INTRODUCTION

As we celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of the historic journey of Lewis & Clark go back in time and discover the challenges they and the Corps of Discovery faced in their quest to uncover the mysteries of the Louisiana Purchase. You will be viewing maps, primary source documents, as well as interactive games about their journey.

THE TASK

You will be visiting various websites on the Journey of Lewis & Clark. You are to learn all that you can about their journey and the significance of it. You will study the roles the various members of the Corps of Discovery played on the journey. You will have a chance to participate in an interactive game of the journey, making crucial decisions for your success. You will write a letter to Thomas Jefferson describing your part in the Lewis & Clark adventure.

By the end of the lesson you will have:

Visited several websites about the journey of Lewis & Clark.
Studied primary source documents on the journey of Lewis & Clark
Participated in an interactive game on the journey of Lewis & Clark.
Written a letter to Thomas Jefferson about your travels.

PROCESS

1. Go to the Lewis and Clark PBS website http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/ and take an overview of the site map. Your first task is to write ten good questions and answers from each of the following areas below:

Inside the Corps

Introduction
The Corps
To Equip and Expedition
Circa 1803
The Native Americans
The Archive
The Journals
A Timeline of the Trip
Maps
Living History

2. After you have completed your 10 questions, focus on the Living History. You will be divided into groups of four. Each person in your group should research one of the following people and answer the main question with supporting details:

a. Why was Lewis an ideal leader for the Corps of Discovery?

http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/living/idx_2.html

b. Why was William Clark such an asset for the Corps of Discovery?

http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/living/idx_3.html

c. How did Sacagawea aid the expedition?

http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/living/idx_4.html

d. How did York aid the expedition?

http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/living/idx_5.html

3. Discuss in your group the contributions of your character and the historical significance of the Lewis & Clark expedition.

4.Check the knowledge that you have acquired and play the Interactive Game, Into the Unknown http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/into/index.html Write down your choice each time you made a decision, and see if you can make it to the Pacific Ocean!

5. You now will visit the websites in Resources and gather more evidence on the role that your character played in the Lewis and Clark expedition and how this event changed history.

6 .Your final assignment is to report on the Lewis & Clark Expedition from your character’s point of view. Using the information you gather your report will take the form of a letter to Thomas Jefferson describing an event that happened on the journey by your character. Your letter should include the historical significance of the Lewis & Clark expedition.

RESOURCES

Here are the sites you will be using to research bout Lewis & Clark.

Lewis and Clark PBS http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/

Discovering Lewis and Clark http://www.lewis-clark.org/

Roster of the Expedition http://www.rootsweb.com/~genepool/lewiclar.htm

National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/lecl/

National Bicentennial Exhibition http://www.lewisandclarkexhibit.org/index_flash.asp

The History of the Lewis and Clark Expedition http://www.lewisandclark.org/history.htm

Lewis and Clark National Geographic http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/

Lewis and Clark Maps of Exploration http://www.lib.virginia.edu/speccol/exhibits/lewis_clark/introduction.html

Lewis and Clark's Historic Trail http://www.lewisclark.net/

Go West Across America With Lewis and Clark! http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/west/main.html

EVALUATION

Category	4	3	2	1	Score
Content	Information was accurate, detailed, and historically significant.	Information was mostly accurate with details, and historically significant.	Information was sometimes accurate, some details, and somewhat historically significant.	Information was not accurate, little or no details, and not historically significant.
Format	Letter contains heading, salutation, body, closing and signature	Letter contains most of the main parts of a letter.	Letter contains some of the main parts of a letter	Letter contains little or no main parts of a letter.
Organization	Main idea, many details, writing makes sense.	Main idea, need to add some details, some question as to the meaning of your letter.	Hints of a main idea, few details, little meaning behind your letter.	No main idea, need details that explain your letter.
Voice	Used a clear, voice easy to identify your character	Used voice most of the time could identify your character.	Used voice somewhat, uncertain of who your character is.	Little evidence of voice, confusion as to who your character is.

CONCLUSION

Congratulations for successfully explaining to Thomas Jefferson the importance of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the crucial role that your character played in history. Hopefully you made it to the Pacific Ocean and learned many things on the way. The Louisiana Purchase will never be the same!