Hit the Trail with Lewis and Clark

Facilitators: Kacey McPhail, Rhonda Little, Neva Odom

Overview:
The mission of this module is to create in the students a spirit of adventure, curiosity, and exploration akin to that of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery. How exciting to retrace the steps of these explorers as they search for an all-water route to the Pacific.

Guiding Questions:
What are some of the reasons that Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark on a westward expedition?
Why is the Lewis and Clark expedition considered one of the most successful in United States History?
How did Lewis and Clark’s discoveries affect society then and now?
Why were the Indian important to Lewis and Clark throughout their expedition?

Focusing Questions:
Core
Who made the journey with Lewis and Clark?
Who sent Lewis and Clark on the journey?
What kind of dog was seaman?
How long did the exploration last?
Who owned York?

Connections
Why are explorations still important today?
Globally, how were people affected by the explorations of Lewis and Clark?
How does individual decision making affect others?

Practice
How has travel and exploration changed with the invention of technology?
If Lewis and Clark would have had the types of transportations that we do today, how would this have affected their journey?
How would banning interstate travel affect our lives?

Identity
How do you think exploration will affect your future?
How important is transportation to you?
How do different types of transportation affect Mississippians and the state’s economy?

Generalizations:
Cooperative teamwork positively influences results.
Cultural diversity and interaction affects traditions.
Exploration leads to change.

Dispositions:
The student will learn the value of teamwork and perseverance, self-reflection, history, hands-on experiences, and connecting our lesson to a bigger picture

Learning Experiences:
Journal
The teacher will discuss how Lewis & Clark used a journal to record their experiences and discoveries, throughout the expedition. The students will make their own journal to record their experiences throughout the day. It will consist of a brown paper cover and parchment paper. For example, they will journal about their experience building a seaworthy craft.

Seaworthy Craft
The teacher will discuss the collapsible boat used on the journey by Lewis & Clark. The students will then be divided into groups where they will work cooperatively to build a seaworthy craft that will hold weight. Each group will be given the following supplies: 1 plastic lid, 3 drinking straws, 5 paper clips, 2 un-inflated balloons, 2 corks, 1 six in. square of aluminum foil, 1 twelve in. piece of string, and 50 pennies for weight. They will have 5 min. to construct their seaworthy craft. At the end of that time, they will place their craft in water and they will have one min. to add pennies to the raft. At the end, the students will assess their solution, sharing one positive thing that worked well, and note one thing that could be improved the next time.

Peace Medal
The teacher will discuss the importance of the Jefferson Peace Medal during Lewis & Clark’s expedition. The teacher will discuss a few of their experiences involving the peace medal. The teacher will show the students a picture of the peace medal and discuss the pictures on it. The students will then be asked “If you could design a peace medal today, what would it look like?” The students will be given a gray circle and markers to complete this activity. After making their peace medals, they will be given a chance to share their designs. During this activity the students will learn the importance of keeping peace, while working with others.

Original Story
The teacher will give a summary of the book Lewis and Clark and Me: A Dog’s Tale by Laurie Myers. This book tells about the expedition from a dog’s point of view. The students will then make up an original story of a flea that travels on Seaman, Meriwether Lewis’ dog. They will record the story in their journal, drawing a picture of Seaman with the flea.

Indians
The teacher will discuss how Lewis & Clark encountered various Indian tribes throughout the expedition. The students will then research and present information about the Native American tribes encountered. The students will be given materials to construct either a teepee or a hut. The materials will include things such as clay, sticks, grass, construction paper, and pine straw.

Introduction
The teacher will present an overview of the Lewis & Clark Expedition using a Photo Story or PowerPoint slideshow. The main points of the expedition will be covered in order to give students a general idea of the adventures and trials of the expedition members experienced. The students will take notes listing the parts of the expedition that stood out to them which can be put into a summary paragraph and included as a journal entry. Discussions will be held to go over student thoughts and ideas they felt were important.

Mapping the Route
After the introduction/overview, the students will map out the major experiences and landmarks important to the expedition. The students will each have their own map in which to create a 3-D perspective of the terrain, landmarks, and expedition experiences. This will be done in conjunction with the introduction overview of the expedition route. Students will use items such as modeling clay, pipe cleaners, and other items to make their 3-D map. Students will be able to view a map of plotted expedition points on the Smart Board or out of various resource books.

Exploring Discoveries
The teacher will cover information about Lewis and Clark’s journaling experiences by explaining the process of a written description of the “discoveries” that were noted along with a sketch of the discovery. The students will go outside and search the grounds in the area for at least one discovery to put in as a journal entry. Students will also write a description of the discovery as well as other pertinent information. Students can collect any plant or other samples in zip lock bags of their discoveries.