MarcoGram May 2004 -- Lewis and Clark: Corps of Discovery

Lewis and Clark: Corps of Discovery
The Lewis and Clark expedition was the first federally funded scientific expedition in the United States. Between May 1804 and September 1806, the explorers mapped the terrain; collected plants, animals and soil samples; and met many Indian tribes. Their discoveries set the stage for the growth of the country to what it is today. This month, the MarcoGram features activities to engage students in capturing the spirit of this famous expedition. Use the warm-up activities below, then scroll down for links to more lessons and resources suitable for use with students in any grade level or subject area.

Photograph of the Lewis and Clark mural on the ceiling of the U.S. Capitol building courtesy of the Architect of the Capitol (www.aoc.gov).

1. Lewis and Clark were charged by Thomas Jefferson with accomplishing two objectives: to document the uncharted territory between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, and to identify a water route, the "Northwest Passage," that would enable trading with the Orient. Today, their path can be traced through portions of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Assign a famous explorer or expedition to groups of students. (Suggested topics: the Lewis and Clark expedition, Christopher Columbus and the discovery of America, Charles Darwin and his trip to the Galapagos, Marco Polo and the Silk Route.) The groups should use Internet or library resources to answer the following questions: Where did the expedition start and end? How long did the trip take? Who financed the expedition? What was the motivation behind the expedtion? (Politics, scientific enterprise, personal growth or a combination?) What did the expedition hope to find? What did it really find? As each group locates facts about its topic, fill in a large graphic organizer to compare facts about all the expeditions. Are there any similarities or differences? What parts of the world are still being explored today? (North and South Poles, Mount Everest, the African jungle, the oceans.)

Discover the motivations behind the Lewis and Clark expedition in:

"Artists as Explorers" (9-12) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

"Lewis and Clark: 'The Object of This Mission'" (6-8) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

"Lewis and Clark: Why Explore the Vast Unknown?" (3-5) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

"Mapping the Past" (6-8) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

2. During the expedition, the Lewis and Clark team carefully collected and documented some 200 plant specimens. About 70 of them were never before seen by botanists; four plants were later named in honor of Meriwether Lewis.

Take the class out to the schoolyard, playing field or other natural, unprotected area and have each student collect, sketch or photograph leaves of small plants or trees. Back inside, ask students measure the leaves and use Internet or library resources to identify the plant specimens, noting if the plants are indigenous to their area or not. Students can use a flower press to flatten the leaves overnight and then create their own scientifc scrapbook, complete with measurements, maps and observations.

Examine plant or animal species in:

"Animal Diversity" (K-2) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science

"Data Collection" (3-5) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

"STAR Search: How Do I Find the Book I Need?" (3-5) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

3. Prior to their departure in May 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark spent almost one full year planning and collecting supplies for their expedition across the continent. They had to be sure to bring extra supplies and gifts to trade with people they expected to encounter along the way.

What motivates people to buy, sell or trade things? What might be the mutual benefit of trading one product for another? What are some words that are often used to create excitement about a product or service? (Free, new, save, easy, special, guarantee, proven, etc.)

Have students draw advertising posters for supplies that were likely traded during the Lewis and Clark expedition. They should point out the features and benefits of the products, and include words that will best persuade others to trade for or purchase the product. Display the advertisements either on a bulletin board designed to resemble a trading post or in a student-written newspaper (described further in warm-up activity #4, below).

Learn how Lewis and Clark traded goods in:

"Economic Spotter: Lewis and Clark's Expedition Faces Scarcity" (3-5) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

"Lewis and Clark Barter with the Native Americans" (6-8) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

4. During their two-year trek, members of the Lewis and Clark expedition encountered Indian tribes, surveyed the land, and collected plant and animal specimens. The men kept daily journals that provided detailed descriptions about their trip.

Using the Lewis and Clark Interactive Journey Log from the National Geographic Society, spend some class time each day discussing one leg of the expedition (the interactive log is divided into 22 segments). Have students take turns reading aloud the Lewis and Clark journal excerpts available on American Memory and track the progress of the expedition on a large map. With younger students, have one student read aloud while others draw what is described. Older students can write news articles for an 1800s-era newspaper, relaying information about the expedition through journal entries, drawings and maps.

Improve literacy skills by reading and writing about Lewis and Clark in:

"Exploring Cross-Age Tutoring Activities with Lewis and Clark" (9-12) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

"Exploring Pioneer America" (K-4) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

"On this Day with Lewis and Clark" (3-5) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities