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Defining US: The American Experience
FCPS Teaching American History Grant
LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Subject: Lewis and Clark Expedition Contributions to Western Expansion Grade: Sixth
Prepared by: Ms. Barbara A. Hacker
School: Terra Centre Elementary
Title or Topic: A Differentiated Way through “Think Dots” to Explore the Contributions of Lewis and
Clark 1803- 1805
Instructional Time: 5 Class Periods of Language Arts and Social Studies blocks
PART I.-CONTEXT
1. Essential Learning: (Big picture/concept to be learned.)
The students will classify new species and compare the contributions of Natural Resources found during
the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Other students will investigate and research the Capital, Natural and
Human Resources of the American Indians that were met along the trail. Since the 19th Century another
group will identify the Natural, Capital, Intermediary and Human Resources that the area of the
Louisiana Territory has offered through the 20th Century to present day. The fourth group will
investigate the characteristics of Lewis and Clark’s Corp and their supplies. Through the use of music,
poetry and dance another group will chronologically express the main events of the expedition. A sixth
group will show the trails of Lewis and Clark through the use of mind maps / murals to depict the
overland routes that moved the U.S. frontier to the Pacific Ocean during the later parts of the 19th
Century.
2. Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL): (Identify by number and descriptor.)
USI. 8 The students will demonstrate knowledge of westward expansion and reform in America from
1801 – 1861.
3. Fairfax County Program of Studies (POS): (Identify by number and descriptor.)
Grade 6
6.1.1 -…acquire historical knowledge and understanding of the growth of the United States…
6.1.3 -…examine contributions and achievements of individuals…
6.2.1 -…conduct research and gather a variety of information…
6.2.2 -…organize, analyze and communicate information about the growth of United States …
6.5.1 -…analyze the relevance of historical antecedents and their effects on later…
6.7.1 -…examine the influence of major geographic features on the cultural development …
6.7.2 -…assess how geographical variations (climate, soil, natural resources) helped shape…
6.9.1 -…analyze different perspectives on significant issues in American history
4. National History Standard (Historical Thinking Standard)
1. Chronological Thinking
2. Create time lines
3. Historical comprehension
4. Reconstruct literal meaning from historical passage
5. Draw upon historical maps
6. Use visual data
7. Historical Analysis and Interpretation
8. Consider multiple perspective
9. Hypothesize about influences of the past
10. Gather needed knowledge of time and place to construct a story explanation or narrative
5.
Learning Strategy(s) Objectives:
1. Students will be able to:
 Explain incentives that led people to explore
 Identify the “West” as defined following the Revolutionary War
 Explain that, over time, the location of the West changed for Americans
 Explain that the East was becoming overcrowded and resources became limited –
the West offered new and plentiful resources
 Explain the importance of the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans
 Develop questions that would be prepared for to investigate a new area such as a
trip to the moon
 Explain the “Hierarchy of Survival”
 Develop a time line of dates and events leading up to the Lewis and Clark
Expedition
 Define trade and opportunity cost
 Give examples of opportunity cost and incentives
 Define economic value and price
 Explain that economic value of something depends on both its desirability and
scarcity
 Develop guidelines for picking expedition crew and decide on special skills each
crew member needed to have to serve as human resources
 Decide on capital resources and intermediary resources necessary for
expedition
 Describe how the American Indians met by the Lewis and Clark Expedition used
their environment to obtain food, clothing, and shelter.
 Make connections between the past and the present
Connection to TAH grant:
Content: Use of primary resources and lectures from The American History Grant Cohort III
 Method to explore different resources and internet sites
 Presentation of material will correspond to the students’ learning styles
 Notes from Dr. Herman Viola (The National Museum of the American Indian
3/16/05)
o Dr. Viola is an Honorary member of the Crow Tribe
o Personal account of the benefits of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Bites from Dr. Elliot West, Historian, April 6th,2005, Manifest Destiny and the
“Dream”
Pedagogy: Methods of grouping and presenting materials and information
 Jigsaw
o Grouping with different secondary resources to read and compare
information that will fit with their Thinking Dot project
 Thinking Dots
o Students will look at all the Thinking Dot colored cards and make a
selection of the final project they will complete during the five day period
 Internet
o Some students will investigate multiple American History sites to copy
and paste graphics for their final project
o All students will complete the Summary Sheet that will account for the
Historical Events and Significance this Expedition’s Discoveries and how
it influenced the Westward Movement Era.
PART II.
1. Assessment:
Attachment #1
o EXPERT SHEET: Students will document natural resources found for Think Dot One project.
Attachment #2
o SUMMARY SHEET: Historical Events and the Significance will be summarize by each
student
Attachment #3
o RUBRIC: During oral presentation of their Think Dot Project assessment will be taken for each
area:
o Product Content
o Display of Chart, Journal of Graphs and Murals or Mind Map
o Rhythmic and / or Dramatic Performance
2. Instructional Strategies:
o Opener: What action should the United States take?
 A. Offer to buy the city of New Orleans from France so that American farmers
can export their goods from that port.
 B. Threaten to go to war if France does not hand over New Orleans to the United
States
 C. Offer to buy all of the Louisiana Territory, including New Orleans, so that the
French are no longer a threat to the United States.
 Explain Thomas Jefferson’s choice…
o Why did Americans want to explore Western Land?
o Floor drawing of United States divided into sections
o Students stand in section one (NE area)…More students crowd into section one
o Students then move into SE section two … More students crowd into section two
o As students crowd into Eastern areas all students are pushed West
o Read Aloud
o Seaman’s Journal On the Trail with Lewis and Clark, by Patricia Reeder Eubank
o Review “Hierarchy of Survival” previously taught as a survival strategy.
o Break Out Sessions into Think Dot Groups for Jigsaw
o Students will revisit their choices on the Multiple Intelligence Survey
o Students sort and read through different non fiction resources to discover books that they
will refer back to for reference
o Choose Think Dot Project Group that they wish to be a part of for the 5 day lesson
o Laptops will be brought into classroom for research
o Think Dot One:
o Students will investigate primary sources for drawings of Natural Resources
that the Corp of Discovery discovered. They will note the categories and analyze the details
that the explorers wrote down as they discovered new natural resources of the Louisiana
Territory.
o Prior to the lesson, I will teach them how to read the Field Book of Natural History, by
E. Laurence Palmer (Professor of Nature and Science Education, Cornell University, Director
of Nature Education for Nature Magazine).
o Students will use an EXPERT SHEET on the computer to copy and paste 20 primary
source drawings from the Lewis and Clark Expedition
o Student “Scientists” will draw a map of an unfamiliar park in Burke Lake Park prior to
exploring it for natural resources. This will simulate the drawings of William Clark prior
to his investigation of the Louisiana Territory.
o Student “Scientists” will meet me at Burke Lake Park to hike through the park and collect
various natural resources.
o An EXPERT SHEET will be filled in to keep a record of findings. Investigation and
observation of the objectives will help them to identify their characteristics and
significance.
o Students will report and show a display to the class and summarize the historical events
of Lewis and Clark’s treasure of discoveries and their significance to inspire others to
move Westward.
o Think Dot Two:
o Students will research and investigate through the use of the internet and secondary
books and periodicals the Natural, Capital, Intermediary and Human Resources that
Lewis and Clark discovered on their Expedition of 1803 – 1805.
o Students will identify that the Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled through the current
day states of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana,
Idaho, Washington and Oregon.
o Students will compare the resources found by the Lewis and Clark Expedition and found
today in those areas.
o Students will make resource maps that are hand generated or generated through Publisher
or Power Point. Use of graphics will enhance their maps.
o Each student will discriminate between the natural, capitol, intermediary and human
resources found in both eras of study.
o Students will report and show maps to the class. Afterwards they will summarize the
historical events of Lewis and Clark’s findings of resources and their significance to
inspire others to move Westward.
o Think Dot Three:
o Each will make connections between the past and the present
o Through research of the Natural Resources found during the expedition the students will
conclude that rich resources drew in commerce for the fur trade and many other
merchants.
o After studying the early resources of the area students will research the current day
resources and production of the area today.
o They will compare the production sales of the 20th Century to the production sales of the
present.
o Students will graph using Excel or hand drawn graphs to represent the growth or decline
from 1900 to the present
o They will add a cover to their final product and download graphics about the land and
location of the Natural Resources / Capital Resources and Intermediary Resources.
o Students will report and show maps to the class. Afterwards they will summarize the
historical events of Lewis and Clark’s findings of resources and their significance to
inspire others to move Westward.
o Think Dot Four:
o Students will investigate the biographies of the Lewis and Clark Corp of Discovery crew
members and the First Americans who they met.
o The students will report on the supplies they took with them for the two year expedition
and the goods bartered or traded by the Explorers and the First Americans.
o Students will show the Incentives brought on the Expedition to use in bartering or
trading. Students will also explain that Opportunity Costs were a constant for both the
Corp of Discovery and the American Indians.
o Students will differentiate between the terms Barter and Trade
o Each of the students will role play by pretending to be a character of the Corp of
Discovery or Lewis and Clark and a present day News Reporter who will interview the
explorer.
o Students will explore the “Point of View” (which was observed through the reading of
Seaman’s Journal On the Trail with Lewis and Clark, as our read aloud at the
beginning of this lesson).
o Students will present their performance to the class. Afterwards they will summarize the
historical events of Lewis and Clark’s findings of resources and their significance to
inspire others to move Westward.
o Think Dot Five:
o Students will chronologically in a Time Line display the events, people, land, location
and many contributions to America from the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
o They will search the internet for graphics of maps, resources, people and other
contributions that document the two year tour of The Corps of Discovery under the
guidance of Lewis and Clark, 1803 -1805.
o Students will display the time line and write lyrics to a song, rap or a poem or a
dance that will chronically show the events and contributions of this historical
expedition.
o Students will present their performance to the class. Afterwards they will summarize the
historical events of Lewis and Clark’s findings of resources and their significance to
inspire others to move Westward.
o Think Dot Six
o Students will research through primary resources on the internet and in books the trails of
the Lewis and Clark Expedition
o Some students will research through other secondary resources the maps of the old trails.
o Through Power Point Presentations, cut paper murals or Mind Maps they will display the
old trails.
o A comparison will be researched to show the later 19th Century Overland Trials and
finally the students will show Interstate Road Maps of today to see how the change to
safe routes.
o Students will also research and show the Natural Resources and Capital Resources that
moved Americans across the frontier to the Pacific Ocean.
o Students will present their performance to the class. Afterwards they will summarize the
historical events of Lewis and Clark’s findings of resources and their significance to
inspire others to move Westward.
3. Materials/Resources to be used:
o Glossary of Terms – The Louisiana Expansion
o American Library of Congress Site American Memories
o Internet sites from GT Site on 24 / 7 of the FCPS site
o Secondary Reference Books and Magazines
4. Differentiation:
o Free Choice to pick Think Dot Project
o Opportunity to work in their own Multi-Intelligence Group with a project that fits their style
o Research with a partner
o “Lunch Bunch” and after school help for those students who need help
5.
Annotated Bibliography:
o Seaman’s Journal On the Trail with Lewis and Clark, Patricia Reeder Eubank, Ideas
Children’s Books, Nashville, TN, 2002, ISBN 0-8249-5442-4
o Seaman’s Journal is an account of that expedition as seen from the viewpoint of
the dog, Seaman. His preparations for the trip as he helps pack food and
supplies, including trinkets they took to give away. Meet the Native American
guides and friends they encountered along the way. Read Seaman’s account of
grizzly bears, buffalos, and even kidnappers - of Seaman!
o Lewis and Clark, Voices from the Trail, Michael Kerrigan, Barnes and Noble Books,
New York, 2004, ISBN 0-7607-5314-8
o A stunningly illustrated book tells the story of the remarkable Lewis and Clark
Expedition in the words of the explorers themselves. It mixes the old with the
new by using reproductions of etchings and paintings with photographs of the
area today. It explains that even thought Lewis and Clark didn’t find the
Northwest Passage they did find valuable information that would help the next
generation to ship freight upriver and over the Western mountains to the coast
beyond. This was a viable way through to the Pacific that would open up
America to Asian trade.
o How We Crossed the West The Adventures of Lewis and Clark, Rosalyn Schanzer,
National Geographical Society, Washington, D.C., 2002, ISBN 0-7922-6776-5
o The story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition written in journal writing as if
spoken from the explorers themselves. Colorful, action-filled pictures and a text
drawn from the actual journals and letters written by Lewis and Clark and
members of the expedition. Easy reading for young readers.
o LEWIS and CLARK on the Trail of Discovery – The Journey that Shaped America, A
Museum in a Book, Rod Gragg, Rutledge Hill Press, 2003, ISBN 1-4016-0076-0075-1
o Through the use of reproductions of the original letters written between Thomas
Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and their Corps of Discovery
Explorers the author of this book gives a vivid and inspiring account of this two
year expedition. The letter Meriwether Lewis wrote to his mother reassuring
her of the importance and safety of his mission is moving. The code Thomas
Jefferson provided to Lewis for sending a secret message. It says…The Lewis
and Clark expedition’s greatest achievement was its impact on the American
people.
o For Beyond Lewis & Clark – The Army Explores the West, Washington State
Historical Society in association with the Virginia Historical Society, Kansas Historical
Society, Frontier Army Musuem, a pamphlet, 2004
o Easy to read and vivid with articles that give time lines, vocabulary definitions,
specialists definitions, and descriptive articles about Jefferson decision to select
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and the Corps of Discovery to explore and
discover a wealth of information leading to a route to the Pacific. It gives
articles that explain the incentives sent with the Expedition. Various points of
view of the American Indians that were closed out of the West because of the
future pioneers who would settle this area.
o Everything You Need to Know About American History Homework, A Desk Reference
for Students and Parents, Anne Zeman and Kate Kelly, Scholastic, 1997, ISBN 0-59049393-9
Internet Sites:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammen/gmdhome.html
http://www.besthistorysites.net/
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/usa.html
http://home.comcast.net/~dboals1/boals.html