Mapping to MN State Standards
BACK TO RESOURCE PACKS HOME
The resources on this page have been selected by eLibraryMN and Minnesota Digital Library librarians and curators to support the MN English Language Arts and the Social Studies standards, both current and pending, specifically related to soldiers and veterans. Resources in eLibraryMN and EbooksMN have unlimited simultaneous user access and are freely available to anyone geolocated in Minnesota. The primary source resources detailed are available to all, regardless of location.
Please reach out with questions or suggestions about linking to, using, or sharing these resources.
Academic Research
Below is a collection of available topic overviews that link to many related articles and resources within ELM.
Gale in Context High School Veterans topic
OR TRY
Gale in Context Topic Finder, Middle or High School
The Gale in Context topic finder is always a big hit with students who are trying to narrow topic. Type a big idea into the search box and watch the tiles break down all of the various categories that exist for that topic. Click into a tile and you'll get a set of results: articles, videos, and other Gale in Context content related to the theme.
POV Reference Center Database: Veterans Topics
There are many controversial issues that surround veterans and veterans' lifelong care. Use Points of View Reference Center's entries on PTSD, Veteran's Affairs, and Veterans concerns to look at point, counterpoint, and overview of various Veterans' issues.
Here is an example of the overview 'guide to critical analysis' from EBSCO POV Reference Center. Similar docs are available for the Overview, Point and Counterpoint entries.
EBSCO Explora middle and high has many articles that will help students researching Veteran's Issues.
Click on the following links to find specific subject results related to veterans:
Employment of veterans -- Law & legislation
Veterans' benefits
Laws on education of veterans
Veterans
Ebooks
This is a curated group of fiction and nonfiction ebooks, Grade Interest Level 9-12. All titles are available to students geolocated in MN without login. Linking directly to chapters is also possible. To link directly to the titles and share in your LMS or libguides, copy the link to the title(s) you want from our persistent link spreadsheet (if you are not accessing through the MackinVia app). Reach out to us with questions about linking.
African Americans in the Armed Forces
Examines the history of African Americans in the military, such as those who fought in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and modern wars such as the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War. Discusses the racism they encountered, and veterans' and military officers' fights for equal treatment and recognition. Includes photographs, a timeline, primary source materials, and an index.
Surprising Facts About Being an Army Soldier
Explores what it is like being in the Army of the United States, discussing how people join, what training is like, and the typical assignments Army soldiers are deployed on during the course of their military jobs.
U.S. Army True Stories
Presents accounts of real-life experiences of American soldiers from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Includes a glossary and a list of additional resources.
Air Force Special Operations Command
Presents an overview of the Air Force Special Operations Command, covering topics such as what their training and duties consist of, and major missions that they have carried out. Includes a glossary and a list of additional resources.
Primary Sources
Resources below are recommended by MDL curators from partners in primary source history.
Survivors of the First Minnesota at Gettysburg
The First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry played a significant role in stopping Confederate forces at the Battle of Gettysburg. Survivors visited the memorial in 1897.
William Graham's Civil War Pension Claim
Soldiers who were disabled during service in the Civil War, or their widows and children, were eligible for monthly pension payments. They had to submit claims to prove their eligibility for this support from the government, like this one.
Amy Robbins Ware in World War I
Amy Robbins Ware taught radio technology courses for the Army Education Corps and served as an American Red Cross canteen worker at hospitals in France.
Veterans Day used to be called Armistice Day, celebrated on the day that World War I ended with an armistice (cease-fire) on November 11, 1918.
Virgil Anderson and Daisy Childress are pictured in front of the Preamble to the Constitution of the the American Legion, a veterans organization formed in 1919.
Interview with Army Veteran Dean Aarvig
Dean Aarvig served in the 9th Armored Division during World War II and in the 25th Infantry Division in the Korean War.
Vietnam War Veterans Applying for Bonus
Many veterans of the Vietnam War struggled on their return to the United States. They were not respected as other veterans had been, and they had to fight for benefits like bonuses and health care.
MDL Collections:
"War Stories" Online Exhibit Series:
Interlibrary Loan/Resource Sharing
For in depth research into these topics, sometimes you need to request materials from other libraries. These can be digital or they can sometimes be printed books. There are two main options for requesting these materials. One, MNLINK, allows you to search all Minnesota libraries for the requires the use of a public library card and PIN. While many educators use their own library card to help students, it is recommended that students use their own. However, this is not always possible, so there is a second option: Minitex Resource sharing for schools. This allows one staff member per school to request items on behalf of students and have the items sent directly to the school building. If you have questions about which option is better for you and your students, reach out to us and we can help.