, 2024. Jessi is the mom to three amazing daughters, a mental health nurse, and recently graduated as a Psychiatric Mental Health nurse practitioner.
Paul Van Dyke holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University. He is an Army Infantry Veteran of Iraq, and a recipient of the Purple Heart. His work has appeared in journals such as Water-Stone Review, Upstreet, Hippocampus, O-Dark-Thirty, “War, Literature & the Arts,” and Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors. Paul is the founder and lead instructor of Veterans Telling Stories, an arts nonprofit which teaches free creative writing courses to Veterans and their family members.
This event is presented in partnership with Veterans Telling Stories – a Minnesota-based nonprofit dedicated to teaching creative writing to military Veterans and their family members – and Warrior Writers – a national nonprofit whose mission is to create a culture that articulates Veterans’ experiences, build a collaborative community for artistic expression, and bear witness to war and the full range of military experiences.
Registration
This event is free, however registration is required. K-12 educators can receive 2 clock hours for attending.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

St. Paul - Spring Metro Indian Education Gathering
2025-04-22 11:00 - 13:30 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Join us for the Spring Metro American Indian Education Gathering hosted at the Minnesota Humanities Center. Anyone connected to American Indian Education and/or American Indian students are welcome to attend. Lunch will be served potluck style. A main dish will be provided. Please register so we can plan accordingly and bring a side dish or dessert to share!
Agenda

Update from MDE American Indian Education
Presentation from Gimiwan Dustin Burnette – Executive Director, Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network
Networking

If you have a topic you would like to add to the agenda please contact Robin Nelson at rnelson4@isd622.org.
About the Metro Indian Education Gathering
The Metro Indian Education Gathering is a group of urban American Indian Educators that come together on a regular basis, 2-3 times a year to share ideas and discuss challenges while celebrating successes. We create a space for networking and access to people who can help navigate the rules and regulations governing American Indian Education programs. This group has been meeting since January 2013.
Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Marshall - The Power of Poetry: A Social Studies Bundling Workshop
2025-05-09 10:00 - 14:00 | Southwest West Central Service Cooperative, 1420 East College Drive, Marshall, MN, 56258, United States
Are you interested in teaching poetry to your students? Would you like to learn more about aligning poetry to academic standards and benchmarks? If so, this workshop is for you! The first part of this workshop will include an overview of two poetry programs, Poetry Sparks!, intended for K-8th grades, developed by the Minnesota Poet Laureate, Gwen Nell Westerman, and the Latino Poetry Anthology, intended for 6-12th grades, published by the Library of America. The overview will also include viewing some of the primary sources associated with each program.
In the second half of the workshop, Brittany Rawson-Haeg, Social Studies Specialist with MDE, will walk participants through interdisciplinary bundling, what bundling is, and how both the poetry writing process and individual poems can be used to create a bundle for use with students in the classroom. Standards across Social Studies will be addressed.
This workshop is best suited for elementary generalists, social studies classroom teachers, or anyone working in curriculum instruction supporting social studies. Lunch will be provided, and all participants will receive a complimentary copy of “Songs, Blood Deep” by Minnesota Poet Laureate Gwen Nell Westerman, or the Latino Poetry Anthology.
Pending funding, educators who participate in this workshop will have first access to the Poetry Pathways Programs for the 2025-2026 academic year. Poetry Pathways is a mini-grant opportunity that brings poets and teaching artists directly into classrooms to work with students to foster creativity and writing and exposes them to the power of poetry, using their voices for expression.
About Poetry Pathways
Poetry Pathways is a collaboration between the Minnesota Humanities Center, and The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library as the Minnesota Center for the Book. Vital to Minnesota communities, poetry is a powerful medium for cultural expression, community building, and drawing attention to important stories and issues, while also providing a space for healing and reflection. It plays a crucial role in education and youth engagement, enriching the social fabric of the state.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required. Lunch will be provided, and all participants will receive a complimentary copy of “Songs, Blood Deep” by Minnesota Poet Laureate Gwen Nell Westerman, or the Latino Poetry Anthology. K-12 Educators will receive 4 clock hours.
Registration Questions: Dawn.Christensen@swwc.org
REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT HAS CLOSED

St. Paul – Learning from Place: Bdote
2025-05-17 08:30 - 14:30 | Fort Snelling State Park, 101 Snelling Lake Road, St. Paul, MN, 55111, United States
Learning from Place: Bdote is an immersive experience that brings participants to sites of great significance to Dakota people in the Twin Cities. Participants will learn from Dakota community members through stories and histories that have often been left out of our state’s history. This experience is open to the public and is particularly beneficial for educators who want to include new perspectives in their history curriculum.
Learning from Place: Bdote will begin at Fort Snelling State Park (parking permit is required). After a break for “lunch on your own,” we will meet at Indian Mounds Regional Park, followed by a visit to the Pilot Knob Preservation Site. We will be outside the entire time. Participants need to provide their own transportation, lunch, snacks, and beverages.
Your co-leads: Ramona Kitto Stately and Fern Naomi Renville
Ramona Kitto Stately is an enrolled member of the Santee Sioux Dakhóta Nation. She has a BA in Dakota Art and Culture and a MAE in Teacher Leadership. She is Project Director for We Are Still Here Minnesota and serves as chairperson of the Minnesota Indian Education Association. Ramona was the Recipient of the 2021 Ron McKinley Award from Minnesota Education Equity Partnership, currently serves as 2023’s Indigenous Elder in Residence for Carleton College, and McKnight Culture Bearers Award Recipient in March 2023.
Fern Naomi Renville is an artist, storyteller, enrolled citizen of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, and seventh-generation descendant of Chief Gabriel Renville. Born on the Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota, Fern currently lives and works in Saint Paul as an educator sharing music, story, and land-based learning to promote greater understanding and knowledge of Dakota people.
There will be about one mile of walking throughout the day, sometimes on unpaved paths, as well as standing for periods of time. We will provide audio headsets for amplification of the tour guides. For specific inquiries about accessibility, please contact Eden Bart at eden@mnhum.org or 651-772-4261.
K-12 educators will receive 5 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org | MHC Cancellation Policy
Register Now
Want to know more about Learning from Place: Bdote?
Learn more about the Learning from Place: Bdote offering.

Learn More
Watch Learning from Place: Bdote, a video produced to celebrate 10 years of this powerful program.
Watch Now

St. Paul - Leading Elementary Social Studies Inquiry Institute
2025-06-25 09:00 - 2025-06-27 15:00, 2025-08-12 08:00 - 2025-08-14 15:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Learn how to do more with less! In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Education, the Minnesota Humanities Center proudly presents the Leading Elementary Social Studies Inquiry (LESSI) Institute. This innovative program equips K-5 curriculum and instruction leaders across Minnesota to integrate English Language Arts and Social Studies Standards into cohesive, interdisciplinary lessons that maximize impact with limited resources and time.
Designed for curriculum and instruction leaders, this six-session Institute empowers participants to develop inquiry-based lessons that seamlessly integrate disciplinary literacy and social studies. Learn effective bundling of curriculum elements, create engaging model lessons, and gain skills to design high-quality professional development within districts.
Goals:

Support districts in implementing standards-based disciplinary literacy instruction.
Provide hands-on training in bundling standards for interdisciplinary teaching.
Develop and share adaptable, inquiry-based model lessons.
Establish a train-the-trainer approach for sustainable district-wide impact.

Key Details:

Participation requires attendance on all six dates.
Participants will leave with model K-5 social studies lessons integrating ELA elements.
Expect preparation between sessions for resource identification and lesson development.
Due to limited space, interested curriculum and instruction leaders must complete a short application. Final selections will prioritize geographic diversity and statewide reach.

Dates/Agenda:

June 25-27: Orientation, Bundling Foundations, Inquiry Lesson Development.
August 12-14: Model Lesson Construction, Presentation & Feedback, Train-the-Trainer Setup, Program Evaluation & Reflection.

Speakers:

Kristin Bauck, ELA Specialist, MDE
Mychi Nguyen, K-8 Ethnic Studies Integration Specialist, MDE
Brittany Rawson-Haeg, Social Studies Specialist, MDE

Provided:

Light breakfast and lunch
BOSA clock hours available
Lodging – a limited number of overnight rooms will be available for those traveling from outside of the Metro area.

Join this cohort to collaborate, gain expertise, and drive meaningful change in K-5 education across Minnesota. Learn to deliver high-quality, standards-aligned instruction efficiently and effectively by focusing on how to “do more with less.”
Registration
While intended for educators who have influence in their buildings and districts, K-5 classroom teachers are welcome to register.
The registration deadline is Friday, June 13.
Note: You must commit to attending all six sessions to participate.
Register Now

Hampton - Learning from Place: Watt Munisotaram (Cambodian Temple)
2025-07-25 13:00 - 16:00 | Watt Munisotaram, 2925 220th St E, Hampton, 55031, United States
Join us for an immersive cultural learning experience at Watt Munisotaram, the largest Cambodian Buddhist temple in the United States, located in the serene countryside of Hampton, Minnesota. Hosted in collaboration with the Cambodian American Partnership of Minnesota, this event offers a rare opportunity to explore the intersection of history, spirituality, and community within one of Minnesota’s most vibrant cultural landmarks.

Event Highlights

Historical Context: Gain insight into Cambodia’s complex history, including the impact of the Khmer Rouge genocide and the Vietnam War, which led many Cambodians to seek refuge in Minnesota.
Temple Origins & Architecture: Discover the origins of Watt Munisotaram and explore its stunning architecture. Learn how the temple was established and how it continues to serve as a spiritual and cultural anchor for the Cambodian American community.
Guided Tour: Walk the temple grounds with community members who will share their knowledge and experiences, offering a deeper understanding of the site’s cultural and religious significance.
Community Voices: Listen to personal stories from Cambodian Americans and hear directly from temple monks about their spiritual practices and daily lives.
Cambodian Cuisine: Enjoy a tasting of traditional Cambodian treats—an essential part of the cultural experience.

Minnesota is home to the fifth-largest Cambodian population in the United States, with approximately 12,000 Cambodian Americans—most residing in the Twin Cities metro area.

This event offers a powerful way to engage with community while learning about Cambodian history, culture, and spirituality in a welcoming and enriching environment.

Learn about Watt Munisotaram in the first segment on Buddhism from Prayers on the Prairie: Asian-Pacific Minnesota Religious Practices, an educational video produced in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center and the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans.

K-12 educators will receive 3 clock hours

Registration
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Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org

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Staples - K-8 Social Studies Standards Workshop
2025-07-29 09:00 - 15:00 | Sourcewell, 202 12th Street NE, Staples, MN, 56479, United States
We invite K-8 social studies educators to a workshop that will provide an overview of the new 2021 Minnesota social studies standards. This workshop includes time for teachers to work together to bundle benchmarks into cohesive, interdisciplinary instructional units. Participants will also have work time to start aligning these units with existing resources and primary sources.
A collaboration between Sourcewell and the Minnesota Humanities Center, this workshop will be led by Sourcewell education consultant Jen McLachlan and will feature Brittany Rawson Haeg, Social Studies Content Lead for the Minnesota Department of Education.
Workshop Leader
Jen McLachlan serves as an education consultant at Sourcewell, lending her expertise to programs such as ElevatePD, New Teacher Academy, and the Social Studies Network. With a background as a middle-level educator in both math and social studies, as well as serving on a school board, she is deeply passionate about empowering teachers to become innovators and catalysts for change.
Workshop Presenter
Brittany Rawson Haeg is the Social Studies Content Specialist at the Minnesota Department of Education. She began her teaching career as a high school social studies teacher in Brooklyn, New York. She taught middle and high school social studies in the Twin Cities. Prior to teaching, she was a staff assistant in the New York City Department of Education Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. She believes in the power of social studies education to help students develop greater empathy and understanding.
For more information and to register, visit the Sourcewell event listing.

St. Paul - Learning for Sovereign Futures: Native Education for All Institute
2025-08-04 08:00 - 2025-08-08 16:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) is excited to share an upcoming professional learning opportunity in collaboration with the Tribal Nations Education Committee, Minnesota Department of Education’s Office of American Indian Education, and the Minnesota Humanities Center.
Applications for the NIEA’s Learning for Sovereign Futures: Native Education for All Institute are now open! This free, five-day workshop, taking place from August 4-8, 2025, in the Twin Cities, is designed for educators, leaders, and advocates focused on supporting Indigenous Education for All (IEFA) in K-12 classrooms.
This opportunity is open to any educators or leaders working in or with a Minnesota K-12 school or district and ideal for those who plan professional development activities in their roles.
Apply Now
THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THIS EVENT HAS CLOSED

St. Paul - History Fest
2025-08-14 08:30 - 15:30 | Minnesota History Center, 345 W Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Get ready for the 2025-2026 school year with a choice of educator-led sessions focusing on state, national and world history, as well as assessments, primary sources, and more. Connect with your history peers from around the state! This workshop has sessions for elementary, middle, and high school levels. The Minnesota Humanities Center will be tabling in the vendor area – stop by to view MHC’s educator resources and learn more about our work with educators.
Registration
History Fest is organized by the Minnesota History Center. Registration and payment through MNHS for the full conference are required to attend.
Registration Questions: Email Jessica McMahon at jessica.mcmahon@mnhs.org.
Register Now

Online Content Session - Era One: Indigenous Histories
2025-09-09 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Explore the histories of America’s first peoples before European contact and connect them to the lived experiences of Indigenous communities today. Led by Dr. Brenda Child and moderated by Dr. Katharine Gerbner, this session will provide deep historical context, source analysis, and thematic framing.

View Dr. Brenda Child’s Bio

Brenda J. Child is Northrop Professor of American Studies and former chair of the Departments of American Studies (2016-19) and the Department of American Indian Studies (2009-12).

She is the author of award-winning books of American Indian history, including Boarding School Seasons: American Indian Families, 1900-1940, (1998), which won the North American Indian Prose Award; Holding Our World Together: Ojibwe Women and the Survival of Community, (2012); Indian Subjects: Hemispheric Perspectives on the History of Indigenous Education (with Brian Klopotek, 2014). Her 2014 book My Grandfather’s Knocking Sticks: Ojibwe Family Life and Labor on the Reservation won the American Indian Book Award and the Best Book in Midwestern History. Child’s book for children, Bowwow Powwow (2018), won the American Indian Youth Literature Award for best picture book.

Child served as a member of the board of trustees of the National Museum of the American Indian-Smithsonian and was President (2017-2018) of the Native American & Indigenous Studies Association. She was born on the Red Lake Ojibwe Reservation in northern Minnesota where she served as a member of a committee writing a new constitution for the 12,000-member nation.

All Content Sessions will be conducted via Zoom and a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-hosted Canvas learning community. Each session’s lectures and discussions will be recorded and registered participants will receive access to the Canvas course with session recordings, curated resources, and collaborative planning tools.

High school U.S. History teachers and 5th and 7th grade educators are invited to participate in companion Pedagogy Sessions.

Registration

Content Sessions are open to all K–12 educators interested in historical content and source-based instruction. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.

This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.

Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us

Register Now

This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

St. Paul – Learning from Place: Bdote
2025-09-13 08:30 - 14:30 | Fort Snelling State Park, 101 Snelling Lake Road, St. Paul, MN, 55111, United States
Learning from Place: Bdote is an immersive experience that brings participants to sites of great significance to Dakota people in the Twin Cities. Participants will learn from Dakota community members through stories and histories that have often been left out of our state’s history. This experience is open to the public and is particularly beneficial for educators who want to include new perspectives in their history curriculum.
Learning from Place: Bdote will begin at Fort Snelling State Park (parking permit is required). After a break for “lunch on your own,” we will meet at Wicaḣapi (pronounced we-CHA-ha-pee; formerly Indian Mounds Regional Park), followed by a visit to the Oȟéyawahe/Pilot Knob Preservation Site (pronounced oh-HAY-ya-wa-hee). We will be outside the entire time. Participants need to provide their own transportation, lunch, snacks, and beverages.
There will be about 1.5 miles of walking throughout the day, sometimes on unpaved paths, as well as standing for periods of time. We will provide audio headsets for amplification of the tour guides. For specific inquiries about accessibility, please contact Eden Bart at eden@mnhum.org or 651-772-4261.
Your co-leads: Ramona Kitto Stately and Fern Naomi Renville
Ramona Kitto Stately is an enrolled member of the Santee Sioux Dakhóta Nation. She has a BA in Dakota Art and Culture and a MAE in Teacher Leadership. She is Project Director for We Are Still Here Minnesota and serves as chairperson of the Minnesota Indian Education Association. Ramona was the Recipient of the 2021 Ron McKinley Award from Minnesota Education Equity Partnership, currently serves as 2023’s Indigenous Elder in Residence for Carleton College, and McKnight Culture Bearers Award Recipient in March 2023.
Fern Naomi Renville is an artist, storyteller, enrolled citizen of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, and seventh-generation descendant of Chief Gabriel Renville. Born on the Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota, Fern currently lives and works in Saint Paul as an educator sharing music, story, and land-based learning to promote greater understanding and knowledge of Dakota people.
K-12 educators will receive 5 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org | MHC Cancellation Policy
Registration for this event has SOLD OUT.
Join the Waitlist
Want to know more about Learning from Place: Bdote?
Learn more about the Learning from Place: Bdote offering.

Learn More
Watch Learning from Place: Bdote, a video produced to celebrate 10 years of this powerful program.
Watch Now

Fort Snelling - Reconstruction Destructed Film & Community Conversation
2025-09-13 13:00 - 14:30 | Fort Snelling State Park, 101 Snelling Lake Road, St. Paul, MN, 55111, United States
To understand the challenges African Americans still face in being seen as full citizens in America today, it is important for us to understand the origin story of the path of formerly enslaved people becoming citizens. The past is not dead; it is not even really the past.
This film, created with our movie production partner OMG Studios, features Federal Minnesota District Court Judge Jerry Blackwell, author of Just Mercy and prominent civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Macalester University Professor Duchess Harris, and a cameo by Minnesota’s First Lady of Civil Rights, Dr. Josie Johnson.
K-12 educators will receive 2 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: ftsnelling@mnhs.org
Register Now

Online Pedagogy Session – Foundations and Framework
2025-09-18 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
This opening pedagogy session will provide a brief overview of the new Minnesota K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, followed by an introduction to the structure and goals of the Navigating U.S. History Eras pedagogy sessions. Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Social Studies Specialist Brittany Rawson-Haeg will guide participants in understanding how the series is designed to support inquiry-based, standards-aligned approaches to teaching U.S. History.
All Pedagogy Sessions will be conducted via Zoom. Educators who participate in all Pedagogy Sessions will leave the year with a complete U.S. History course aligned to the new standards.
Educators are invited to participate in companion Content Sessions.
Registration
Pedagogy Sessions are designed for high school U.S. History teachers and may also be relevant for 5th and 7th grade educators. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.
This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.
Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now
This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

Fergus Falls - Reconstruction Destructed Film & Community Conversation
2025-10-02 18:00 - 19:30 | Westridge Theater, 2001 West Lincoln Ave, Fergus Falls, 56537, United States
To understand the challenges African Americans still face in being seen as full citizens in America today, it is important for us to understand the origin story of the path of formerly enslaved people becoming citizens. The past is not dead; it is not even really the past.
This film, created with our movie production partner OMG Studios, features Federal Minnesota District Court Judge Jerry Blackwell, author of Just Mercy and prominent civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Macalester University Professor Duchess Harris, and a cameo by Minnesota’s First Lady of Civil Rights, Dr. Josie Johnson.
K-12 educators will receive 2 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
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Online Content Session - Era Two: Settler Colonialism and Atlantic Slavery
2025-10-07 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Dive into the development of the institution of slavery and multiple perspectives on European colonization and early American society. Led by Dr. David Aiona Chang and Dr. Katharine Gerbner, this session will provide deep historical context, source analysis, and thematic framing.

View Dr. David Aiona Chang’s Bio

I am a Native Hawaiian historian of Indigenous people, colonialism, borders and migration in Hawaii and North America, focusing especially on the histories of Native American and Native Hawaiian people. My work moves between hyperlocal and global scales while centering the perspectives and experiences of Indigenous people and integrating close textual analysis, granular social history, theoretically informed analysis of race, gender, sexuality and nationalism, and Indigenous epistemologies and methodologies.

My second book, The World and All the Things Upon It: Native Hawaiian Geographies of Exploration was published in 2016 by the University of Minnesota Press. It speaks to a foundational imperative in Indigenous studies: the need to not just understand Indigenous people from their own perspectives, but to understand the world from their perspectives as well. It traces the ways that Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) explored the outside world and generated understandings of their place in it in the century and half after James Cook stumbled on their islands in 1778. In doing so, this book examines indigenous people as the active agents of global exploration, rather than the passive objects of that exploration, broadening our understanding of geographical knowledge production and power in the context of colonialism.

My first book, The Color of the Land, argues for the central place of struggles over the ownership of Native American lands in the history of racial and national construction by Creeks, African Americans, and whites in the Creek Nation and eastern Oklahoma. The Color of the Land was awarded the 2010 Theodore Saloutos Prize for best book in agricultural history from the Agricultural History Society and was granted Honorable Mention in the competition for the American Studies Association’s 2011 Lora Romero First Book Prize.

View Dr. Katharine Gerbner’s Bio

My research explores the religious dimensions of race, authority, and freedom in the early modern Atlantic world. My book, Christian Slavery: Conversion and Race in the Protestant Atlantic World (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018), shows how debates between slave-owners, black Christians, and missionaries transformed the practice of Protestantism and the language of race in the early modern Atlantic World. I am currently at work on a few different projects. One, entitled “Constructing Religion, Defining Crime,” examines how some non-European religions—particularly those that were practiced under slavery—have been excluded from the category of religion and criminalized over the past three centuries. A related project investigates the religious and medical practices of enslaved Africans in the Caribbean, paying particular attention to obeah. I am interested in how Afro-Caribbean ideas about healing, prayer, and worship influenced the construction of European categories such as religion and medicine. I have also been working on an article about Missionaries and Maroons, which takes a micro-historical look at how and why maroon leaders sought to create alliances with Christian missionaries.

All Content Sessions will be conducted via Zoom and a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-hosted Canvas learning community. Each session’s lectures and discussions will be recorded and registered participants will receive access to the Canvas course with session recordings, curated resources, and collaborative planning tools.

High school U.S. History teachers and 5th and 7th grade educators are invited to participate in companion Pedagogy Sessions.

Registration
Content Sessions are open to all K–12 educators interested in historical content and source-based instruction. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.

This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.

Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us

Register Now

This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

Duluth - Reconstruction Destructed Film & Community Conversation
2025-10-10 15:00 - 16:30 | Zeitgeist Center for Arts, 222 East Superior Street, Duluth, MN, 55802, United States

Edina - Reconstruction Destructed Film & Community Conversation
2025-10-21 18:30 - 20:30 | Edina Mann Theatre, 3911 W. 5th St., Edina, MN, 55424, United States
To understand the challenges African Americans still face in being seen as full citizens in America today, it is important for us to understand the origin story of the path of formerly enslaved people becoming citizens. The past is not dead; it is not even really the past.
This film, created with our movie production partner OMG Studios, features Federal Minnesota District Court Judge Jerry Blackwell, author of Just Mercy and prominent civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Macalester University Professor Duchess Harris, and a cameo by Minnesota’s First Lady of Civil Rights, Dr. Josie Johnson.
K-12 educators will receive 2 clock hours.
Registration
This screening is part of the Twin Cities Film Festival (TCFF). Tickets must be purchased through TCFF.
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Online - Building Questioning Across the Social Studies Disciplines
2025-10-22 07:30 - 08:30 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-building-questioning-across-the-social-studies-disciplines/
Develop strategies for fostering strong questioning skills across the five strands of social studies. Examine a discipline-specific question and how it supports deeper inquiry and critical thinking. We will consider strengthening both teacher questioning and supports for developing student questioning in the inquiry process, as well.
The Minnesota Department of Education in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies monthly during the 2025-26 school year. These monthly sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 1 clock hour.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

Minneapolis - Building Questioning Across the Social Studies Disciplines
2025-10-23 09:00 - 11:00 | Minnesota Department of Education, 400 NE Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, United States
Develop strategies for fostering strong questioning skills across the five strands of social studies. Examine a discipline-specific question and how it supports deeper inquiry and critical thinking. We will consider strengthening both teacher questioning and supports for developing student questioning in the inquiry process, as well.
The Minnesota Department of Education in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies monthly during the 2025-26 school year. These monthly sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 2 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

Pedagogy Session – Eras 1 & 2: Indigenous Histories, Settler Colonialism, and Atlantic Slavery
2025-10-30 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
This pedagogy session will draw on content and sources from both Era 1 and Era 2 of the Navigating U.S. History Eras series. Participants will explore the histories of America’s first peoples before European contact, as well as the development of the institution of slavery and multiple perspectives on European colonization and early American society. Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Social Studies Specialist Brittany Rawson-Haeg and experienced classroom educators will lead this hands-on workshop supporting high school U.S. History teachers in designing inquiry-based, standards-aligned units.
All Pedagogy Sessions will be conducted via Zoom. Educators who participate in all Pedagogy Sessions will leave the year with a complete U.S. History course aligned to the new standards.
Educators are invited to participate in companion Content Sessions.
Registration
Pedagogy Sessions are designed for high school U.S. History teachers and may also be relevant for 5th and 7th grade educators. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.
This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.
Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now
This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

Rochester - Reconstruction Destructed Film & Community Conversation
2025-11-01 13:00 - 14:30 | Historic Chateau Theater, 15 1st Street Southwest, Rochester, MN, 55902, United States

Online Content Session - Era Three: Freedom, Unfreedom, and Revolution
2025-11-05 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Analyze revolutionary movements and founding documents to understand how ideas of freedom and justice evolved in the United States. Led by Dr. Daina Ramey Berry and moderated by Dr. Katharine Gerbner, this session will provide deep historical context, source analysis, and thematic framing.

View Dr. Daina Ramey Berry’s Bio

Dr. Daina Ramey Berry is Professor of History and Michael Douglas Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She came to Santa Barbara in August 2022 after serving as the Oliver H. Radkey Regents Professor and Chair of the Department of History and Associate Dean of the Graduate School at The University of Texas. She is an internationally recognized scholar of the enslaved and a specialist on gender and slavery and Black women’s history in the United States. Professor Berry completed her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in African American Studies and U.S. History at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Berry is the award-winning author and editor of six books and numerous scholarly articles. Her most recent book, A Black Women’s History of the United States, won the 2021 Susan Koppelman Award for the Best Book in Feminist Studies, was a 2021 NAACP Finalist for Literary Non-Fiction, and received honorable mention for the 2021 Darlene Clark Hine Book Award sponsored by the Organization of American Historians. Her other book, The Price for their Pound of Flesh: The Value of the Enslaved, from Womb to Grave, in the Building of a Nation, received the Phyllis Wheatley Award for Scholarly Research from the Sons and Daughters of the US Middle Passage, the 2018 Best Book Prize from the Society for the History of the Early American Republic, and the 2018 Hamilton Book Prize from the University Co-op for the best book among UT Austin faculty. Berry’s book was also a finalist for the 2018 Frederick Douglass Book Prize awarded by Yale University and the Gilder Lehrman Institute. She is completing two other contracted books, The Myths of Slavery (Beacon Press) and a biography of Anna Murray Douglass (Yale University Press).

All Content Sessions will be conducted via Zoom and a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-hosted Canvas learning community. Each session’s lectures and discussions will be recorded and registered participants will receive access to the Canvas course with session recordings, curated resources, and collaborative planning tools.

High school U.S. History teachers and 5th and 7th grade educators are invited to participate in companion Pedagogy Sessions.

Registration
Content Sessions are open to all K–12 educators interested in historical content and source-based instruction. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.

This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.

Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us

Register Now

This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

St. Cloud - Reconstruction Destructed Film & Community Conversation
2025-11-08 13:00 - 14:30 | Atwood Memorial Center, St. Cloud University, 720 4th Ave. South, St. Cloud, MN, 56301, United States

St. Paul - Reconstruction Destructed Film & Community Conversation
2025-11-09 13:00 - 14:30 | Wilder Foundation, 451 Lexington Pkwy N., St. Paul, 55104, United States
