Curriculum Materials

The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Educator's Resource Guide

"We proceeded on..." were words repeated throughout the journey of the Corps of Volunteers for Northwest Discovery (also known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition) as they headed west in search of a water route to the Pacific Ocean. This journey is truly an amazing feat lasting over two years and covering thousands of miles through territory unexplored to this time by anyone other than American Indians and fur traders.

What made this expedition a success? Was it the foresight of President Jefferson and the timing of the Louisiana Purchase? Or was it the detailed advanced planning and preparation by Captain Meriwether Lewis? Or was it the tremendous cooperation and respect existing between the two captains and their men? Or was it the generous help given them by the many American Indians? Or was it a combination of all these factors? Whatever your answer, the lesson plans below begin your exploration of this historic journey which still has great impacts today.

Objectives

The objectives of this guide are to:

1. Provide teachers with interdisciplinary materials about the Fort Clatsop site of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park and the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
2. Acquaint students with the Lewis and Clark Expedition and Fort Clatsop through a variety of lessons and activities.
3. Develop within students an appreciation of the importance of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and its discoveries, in the development of the United States.

How to use the curriculum material

This Guide is organized according to Lewis and Clark National Historical Park’s five interpretive themes:

Explaining Why. The Lewis and Clark Expedition’s mission reflects a variety of motivations –personal adventure and discovery, nation building, scientific inquiry, and cultivations of new commercial opportunities.

The Influence of Geography. The geographic factors that broadly categorize the confluence of the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean have shaped the cultural adaptations of Native peoples to the area for thousands of years, and profoundly influenced the survival strategies undertaken by the Lewis and Clark Expedition during their winter encampment.

Through the Human Lens. The human diversity represented by members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the tribes that live in the region of the expedition’s winter encampment, and even the traders that frequented the Pacific Ocean provide differing perspectives on natures, culture, and personal interactions.

Through the Natural Lens. Many of the plant and animals observed by Lewis and Clark during their stay at Fort Clatsop can still be observed and accessed at the park despite the fact that habitats and landscapes have undergone dramatic changes and natural processes have been modified.

Observing Impacts. Although the Lewis and Clark Expedition proved to be a watershed events in the continental expansion of the United States, it was only one of many factors that triggered change in the lives of regional Native peoples, including the Clatsop, Chinook, Nehalem band of Tillamook, Wahkiakum, and Cathlamet. The natural environments inhabited by these peoples at the mouth of the Columbia River also underwent marked changes in the aftermath of the expedition.

Lessons have been selected to represent each theme. Each lesson plan contains the following sections:

Subject: Indicates to which interdisciplinary subjects this lesson plan relates.

Duration: This estimated time depends on the level of the students doing the work, the time you, the classroom teacher, has to give to the material and how many of the “Procedures” you choose to have the students complete. Thus the “Duration” listed is strictly an estimate.

Location: Suggestion for where you can do this activity.

When: Whether this activity should be completed before, during or after your visit to Fort Clatsop.

Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson plan, the students should have accomplished the objectives listed here.

Materials: What you will need to complete the activity as it is written. Certain items listed will need to be obtained before beginning the lesson.

Background: This information is for you, the educator. You may share this section with your students—by reading it to them or having them read it—if you feel it is appropriate. Each section includes more “Background” information. Hopefully the accumulation of information provided will be adequate for your purposes and assists you to complete the lessons with your students.

Procedure: Instructions for this lesson plan.

Evaluation: Here are some suggestions on how you may evaluate your students’ success in understanding the concepts and objectives introduced.

Please feel free to adapt the lesson plans to meet your own specific needs. You may decrease or increase the difficulty or amount of “Background” information depending on the skill-level of your class.