LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Pathways Adventures
Breanne Andersen, Kierstin Blythe,
Katie Kinsella, Caitlin Murphy, Sarah Schrage
Title: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark
Theme: Demographic Changes
Historical Period: The New Nation: 1783-1815
Lesson Module Overview: Students will actively learn about the adventures of Lewis
and Clark through exploring and analyzing primary resources from the Library of
Congress such as images, documents, and maps. Through participating in inquirybased learning and role play students will have the opportunity to investigate and
critique our nation’s past, while also working as active citizens as Lewis, Clark and
company did to affect change in their own communities.
Grade Range: Intermediate/ Middle Level (3rd-6th)
Table of Contents:
LESSON MODULE DAY 1
Title: Who Owned the Louisiana Purchase?
2
LESSON MODULE DAY 2
Title: Important Member’s of Lewis and Clark’s Crew/Timeline
LESSON MODULE DAY 3
Title: What did they Find Along the Way?
7
LESSON MODULE DAY 3
Title: Connections with Native Americans
10
Appendix I: Images and Graphic Material
12
Appendix II: Bibliography and Webliography
5
21
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 1
Lesson Module
Day 1
Title: The Up’s and Down’s of the Louisiana Purchase.
Learning Goals:
Knowledge
-Students will know who Thomas Jefferson was and what role he played in the
Louisiana
Purchase.
-Students will know who Napoleon Bonaparte was and what role he played in the
Louisiana Purchase.
Skills
-Students will compare maps from today’s United States to the map that shows the
Louisiana purchase.
-Students will be able to list the states that were part of the land bought in the Louisiana
Purchase.
Dispositions
-Students will begin to develop an understanding of the Pro’s and Con’s of the
Louisiana Purchase.
-Students will begin to develop the ability to pick and support which side they believe
had the right idea: The side for the Louisiana Purchase or the side against the Louisiana
Purchase.
National Council for Social Studies Theme:
http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands
TIME, CONTINUITY, AND CHANGE:Knowledge and understanding of the past enable
us to analyze the causes and consequences of events and developments, and to place
these in the context of the institutions, values and beliefs of the periods in which they
took place.
PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ENVIRONMENTS: During their studies, learners develop an
understanding of spatial perspectives, and examine changes in the relationship
between peoples, places and environments.
INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND INSTITUTIONS: It is important that students know how
institutions are formed, what controls and influences them, how they control and
influence individuals and culture, and how institutions can be maintained or changed.
POWER, AUTHORITY, AND GOVERNANCE: The development of civic competence
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 2
requires an understanding of the foundations of political thought, and the historical
development of various structures of power, authority, and governance. It also requires
knowledge of the evolving functions of these structures in contemporary U.S. society, as
well as in other parts of the world.
Materials:
Enough computers for every other student to have one.
Whiteboard
Overhead projector
Social studies notebooks
Pictures of Napoleon, Jefferson, The Louisiana Purchase map all on transparencies.
Copy of the United States map for each student.
Access to the Internet
LOC Primary Source Materials:
Image 1.1
Image 1.2
Image 1.3
Lesson Procedures:
Introduction
1 I will start the lesson by bringing everyone’s attention to the board. On it I will
have a picture of Thomas Jefferson.
2 I will ask the students to try and guess which president this is. Once they have
figured it out I will tell them that we are going to learn about a very important deal
he made when he was President.
3 I will then put up the picture of Napoleon. I will ask the students if any of them
know who this man is. They most likely won't so I will then tell them who he is
and that he was a very important person in France and the one who Thomas
Jefferson made the deal with.
4 I will give a brief explanation as to what the deal was and why both parties
(Napoleon, and Jefferson) wanted to make this deal.
5 I will then show the picture of the map which has the outline of the Louisiana
Purchase on it. I will then ask the students to use the map of the united states I
passed out to them to help me label all the states now that were part of that
purchase.
Development
1 I will break the class up into four groups.
2 Two groups will make a presentation/powerpoint giving examples and facts of
why some people wanted the Louisiana Purchase.
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3 The other two groups will make a presentation/powerpoint giving examples and
facts as to why some people didn’t want the Louisiana Purchase and what issues
came along with the deal that was about to be made with the Louisiana
Purchase.
4 The goal is for each group to try and persuade their fellow classmates to pick
their point of view (either pro Purchase or against Purchase).
5 Each group will have at least two computers and will need to use various
websites and books to support their presentation.
6 After the presentations are complete the students will then present to the class.
Culmination
1 During the presentation the students will write down three facts they agreed with
or liked from the presentation and two that they did not agree with or like in their
social studies notebooks. This should give them six facts that they liked about
Pro purchase, and six facts that they liked about Against purchase, and four facts
they didn’t like for both pro and against.
2 Once they have heard everyone’s presentation and have had a chance to ask
each group their questions they will go over their findings.
3 The students will consider what they heard from their classmates, and what they
have found in their own research.
Assessment
1 The students will then write a one page letter as if they are writing to Thomas
Jefferson, stating whether they agree or disagree with his decision and why.
They must write in at least four facts from their own research or from others
presentations and underline them in their letter.
2 After completing the letter they will then write a paragraph in their Social Studies
notebooks about which presentation was the most persuasive and why.
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 4
Lesson Module
Day 2
Title: Important Member’s of Lewis and Clark’s Crew/ timeline
Learning Goals:
Knowledge
-Students will explore the lives of Lewis and Clark.
-Students will know who Thomas Jefferson is and what role he played in the
exploration.
-Students will know who Sacagawea is and what role she played in the exploration.
Skills
-Students will display leadership and cooperation by role playing in groups.
-Students will compare traveling today to how it was in the 1700s.
Dispositions
-Students will develop an understanding for how people traveled in the 1700’s.
-Students will develop an understanding for different time periods.
National Council for Social Studies Theme:
http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands
PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ENVIRONMENTS: Social studies programs should include
experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments.
INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT AND IDENTITY: Social studies programs should
include experiences that provide for the study of individual development and identity.
INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND INSTITUTIONS: Social studies programs should
include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among individuals, groups,
and institutions.
Materials:
Meriwether Lewis article
William Clark article
Sacagawea article
Thomas Jefferson article
Paper
Writing utensil
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 5
LOC Primary Source Materials:
Image 2.1
Image 2.2
Lesson Procedures:
Introduction:
1 I will start the lesson by having 4 pictures on the board, (of Thomas Jefferson,
Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Sacagawea) and ask the class if they
recognize these people.
2 I will then write the names of the people underneath their pictures.
3 I will tell the class who the people are and that we are going to learn about their
lives and why they are important in our United States history.
4 I will put the students into groups of 4 people.
5 Every person will get an article about one of the four people whose pictures I put
up on the board.
Development:
1 Each person will write down what they think is important about their person.
2 Next, they will share in their groups about the person that they read about.
3 Each person will know the important details about each of the other people.
Culmination:
1 Each group will get up in front of the class and role play what happened with the
people.
2 Each person will act out the part of the person who they read about .
3 Every group will role play what they learned in their own way.
4 Each group will write down at least 3 things that they liked about the other
group’s presentations.
Assessment:
1 The students will discuss in their groups what they have learned about each
person and share with the class about one person they thought was interesting.
2 The students will write in their social studies notebooks about the people involved
in the exploration and why they were an essential part of the trip.
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LESSON MODULE
DAY 3
Title: What did they find along the way?
Learning Goals:
Knowledge:
- Students will understand the importance of what Lewis and Clark found.
- Students will be able to list three different categories of what they found.
- Students will understand how Lewis and Clark found and recorded their findings.
Skills:
- Students will begin exploring various types of primary sources such as images, and
documents.
- Students will be able to collect objects and record information describing them.
- Students will be able to make an inference based off of evidence given.
Dispositions:
- Students will develop a general understanding of the hard work Lewis and Clark did.
- Students will continue to build and grow on their scientific inquiry.
National Council for Social Studies Theme:
http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands
Time, Continuity, and Change: Studying the past makes it possible for us to
understand the human story across time.
Time, Continuity, and Change: Knowledge and understanding of the past enable us to
analyze the causes and consequences of events and developments, and to place these
in the context of the institutions, values and beliefs of the periods in which they took
place.
Culture: Cultures are dynamic and change over time.
Materials Needed:
Writing utensil
Paper
Mystery item (owl droppings or anything else)
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 7
LOC Primary Source Materials:
Image 3.1
Image 3.2
Lesson Procedure:
Introduction:
1 So far, we have learned where Lewis and Clark traveled to, but we have not
what they have discovered.
2 In the 1800’s there were no computers to record their data, so what did they use?
How did they record their findings? How did they tell others about it?
3 How did Lewis and Clark collect their findings, and where did they store them?
Development:
1 American looked a lot different in the 1800’s. When Lewis and Clark set out on
their venture, they didn’t bring their laptop or ipad to record their new findings, so
what did they use? Call on children for answers.
2 Show image 3.1 picture of Lewis and Clark’s journal.
3 Ask children to write a list of 10 things they think Lewis and Clark might have
discovered.
4 Call on children and write down their ideas so everyone can see them.
5 Lewis and Clark found over 300 species, 50 Native American Indian tribes, and
countless plant life, not to mention the new land.
6 Lewis and Clark did not have a camera to take a picture of what they found. They
had to draw everything by hand, which is very hard work.
7 Show image 3.2 Here you can see a picture of a sage grouse. This is just one of
the hundreds of animals Lewis and Clark found.
8 Lewis and Clark also collected many various items to take back home with them.
They had a specimen box, where they kept pants, fossils, rocks, and any other
thing they wanted to take home to study some more.
9 Lewis and Clark discovered hundreds of different things that were important to
the development of mankind. They found plants that they were able to use for not
only cooking, but for medicine. They found discovered different animals which
was important. They found new Native American tribes, who were able to teach
them about the land.
10 The work Lewis and Clark did was very important and hard work.
Culmination:
1 Remind children that Lewis and Clark collected specimens of plants to bring back
home.
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 8
2 Have children bring in a specimen of a plant, leaf, rock, or other object from their
neighborhoods or communities.
3 Have them record data about their object. What color it is? What does it look
like? What does it taste like? What is it used for?
4 Then have to children share their recorded evidence with their class.
5 See if the class can use the information provided, to make and inference of what
their classmate’s item is.
6 Then have them share the item with the whole class.
Assessment:
1 Bring a mystery(s) item from home. Have the children work in groups depending
on the number of items you brought. Give the children the mystery item and have
them record their observations about the item.
2 After the children have had 10-20 min. to observe and record their data, collect
the mystery item(s). Give the children a few min. to make and inference on what
they believe the mystery item is.
3 Show the mystery item and tell them what it is and how it’s used.
4 Collect and evaluate the children’s work.
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 9
LESSON MODULE
DAY 4
Title: Connections with the Native Americans
Learning Goals:
Knowledge:
-Students will know how the Corps greeted Native American Tribes.
-Students will know that Native American culture and their livelihoods are dependent on
wildlife.
Skills:
-Students will be able to identify connections between the Corps of Discovery and the
decline of the Native American way of life.
-Students will be able to connect human actions to the effects on wildlife.
Dispositions:
-Students will appreciate the chain-reaction caused by the expedition.
-Students will value Native American culture.
National Council for Social Studies Theme:
http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands
Human beings create, learn, share, and adapt to culture. The study of culture
examines the socially transmitted beliefs, values, institutions, behaviors, traditions and
way of life of a group of people
Materials:
Images of the Mandan Indians
One envelope for each student
Character scenes for each student (1 or more depending on size of class and age of
students)
LOC Primary Source Materials:
Image 4.1
Image 4.2
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 10
Lesson Procedures:
Introduction:
1 As students enter the classroom, give them an envelope and instruct them to
leave it sealed. These envelops could be assigned based on ability levels or be
randomized depending on the needs of the students and the class.
2 On the outside of the envelope there will be a marking indicating the groupings
the students will be placed into. The number of groups depends on the size of
the class, but the groups should not contain more than three students.
3 After all students have been seated, begin the lesson by saying that today’s
lesson will show them how the Corps of Discovery impacted not only the
explorers but the people they met along the way, the Native Americans.
4 Give students an explanation of the activity by informing them that inside each
student envelope, there will be two or three pieces of paper which contain a
portion of a scenario. Each piece represents a different character in the story.
Development:
1 The students will work in their groups to figure out how the events are connected
to each other. They will read their statements aloud to the others in their group
and then place the events in chronological order.
2 Also included in the envelopes are two images of the Mandan Indians. After
placing the events in chronological order, they will determine where the images
would fit in with the descriptions.
3 After discussing the connections, the groups should compile their scenarios and
images and place them in chronological order.
Conclusion:
1 The groups will walk around the room comparing the order of the events to the
order they came up with.
2 As a class, the orders will be discussed and students will alter their own timelines
as necessary.
Assessment:
1 Individually, students will write a short summary of the connections they learned
about between the white explorers, traders, and settlers and the Native American
way of life.
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 11
APPENDIX I:
IMAGES AND GRAPHIC MATERIALS
FROM THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Image 1.1
Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.15715/
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 12
Image 1.2
Napoleon
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/pga.01992/
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 13
Image 1.3
Boundaries of the Louisiana Purchase
http://archive.org/stream/historicalsketch01unit#page/10/mode/2up
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 14
Image 2.1
Meriwether Lewis
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3a21421/
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 15
Image 2.2
William Clark
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3a52077/
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 16
Image 3.1
Picture of Lewis and Clark’s Journal
http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&authuser=0&biw=1278&bih=618&tbm=isc
h&tbnid=VJ6mWZBd0cGyWM:&imgrefurl=http://www.sierraclub.org/lewisandclark/journ
al/journalpage3.asp%3Fsource%3Dclark%26date%3D8/2/1806&docid=xS0dNt1QjquK4
M&imgurl=http://www.sierraclub.org/lewisandclark/journal/images/911604.jpg&w=587&h=290&ei=oNWVUNj6CoqA2wWQs4HIAg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=400&
sig=116087039199318333575&page=1&tbnh=158&tbnw=294&start=0&ndsp=11&ved=
1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:84&tx=63&ty=111
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 17
Image 3.2
Picture of Sage Grouse from Lewis and Clark’s Journal
http://www.sierraclub.org/lewisandclark/journal/journalpage1.asp?source=clark&date=8/
2/1806
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 18
Image 4.1
Sketch of a Mandan Village and life on the Missouri River.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3a29498/
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 19
Image 4.2
Bison dance of the Mandan Indians in front of their medicine lodge. In Mihtutta-Hankush
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3a29500/
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 20
APPENDIX II:
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND WEBLIOGRAPHY OF RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND
TEACHERS
Webliography of Supporting Online Resources for Students
Biography: Meriwether Lewis’s Role in the Corps of Discovery
A student friendly website that shares a short concise biography of Meriwether
Lewis and his role in the Corps of Discovery. The biography contains before,
during, and after his adventures in the west.
http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267
Biography: William Clark’s Role in the Corps of Discovery
A student friendly website that shares a short concise biography of William Clark
and his role in the Corps of Discovery. The biography contains before, during,
and after his adventures in the west.
http://www.biography.com/people/william-clark-9542620
Biography: Sacagawea’s Role in the Corps of Discovery
A student friendly website that shares a short concise biography of Sacagawea
and her involvement in the Corps of Discovery.
http://www.biography.com/people/sacagawea-9468731
Biography: Thomas Jefferson’s Role in the Corps of Discovery
A student friendly website that shares a short concise biography of Thomas
Jefferson’s role in the Corps of Discovery.
http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-jefferson-9353715
Webliography of Supporting Online Resources for Teachers
Nebraska Studies: The Louisiana Purchase
This website includes information about the Louisiana Purchase and the impact
the Corps of Discovery made on history. The implications are discussed and
additional resources are provided.
http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0400/frameset_reset.html?http://www.nebraskast
udies.org/0400/stories/0401_0108.html
PBS: Lewis and Clark’s Interactions with Native Americans
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Focusing specifically on the interactions with Native Americans, this page of the
Lewis and Clark portion of the PBS website provides information about their
interactions with the Native Americans in general as well as details pertaining to
individual tribes.
http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/native/index.html
Lewis and Clark - Pathways Lesson Page 22