Corps of Discovery Project
You are about to embark on a glorious journey for your President, Thomas Jefferson. Your
objective, map the new Louisiana Territory, send back specimens of the flora and fauna you
encounter, and explore possible relationships with the Native Americans that you encounter. You will
need to keep an extensive diary of your experiences; include drawings of the flora, fauna, and Natives;
and draw maps of your journey. The President sees this territory as a place for our country’s
population to expand into, so you need to be very detailed about EVERYTHING! To ensure that your
expedition receives all the credit it deserves, make certain you keep a list of who worked on each
individual part of your journey.
Requirements to appease your President:

Read Jefferson’s orders to Lewis & Clark as he addresses Congress in 1803: starting with the
words "The commerce which may be carried on…" and ending with "…insects."
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=3938 what kinds of
discoveries was Jefferson interested?

1 hand drawn map to show the route you took. This map must include forts you visit, rivers
you ford, and interesting land formations that you pass.

Compare and contrast biographies of Lewis & Clark. Include family, education, jobs before
expedition, role during expedition, and life after expedition. Complete in paragraph or chart
form

Choose one new tribe they came in contact with. Write a 2 paragraph description of encounter
as if you were writing in a journal. Include the characteristics of the tribe.

2 hand drawn pictures of each of the following:
New animals you encounter
New plants you encounter

1 drawing of the keel boat and an explanation of how it works.

3 examples of gifts taken for the Natives. These can be drawn or actual samples.

5 journal entries detailing your experiences along the way. Make certain at least 2 of these
entries deal with the return trip. Entries should be original but based on actual journals of
Lewis and Clark. (Handwritten)

Letter to Jefferson explaining what you discovered, summary of the trip, what was
accomplished.
Each of these drawings should be in color so that your president can truly experience what you experienced.
*Each day there may will be additional things you must accomplish for the President, so always check
the bow of your ship for that days extra activities.
All of your information that you gather for the President MUST BE ORIGINAL! Our country is not
paying you to steal someone else’s work! GOOD LUCK.
The President expects a full report by: Friday, October 12, 2012
CORPS OF DISCOVERY
GRADE SHEET
Hand drawn map
/20
- colored
- neatly labeled
- accommodated space demanded
- forts, rivers, landmarks, route
- placement of information spatially
satisfactory
Jefferson’s Mission
-objectives listed
-accurate &complete
/10
Compare Lewis & Clark
-complete /accurate
-neat
/10
1 Native American encounter
- neat
- dated
-accurate
/5
Keel Boat Description /5
-explains function
Originality
/10
-organization of info is clever/nice
Neatness
/10
-items are neatly arranged for President’s
viewing
-items are secure in some manner
TOTAL
/10
---------150
http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/index.html
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandcl
ark/
2 Gifts to Native Americans
- colored
- neat
- labeled
5 journal entries
/25
- neat
- dated
- labeled as to who wrote it
-2 from return trip
Letter to Jefferson
/5
-neat
-lists accomplishments
-was goal met?
-was trip successful?
Bibliography /10
- entries alphabetized
- punctuation is accurate
Work Detail Sheet
Keel Boat Drawing /5
-colored
- neat
- labeled
Extra Credit:
2 fauna/flora drawings /10
- colored
- neat
- labeled
2 animal drawings
- colored
- neat
- labeled
- lists each person’s job
- dated when product was turned into the
materials manager
/5
/10
http://www.lewisclark.net/
http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/
http://lewis-clark.org/
http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/lewisand-clark-expedition