What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Ohio Standards
Connection:
History
Benchmark G
Analyze the causes and
consequences of the
American Civil War.
Indicator 8
Describe and analyze the
territorial expansion of the
United States including:
a. Northwest Ordinance;
b. The Louisiana
Purchase and the
Lewis and Clark
expedition;
c. Westward movement
including Manifest
Destiny;
d. The Texas War for
Independence and the
Mexican-American
War.
Lesson Summary:
This lesson uses graphic organizers, Venn diagrams,
historical maps and research to engage students in the
study of the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark’s
exploratory expedition. Students will show evidence of their
learning through the creation of journals that include
writing, mapping and the creation of a time line.
Estimated Duration: Seven to eight hours
Commentary:
The purpose of this lesson is to help students gain an
understanding of the relationship between the Louisiana
Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition. This lesson
should increase student knowledge of the expansion of the
United States and how it affected U.S. history. The use of
multiple approaches to learning allows the teacher to meet
the needs of all students.
Pre-Assessment:
Administer the pre-assessment to students individually as a
quiz using Attachment A. Allow students to grade their own
papers using a different colored pen or pencil.
Scoring Guidelines:
 Use the results of the pre-assessment to guide and adjust
instruction as necessary.
 Award students two points for each correct answer, for a
total of 10 points.
1. a
2. b
3. b
4. c
5. b
Post-Assessment:
Have students create a journal describing and analyzing the
impact of the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark
expedition. Student directions are available on Attachment B.
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Scoring Guidelines:
Use the rubric provided on Attachment C.
Instructional Procedures:
Day One
1. Conduct the pre-assessment.
2. Use the K-W-L Chart, Attachment D, to guide a follow-up class discussion. Have students record
what they Know and what they Want to learn about the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark.
At the end of the lesson, come back to this graphic organizer and have students record what they
Learned.
Day Two
3. Select a picture book that recounts the story of Lewis and Clark’s expedition. Read half of the
book to students. Ask students to write a prediction of how they think the book will end.
4. Have students share their endings to the story.
5. Read the conclusion of the book and discuss the differences between student predictions and
actual events.
6. Have students individually complete the Venn Diagrams, Attachment E, comparing their endings
to the actual ending of the story. The Venn diagram for this activity should be labeled:
 My Ending
 What Both Endings Have in Common
 Real Ending
Day Three
7. Distribute the vocabulary, dates and facts of the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark
expedition, Attachment F.
8. Have students use textbooks, trade books, encyclopedias and Internet access to answer the
Guided Research Questions, Attachment G.
Day Four
9. Review the concept of historical maps with students.
10. Focus on historical maps that depict:
 Land gained by the Louisiana Purchase;
 The routes taken by Lewis and Clark;
 The states that were formed from this land.
11. Divide students into pairs. Distribute blank historical maps depicting the U.S. in 1803 and blank
U.S. maps depicting the 48 contiguous states. Have students follow the instructions found in
Attachment H to assist them in labeling their maps.
Day Five
12. Have students conduct research on the impact of the Lewis and Clark expedition on American
Indians and American citizens. How were the two groups impacted differently? After the
expedition, how did life for American Indians change? How was life for American citizens
different?
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
13. Have students complete a graphic organizer showing the impact of the Louisiana Purchase and
Lewis and Clark expedition on American Indians and American Citizens using Attachment I.
Allow students to use textbooks, trade books, encyclopedias and Internet access to complete this
assignment.
Day Six
14. Distribute Attachments B and C for the post-assessment. Discuss the instructions and allow
students to ask clarifying questions about the culminating project.
15. Provide students with the following materials to create a journal: construction paper, markers,
crayons, notebook paper and brass clips.
16. Have students begin on their covers and journals. Allow students three to five evenings to
complete their culminating project at home.
17. Have students complete the K-W-L Chart from Day One with what they have learned.
Differentiated Instructional Support:
Instruction is differentiated according to learner needs, to help all learners either meet the intent of
the specified indicator(s) or, if the indicator is already met, to advance beyond the specified
indicator.
 Have students work independently, in pairs or heterogeneous groups to complete the journal
activity.
 Allow students to choose to complete the journal activity using a variety of modes including
visual, auditory, tactile, etc.
 Challenge students to predict what would have happened if Lewis and Clark had taken an
alternative route.
 Have student(s) create an interactive learning center for the class focusing on Lewis and Clark.
Extensions:
 Have students create a 3-D map based on the study of Lewis and Clark.
 Brainstorm with students ideas of what goes into a museum exhibit. Challenge students to create
replicas of artifacts and items that would be featured in a museum exhibit about Lewis and Clark.
 Have students compare Pike’s expedition to Lewis and Clark’s.
 Have students who have traveled in the western part of the country prepare a slide presentation to
share with the class.
Homework Options and Home Connections:
Have students look at the “Want Ads” in a local newspaper and create a poster advertising the need
for expedition members to accompany Lewis and Clark. Instruct students to address the following
questions:
 What skills would they need?
 What kind of people are best suited for this job?
 Where will they go and for how long?
 What supplies should they bring?
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Interdisciplinary Connections:
English Language Arts
 Reading Process
Benchmark A: Apply reading comprehension strategies to understand grade-appropriate texts.
Indicator 1: Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing
and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions.
 Research
Benchmark B: Evaluate the usefulness and credibility of data and sources.
Indicator 2: Identify appropriate sources and gather relevant information from multiple sources
(e.g., school library catalogs, online databases, electronic resources and Internet-based
resources).
Materials and Resources:
The inclusion of a specific resource in any lesson formulated by the Ohio Department of Education
should not be interpreted as an endorsement of that particular resource, or any of its contents, by
the Ohio Department of Education. The Ohio Department of Education does not endorse any
particular resource. The Web addresses listed are for a given site’s main page, therefore, it may be
necessary to search within that site to find the specific information required for a given lesson.
Please note that information published on the Internet changes over time, therefore the links
provided may no longer contain the specific information related to a given lesson. Teachers are
advised to preview all sites before using them with students.
For the teacher: Reference materials for students, picture book based on Lewis and Clark’s
expedition, historical outline map of U.S. around 1803, outline map of 48
contiguous United States.
For the students: Outline maps, construction paper, markers, colored pencils, crayons, writing
paper, graph paper, drawing paper, brass clips.
Vocabulary:
 ambassador
 artifact
 botany
 cache
 celestial navigation
 compass
 conflict
 contiguous
 continental divide
 corps
 expedition
 interpreter
 Louisiana Purchase
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight





Missouri Compromise
negotiate
provisions
specimen
tributary
Technology Connections:
 Provide students with the opportunity to view portions of documentary videos depicting the
Lewis and Clark expedition.
 Have students create a slide show presentation illustrating the route(s) taken by Lewis and Clark.
Research Connections:
Marzano, R. et al. Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing
Student Achievement, Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development,
2001.
Nonlinguistic representations help students think about and recall knowledge. This includes the
following:
 Creating graphic organizers;
 Making physical models;
 Generating mental pictures;
 Drawing pictures and pictographs; and
 Engaging in kinesthetic activity.
Ogle, D. Reading Comprehension: Strategies for Independent Learners. Guilford Press, 2001.
Ogle, D. Reading Teachers, “K-W-L: A teaching model that develops active reading of expository
text,” 1986. Volume 40, p. 564-570.
General Tips:
 Use school and public libraries to supplement classroom resources. Libraries should be able to
provide picture books, trade books and videos for student use.
 If historical outline maps are unavailable, provide students with a physical map of North
America and have students draw in the necessary details using a textbook map as an example.
Most textbooks should include a map of the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark’s routes for
students to use.
 Excerpts of Lewis and Clark’s journals can be found in history textbooks, adult history books
and online. Because the original journals are lengthy, select passages appropriate for students to
read.
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Attachments:
Attachment A, Pre-Assessment
Attachment B, Post-Assessment
Attachment C, Post-Assessment Rubric
Attachment D, K-W-L Chart
Attachment E, Venn Diagram
Attachment F, Vocabulary and Key Dates
Attachment G, Guided Research Questions
Attachment H, Historical Map Instructions
Attachment I, Graphic Organizer for Perspectives
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Attachment A
Pre-Assessment
Directions: Select the appropriate answer to each question.
1. Livingston and Monroe negotiated the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from:
a. France
c. Spain
b. Portugal
d. Great Britain
2. As a result of the Louisiana Purchase, the United States:
a. Annexed 10 states
c. Acquired Alaska
b. Doubled in size
d. Tripled in size
3. Who was the President of the United States at this time?
a. George Washington
c. James Monroe
b. Thomas Jefferson
d. James Madison
4. Who was sent to explore the newly purchased Louisiana Territory?
a. Jackson and Calhoun
c. Lewis and Clark
b. Lincoln and Hamlin
d. Wilson and Sherman
5. The purpose of the their expedition was to:
a. Find gold
b. Map a route to the Pacific Ocean
c. Build a city
d. Explore the Mississippi River
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Attachment B
Post-Assessment
Directions: Create an eight to ten page journal that includes the perspectives of historical figures,
maps and a time line.
Requirements:
1. At least one page explaining the impact of the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark
expedition from the perspective of an American citizen and one page explaining the impact from
the perspective of an American Indian from one of the tribes Lewis and Clark encountered.
(total of two pages/ one page for each perspective)
2. Using an 1803 historical outline map, accurately place four stops Lewis and Clark made together
going to the Pacific Ocean. Also, place at least two stops for Lewis and two stops for Clark when
they traveled separately on their return trips to Missouri. (one page)
3. Using a United States outline map, identify and label the 13 states developed from the Louisiana
Purchase. (one page)
4. Using a United States outline map, correctly label the line drawn as a result of the Missouri
Compromise. Shade the slave states blue and the free states red. (one page)
5. Create a time line with at least fifteen relevant facts that took place during the Louisiana
Purchase and Lewis and Clark’s expedition. Describe each event in at least one full sentence
using the vocabulary words studied. (one page)
Sample Table of Contents
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
American Citizen Perspective
American Indian Perspective
Student Drawn Map of Lewis and Clark Routes
U.S. Map of States Formed From Louisiana Purchase
U.S. Map of States That Were Admitted as Free or Slave
A Time Line With 15 Events
This is a general table of contents showing how your journal should be arranged. You are allowed to
add up to three more pages of content that will be graded as extra credit.
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Attachment C
Post-Assessment Rubric
American
Citizen
Perspective
American
Indian
Perspective
Map of Lewis
and Clark
Routes
Map of
Louisiana
Purchase
Map of Slave
and Free
States
Time Line
4
Uses the proper
perspective and
accurate details to
explain the impact
of both events on
citizens.
Uses the proper
perspective and
accurate details to
explain the impact
of both events on
American Indians.
Accurately labels
and illustrates the
routes taken by
Lewis and Clark.
The map includes
color and a key.
Accurately labels
the 13 states
formed from the
Louisiana
Purchase. The map
includes color and
a key.
3
Uses the proper
perspective to
accurately explain
the impact of both
events on citizens.
2
Uses the proper
perspective to
somewhat explain
the impact of both
events on citizens.
1
Inaccurately
explains the
impact of both
events on
citizens.
Uses the proper
perspective to
accurately explain
the impact of both
events on
American Indians.
Accurately labels
and illustrates the
routes taken by
Lewis and Clark.
Uses the proper
perspective to
somewhat explain
the impact of both
events on American
Indians.
Attempts to label
and illustrate the
routes taken by
Lewis and Clark.
Inaccurately
explains the
impact of both
events on
American
Indians.
Inaccurately
labels and
illustrates the
routes taken by
Lewis and Clark.
Accurately labels
the 13 states
formed from the
Louisiana
Purchase.
Attempts to label
the 13 states
formed from the
Louisiana
Purchase.
Inaccurately
labels the 13
states formed
from the
Louisiana
Purchase.
Accurately
identifies, labels
and colors the
36o30’ line and
slave and free
states. Map
includes a key.
Time line
accurately
describes 15
relevant events
with full sentences,
includes
appropriate
illustrations and
details.
Accurately
identifies the
36o30’ line and
slave and free
states.
Attempts to
identify the 36o30’
line and slave and
free states.
Inaccurately
identifies the
36o30’ line and
slave and free
states.
Time line
accurately
describes 15
relevant events
with full sentences.
Time line
accurately
describes less than
15 relevant events
with full sentences.
Time line
accurately
describes less
than seven
relevant events
with full
sentences.
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Attachment D
K-W-L Chart
Directions: Based on the topic given, list all of the things you already know and the things you
would like to learn during this lesson. At the end of your study, complete the last column with
information about what you have learned.
Topic: _______________________________
What I Know
What I Want To Know
What I Have Learned
10
My Ending
What Both
Endings have in
Common
Attachment E
Venn Diagram
Real Ending
What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Attachment F
Vocabulary and Key Dates
Key People
1. Napoleon Bonaparte- leader of France who had the most powerful army in Europe.
2. Jean Baptiste- son born to Sacagawea.
3. Toussaint Charbonneau- Sacagawea’s husband and French interpreter.
4. William Clark- co-captain of expedition.
5. George Drouillard- hunter, interpreter; extremely valuable to expedition.
6. Thomas Jefferson- President of the United States.
7. Meriwether Lewis- co-captain of the expedition.
8. Sacagawea-Shoshone interpreter and guide.
9. Seaman- M. Lewis’s dog.
10. York- Clark’s slave, a skilled hunter.
Vocabulary Terms and Places
1. ambassador- an authorized government representative.
2. artifact- an object remaining from a specific period or civilization.
3. astronomy- the study of objects and matter outside the earth's atmosphere, the study of the stars
and planets.
4. botany- a branch of biology dealing with plant life.
5. cache- a hiding place especially for concealing and preserving provisions or implements.
6. celestial navigation- using the stars to steer by.
7. compass- device used to determine direction.
8. conflict-a disagreement, fight, or war.
9. continental divide-an elevation of land that separates river systems flowing toward one side of a
continent from those flowing toward the other. In the western United States, it is formed by the
Rocky Mountains.
10. contiguous- touching along a boundary or at a point.
11. corps- a group of persons associated together or acting under common direction.
12. dilemma- a problem involving a difficult choice, a problem with no satisfactory solution.
13. expedition- a long journey or excursion undertaken for a specific purpose.
14. hardship- something that causes or entails suffering or privation.
15. interpreter- one who translates orally for parties conversing in different languages.
16. Louisiana Purchase- land purchased from France that doubled the size of the U.S.
17. Missouri Compromise- 1820 compromise that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a
free state. The land of the Louisiana territory was divided by a line at 36o30’N, allowing states
south of the line to permit slavery and states north of the line to be free states.
18. negotiate- to arrange for or bring about through conference, discussion, and compromise, to
make a deal.
19. provisions- a stock of needed materials or supplies.
20. specimen- a portion or quantity of material for use in testing, examination or study.
21. tributary- a smaller river flowing into a larger one.
22. voyageurs- French fur trappers, traders and river men.
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Attachment F (continued)
Vocabulary and Key Dates
Key Dates
17701774179718001801 1803-
1804-
1805-
1806-
1809181218131838-
William Clark is born in Virginia.
Meriwether Lewis is born in Virginia.
John Adams becomes President of the United States. Thomas Jefferson is Vice President.
Spain transfers Louisiana territory to France.
Thomas Jefferson becomes the third President of the United States.
Meriwether Lewis becomes President Jefferson’s personal secretary.
The United States purchases Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million.
Lewis is appointed to lead an expedition across the West.
Lewis travels to Philadelphia to study botany, zoology, celestial navigation and medicine.
Lewis invites William Clark to share command of the expedition.
Ceremonies are held in St. Louis formally transferring the Louisiana Territory from France
to United States.
The Lewis and Clark expedition leaves St. Louis.
Sergeant Charles Floyd becomes the expedition’s first death.
Expedition builds Fort Mandan and stays for the winter.
Lewis and Clark hire Toussaint Charbonneau, an interpreter, and his wife, Sacagawea, a
Shoshone Indian.
Sacagawea gives birth to a baby boy.
Expedition leaves Fort Mandan and travels west on the Missouri River.
Expedition has to travel on foot around the Great Falls.
Expedition arrives at Three Forks on the Missouri River.
The expedition crosses the Rocky Mountains.
In November, the expedition builds Fort Clatsop near the Pacific Ocean and stays for the
winter.
Expedition leaves Fort Clatsop and heads home.
On their return trip, the expedition splits into smaller groups. Clark takes a group down the
Yellowstone River and Lewis takes a shortcut to the Great Falls and then explores the
northern part of the Marias River.
The Expedition arrives in St. Louis on September 23, 1806.
Clark named Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Louisiana Territory.
Lewis is appointed Governor of the Louisiana Territory.
Lewis dies in Tennessee of a gunshot wound.
Sacagawea dies at Fort Manuel in what is now South Dakota.
Clark becomes Governor of the Missouri Territory.
Clark dies at the home of his son.
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Attachment G
Guided Research Questions
Directions: Research and write answers in full sentences to the following questions.
1. What land area did the Louisiana Purchase cover? What served as its boundaries to the north,
south, east and west?
2. How did the United States acquire the Louisiana Purchase? Explain the Constitutional issue
President Jefferson was concerned about.
3. List and briefly describe the key people involved in the Louisiana Purchase.
4. What happened to the size of the United States after the Louisiana Purchase? Why is this
significant in U.S. history?
5. Why did Jefferson send Lewis and Clark on their expedition? What was he hoping they could
find and why?
6. What were the names of some of the places Lewis and Clark explored? How long did the Lewis
and Clark expedition last?
7. What native peoples did Lewis and Clark encounter on their journey? What were those
interactions like?
8. What hardships did the expedition members endure? How did they overcome these?
9. What was the role of Sacagawea? How did she help the expedition to succeed?
10. Why did this expansion of the United States lead to conflicts among the states? What
compromise tried to resolve these conflicts in 1820?
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Attachment H
Historical Map Instructions
You will need two maps to complete this assignment: an historical outline map and an outline map
of the United States.
Directions: Using an historical outline map or blank map of North America, follow these
instructions to create a historical map of the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark’s expedition.
1. Before 1803, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River defined the United States eastern and
western boundaries. Label the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River on your map.
2. Label the mountain range that creates North America’s continental divide.
3. Label the territory that Napoleon sold to the United States to pay for his European wars.
4. Label the city where Lewis and Clark began their expedition.
5. Label the river(s) Lewis and Clark followed during their expedition.
6. Trace the route they used to travel to the Pacific Ocean.
7. Label the two places they created forts to stay in during the winters.
8. Use different colors to trace the different routes used on their return trip.
9. Label the areas where Lewis and Clark met different American Indian tribes.
10. Create a key for your map and title it.
Directions: Using an outline map of the United States, follow the instructions to create a map
showing the results of the Louisiana Purchase.
1. Mark the boundaries of the land purchased as part of the Louisiana Purchase.
2. Label the states that were formed from the Louisiana Territory.
3. Using a purple colored pencil, draw and label the 36o30’N line devised by the Missouri
Compromise in 1820.
4. Using a blue colored pencil, shade in the states that were able to become slave states.
5. Using a red colored pencil, shade in the states that were not able to become slave states.
6. Create a key for your map and title it.
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What’s The Deal? – Grade Eight
Attachment I
Graphic Organizer for Perspectives
Directions: Conduct research on the impact of the Lewis and Clark expedition on American Indians
and American citizens. How were the two groups impacted differently? After the expedition, how
did life for American Indians change? How was life for American citizens different? On each side of
this organizer, write about the impact the Lewis and Clark expedition had on the two groups. Use the
questions in the center to help you with your answers.
Impact of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Point to Consider
American
Citizens
1. What did each of
these groups have to
gain?
American
Indians
2. What did each of
these groups have to
lose?
3. What was the
relationship between
these two groups
after 1806?
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