Day
Read Aloud
“Lewis, Clark, and Sacajawea”
KEY IDEA Sacajawea was a Shoshone woman who was married to the French-
1
Canadian translator on the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804. She was invaluable
as a guide and as an expert translator of Native American languages.
LEARNING FOCUS
RI.4.2
Students will summarize the text, determine the main idea, and explain how the main idea is
supported by key details.
PREVIEWING THE TEXT
3 minutes
Lewis, Clark, and Sacajawea
In May 1804, a pair of men set out from St. Louis on a mission to explore and map the
uncharted American West. One was Meriwether Lewis, secretary to President Thomas Jefferson,
who directed the secret expedition. The other was William Clark, a former army captain and a
friend of Lewis.
Their journey lasted over two years. Along the way, Lewis and Clark named hundreds of
places. Many names they chose were nods to people back home. The Jefferson River and
Madison River honored their President and then Secretary of State, James Madison. Other names
hint at what Lewis and Clark were experiencing at the time. Hungry Creek in Idaho got its name
because, as Clark wrote, “at that place we had nothing to eat.”
Who can briefly summarize what I just read?
Notice that this summary states the important details and leaves out minor ones, as a good
summary should do.
CLOSE LISTENING TO THE TEXT
7 minutes
When I read an information piece, I try to notice the major ideas and the details that support
those ideas.
Lewis and Clark did not make their discoveries alone. For this special mission, the United
States Army created the Corps of Discovery, a unit of about 30 men led by Lewis and Clark. The
two captains also hired Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian fur trapper who had been
living among the Minnetaree, a Native American people (today called the Hidatsa). He was to help
them speak with some of the Native Americans they would encounter.
Charbonneau was married to Sacajawea, a young Shoshone Native American woman. She
spoke other native languages that Charbonneau did not. So she joined the expedition to help as
well. Sacajawea was expecting a baby when they left. She had a baby boy during the winter of
1805. Jean Baptiste Charbonneau spent most of the trip riding on his mother’s back.
MONDO BOOKSHOP GRADE 4 • THEME 9 1
Who would like to state an idea that they heard in what I’ve read so far?
The idea that the Lewis and Clark expedition was a group effort is a good point. Who
remembers details from what I read that support this idea? Let’s hear several details from
different people.
Now that you’ve had practice summarizing the text and finding ideas and supporting details,
keep noticing details as I continue to read so that we can summarize the rest of this text.
Sacajawea became an important member of the group as a translator, a guide, and more. Early
on, she rescued Lewis and Clark’s journals from a river when their boat turned over. As a result,
the captains grew fond of her.
As they traveled, Lewis and Clark learned about Sacajawea’s past. She told them of a
Minnetaree attack on her Shoshone people in which she had been taken prisoner. Since the
attack, she had lived among the Minnetaree, eventually marrying Charbonneau.
Who’ll take the job of summarizing this part?
Keep listening as I finish this text. . . . Can two or more of you provide us with an idea you
noticed in this part and details to support that idea?
During the expedition, the explorers met a group of Shoshone people. The leader of the
group turned out to be Sacajawea’s long-lost brother. One of the women in the group had been
kidnapped with Sacajawea but had escaped and returned home. Lewis and Clark wrote of these
touching meetings in their journals.
In November 1805, the Corps reached the Pacific Ocean. By September 1806, they had
returned to St. Louis. Lewis and Clark are hailed as great American heroes. Their historic journey
would not have been the same without the help of the adventurous Sacajawea.
DISCUSSING THE TEXT
10 minutes
Let’s discuss the whole article. I like to focus on a specific skill each time we discuss a text,
so this time, I’d like you to make a special point of asking each other questions that will help
you understand the text. In addition, answer the questions that your partners pose. Who will
summarize the whole text’s important points?
Who can state the main idea of the text as a whole?
And who can provide details to support that idea?
2 WESTWARD HO!
Day
Read Aloud
“Lewis, Clark, and Sacajawea”
2
LEARNING FOCUSES
RI.4.2, RI.4.8
Students will explain how the author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points.
They continue to summarize the text, determine the main idea, and explain how the main idea
is supported by key details.
REFLECTING ON THE TEXT
3 minutes
Who’d like to remind us who Lewis and Clark were and who Sacajawea was?
CLOSE LISTENING TO THE TEXT
7 minutes
This time as I reread the article, listen for places where the author presents reasons and
evidence for her ideas.
Lewis, Clark, and Sacajawea
In May 1804, a pair of men set out from St. Louis on a mission to explore and map the
uncharted American West. One was Meriwether Lewis, secretary to President Thomas Jefferson,
who directed the secret expedition. The other was William Clark, a former army captain and a
friend of Lewis.
Their journey lasted over two years. Along the way, Lewis and Clark named hundreds of
places. Many names they chose were nods to people back home. The Jefferson River and
Madison River honored their President and then Secretary of State, James Madison. Other names
hint at what Lewis and Clark were experiencing at the time. Hungry Creek in Idaho got its name
because, as Clark wrote, “at that place we had nothing to eat.”
Lewis and Clark did not make their discoveries alone. For this special mission, the United
States Army created the Corps of Discovery, a unit of about 30 men led by Lewis and Clark. The
two captains also hired Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian fur trapper who had been
living among the Minnetaree, a Native American people (today called the Hidatsa). He was to help
them speak with some of the Native Americans they would encounter.
First let’s review an idea in what I read. Who’ll state one?
And who can recall a piece of evidence for that idea?
Now, if you’ll notice, that piece of evidence is something that we mentioned as a detail the last
time. A piece of evidence is almost always going to be a detail.
MONDO BOOKSHOP GRADE 4 • THEME 9 1
As I reread the remainder of the text, remember the strategy we practiced before—supporting
ideas with details. This time, notice that the details may be evidence for reasons behind the
author’s points.
Charbonneau was married to Sacajawea, a young Shoshone Native American woman. She
spoke other native languages that Charbonneau did not. So she joined the expedition to help as
well. Sacajawea was expecting a baby when they left. She had a baby boy during the winter of
1805. Jean Baptiste Charbonneau spent most of the trip riding on his mother’s back.
Sacajawea became an important member of the group as a translator, a guide, and more. Early
on, she rescued Lewis and Clark’s journals from a river when their boat turned over. As a result,
the captains grew fond of her.
Let’s have someone summarize the main topic and key ideas of the article so far.
Listen as I read a little bit further.
As they traveled, Lewis and Clark learned about Sacajawea’s past. She told them of a
Minnetaree attack on her Shoshone people in which she had been taken prisoner. Since the
attack, she had lived among the Minnetaree, eventually marrying Charbonneau.
During the expedition, the explorers met a group of Shoshone people. The leader of the
group turned out to be Sacajawea’s long-lost brother. One of the women in the group had been
kidnapped with Sacajawea but had escaped and returned home. Lewis and Clark wrote of these
touching meetings in their journals.
In November 1805, the Corps reached the Pacific Ocean. By September 1806, they had
returned to St. Louis. Lewis and Clark are hailed as great American heroes. Their historic journey
would not have been the same without the help of the adventurous Sacajawea.
What is the reason Sacajawea was so important?
I agree. Someone else, tell us some details that provide evidence for Sacajawea’s importance.
DISCUSSING THE TEXT
10 minutes
As you’ll recall, our discussion skill for this text is posing and answering questions. I’ll pose a
question first: The expedition is usually called the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Why do you
think the author titles her article “Lewis, Clark, and Sacajawea”?
I think that’s a main idea in the text. What details gives us the author’s reasons and evidence?
As you talk among yourselves, keep your minds on the strategies we’re practicing: Find details
and evidence that support main ideas, and think about the reasons and evidence the author
uses to support particular points. Keep asking and answering questions about the text. I
predict that by the end of this session, you’ll understand this article really well.
2 WESTWARD HO!