Last updated: October 24, 2023
Lesson Plan
I’ll Take This, and I’ll Need That!
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Literacy and Language Arts,Math,Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 90 Minutes
- Thinking Skills:
- Remembering: Recalling or recognizing information ideas, and principles. Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.
Essential Question
What items did Lewis and Clark bring with them?
What is the difference between estimated and actual costs?
Objective
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
• List ten items the members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition took with them.
• Identify ten items needed for a field trip [possibly to Fort Clatsop].
• Understand the difference between estimated and actual costs.
• Compare Lewis and Clark’s estimate of expenses with the actual cost of the expedition.
Background
Meriwether Lewis and Thomas Jefferson made a list of supplies and equipment needed for the expedition and its cost. It was this estimated cost Jefferson presented to Congress, and it was this list's total of $2500.00 Congress approved for expedition expenses. Since these estimates were made well before Lewis actually started purchasing supplies and equipment, and he underestimated what would be needed the actual costs were quite different.
On the way to Philadelphia, Lewis stopped at Harper’s Ferry where he made arrangements for the army supplies needed. When he reached Philadelphia, he contacted the government purchasing agent Israel Whalen, Purveyor of Public Supplies. Between the two of them, they began filling Lewis' supply and equipment list. What wasn't available from the government's Schuylkill Arsenal, they purchased from local merchants. Before leaving the city, Lewis had spent $2160.00 of the approved amount. But that wasn't the end of his buying. When he got to St. Louis, records show he spent an additional $6500.00 for supplies, Indian presents and the services of Pierre Chouteau, one of that city's leading merchants. Many expedition expenses didn't show up on surviving lists because they were absorbed by the War Department of the United States government. So, for items like the keelboat, the pirogues and transportation of the supplies to Camp River DuBois, there is no actual known cost. The actual final known cost of the expedition has been computed at $38,722.25
Even though President Jefferson and Meriwether Lewis planned carefully and tried to think of everything the expedition would need, some important things were overlooked. Many of these items weren't included because neither Jefferson nor Lewis had any way of knowing these specific items would be needed. An example of this occurred at the portage around the Great Falls of the Missouri. Lewis had brought along a metal boat frame that, if needed, could be assembled and covered with animal skins. Since they left one of the pirogues below the falls, they now needed the extra boat. Once they'd put the frame together and stretched animal hides over it, they needed something to seal the seams. Nothing they had on-hand worked and the boat sunk. Not only were they forced to abandon this experimental boat, but they had to cache more of their supplies than they’d planned. As a result of this oversight, some other items were not available to them later when they were needed.
All throughout the journals of Lewis and Clark are entries indicating how important outfitting the Corps of Discovery was—both captains noted when they either ran out of an item or how glad they were they had brought a sufficient supply of an item.
| CATEGORY | Examples or explanation of items in the Categories | EST. COST | APPROX. ACT. COST |
| Mathematical Instruments | pocket compass or magnet | $217.00 | $420.00 |
| Arms, Ammunition, Accouterments | pocket pistols, powder horns, rifle flints, gun powder, sheets of lead | 81.00 | 220.00 |
| Camp Equipage | quills, powdered ink, paper, hand saws, tin candle molds, common tent, sauce pan | 255.00 | 235.00 |
| Medicine & packaging | tourniquet, Dr. Rush’s bilious pills, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon | 55.00 | 95.00 |
| Clothing | shoes, frocks, linen shirts, overalls, knapsacks and blankets | 00.00 | 315.00 |
| Means of Transportation | metal boat frame | 430.00 | 00.00 |
| Indian Presents | These items are covered in the Gifts and Trading unit | 696.00 | 3880.00 |
| Provisions extraordinary | items wanted that could have been done without—not really needed | 224.00 | 2115.00 |
| Materials to make up portable packs | 55.00 | 00.00 | |
| Pay for hunters, guides & interpreters | 300.00 | 1245.00 | |
| Contingencies | unexpected expenses which might come up | 87.00 | 2945.00 |
| In silver coin to defray expenses from Nashville to the last white settlement | 100.00 | 100.00 | |
| ---------------------------------- | -------------------------------- | $2,500.00 | $11,490.00 |
Preparation
Students should have their own journals or paper for this lesson.
Print out or display the handouts for the class.
Find web addresses of stores or have catalogs on hand.
Materials
Download Estimating Costs and Finding Actual Costs
Procedure
Procedure:
1. Discuss Meriwether Lewis and Thomas Jefferson’s list of supplies and equipment and their costs that was made while planning the expedition.
2. Whether or not your class is planning to visit Fort Clatsop, have the students prepare for a three-day field trip.
- While working in pairs or groups, have students brainstorm and list in their journals what they will need on the day of the field trip. This should be as detailed as possible. For example, have them list every food item (sandwich, drink, cookies, etc.) that should be in their lunches instead of just writing "lunch."
- Then have them share their entries as the teacher lists them.
- Review proper rain gear/warm clothing, food, pencils, journals, permission slips, etc.
- Once they have a list of items, have the students estimate cost of each item and prepare an estimated total for their trip.
- Using the internet, catalogs or a trip to a local store, find the actual price of the items, and then determine the actual total cost.
- Using the Buying Supplies handout, have them list what they will take along.
- Using the Estimating Costs and Finding Actual Costs handout, once they have a list of items, have them list which items they’ll need to buy and estimate how much each item costs.
- Next, using the internet, catalogs or a trip to the store, find the actual price of the items. Then total how much the supplies would cost.
Assessment Materials
Evaluation
1. Discuss with students the preparations made by the captains.
- Do the students think the captains were well-prepared for the trip?
- Did the captains think of everything?
- Did the students have a similar experience?
- What was the difference between their estimated and actual costs?
- Discuss why estimates of expenses are different from actual costs.