Exploration and Environments

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Exploration and Environments

Grade Level: First Grade

Written by: Erin Frerichs, The Fourth Presbyterian School, Potomac, MD Length of Unit: 12 Lessons

I.

ABSTRACT

This unit introduces the students to the expansion of America during the turn of the 19th_century.

The lessons begin with Daniel Boone, the Wilderness Trail, and the Louisiana Purchase. The remaining eight lessons focus on the expedition of Lewis and Clark. These lessons combine the historical details of the journey of Lewis and Clark with an overview of animals and their habitats. While students follow Lewis and Clark's journey across the different regions of the United States, they also learn about the plants and animals within each of these regions.

II.

OVERVIEW

A.

Concept Objectives

1.

The student will recognize why people/civilizations move. They will compare and connect the early expansion of America to other periods in history when people/civilizations have moved.

2.

Humans can adjust to different environments while most animals are made only to live in a specific type of environment.

B.

Content from the Core Knowledge Sequence

1.

Geography of America in the late 1700’s / early 1800’s (p.159 and 171)

2.

Daniel Boone and the Wilderness Trail (pp.171-172)

3.

The Louisiana Purchase (pp.172-173)

4.

Introduction to Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery (p.173)

5.

Forest habitat (pp271-272 and pp.277-278)

6.

Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery begin their journey on the Missouri River (p. 173)

7.

River habitat (pp. 276-278)

8.

Prairie habitat (p. 271 and 279)

9.

Sacagawea (p. 174)

10.

Mountain habitats (p.271)

11.

Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery reach the Pacific coast. (p. 279)

12.

Coastal habitats (p. 271 and 276)

C.

Skill Objectives

1.

The student will demonstrate basic map reading skills, including reading and making a map legend.

2.

The student will identify major geographical features important to the United States in the early 1800’s.

III.

BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

A.

For Teachers

1.

Hedstrom, Deborah From East to West with Lewis and Clark. Questar Publishers, 1996. ISBN 1-57673-066-2

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1.

Students should be familiar with basic American geography. They should be able to identify the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and Washington D.C. as the capital city.

2.

Students should be familiar with the American Revolution – especially how America gained its independence from England, its relationship with France, and the fact that Thomas Jefferson was an important American leader.

IV. RESOURCES

A. Bennett, William J. The Children’s Book of America New York. Simon & Schuster, 1998. ISBN 0684849305

B. Bowen, Andy Russel The Back of Beyond: A Story about Lewis and Clark. The Lerner Publishing Group, 1997. ISBN 1-57505-224-5

C. Buckley, Susan and Burt, Barbara Appleseeds: Growing Up on the Oregon Trail. Cobblestone Publishing Company, 1999.

D. Sneed, Collard. Our Natural Home. Watertown, MA, 1996. ISBN 0881069299 E. Gleiter, Jan and Thompson, Kathleen First Biographies: Sacagawea. Steck-Vaughn

Company, 1995. ISBN 0-8114-84534-X

F. Greene, Carol. Daniel Boone: Man of the Forests. Children’s Press

G. Hewitt, Sally It’s Science: All Kinds of Habitats. New York: Children's Press, 1999. ISBN 0516211811

H. Hirsch, Jr. E.D. What Your First Grader Needs To Know: Fundamentals of a Good

First-Grade Education. New York: Dell Publishing, 1991. (p. 171-175)

I. Hirsch, E.D., Jr. Pearson Learning-Core Knowledge History and Geography: Exploring the

West (student and teacher guides) Parsippany, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc., 2002

ISBN 0-7690-5011-5

J. Kroll, Steven Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the American West. New York: Holiday House ISBN 0-8234-1034-X

K. Landau, Elaine Grassland Mammals New York: Children's Press, 1996. ISBN 0516200399 L. Lauber, Patricia Who Eats What? New York: HarperCollins, 1995. ISBN 0060229829 M. Wright, Alexandra. At Home in the Tide Pool. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 1992. ISBN N. Miller, Debbie S. River of Life. New York: Clarion Books, 2000. ISBN 0395967902 O. Milton, Joyce Sacajawea: He True Story. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 2001 ISBN

0448425394

P. Pringle, Laurence Dog of Discovery: A Newfoundland’s Adventures with Lewis and Clark Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press, Inc., 2002. ISBN 1590780280

Q. Schanzer, Rosalyn How We Crosssed the West: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark. Scholastic, 1997. ISBN 0-590-63523-9

R. Streissguth, Tom Daniel Boone Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 2002. ISBN 1-57505-520-1

S. Stille, Darlene R. Grasslands. New York: Children's Press, 1999. ISBN 0516215094 T. Tresselt, Alvin R. The Gift of a Tree. New York: Lothrop, 1992. ISBN 0688106846

V.

LESSONS

Lesson One: Geography of America in 1775

A.

Daily Objectives

1.

Concept Objective

a.

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a.

Map reading skills

a. cardinal directions (North, South, East, West) b. map legends

b.

Geography Review a. North America

b. Atlantic and Pacific Oceans c. Original 13 colonies

c.

New Geography

a. The Appalachian Mountains b. Kentucky

c. The Wilderness Road

3.

Skill Objectives

a.

The student will become familiar with map legends.

b.

The student will identify the Appalachian Mountains.

c.

The student will fill in parts of their map with accuracy.

B.

Materials

1.

A large world map

2.

A black-line transparency map of the United States

3.

Black-line maps of the United States for each student

4.

Overhead projector and colored overhead markers

5.

A map legend for each student and one copied onto an overhead sheet (Appendix 1)

6.

Crayons and pencils for each student

C.

Key Vocabulary

1.

map legend – a key that shows the meaning of symbols on a map

D.

Procedures/Activities

1.

Start by having the students look at a large world map. Review the 7 continents and the major oceans.

2.

Review or introduce a compass rose and cardinal directions. Tell the students that west is the most important direction to remember for the lessons in this unit.

3.

Use the large world map to review or introduce what a map legend is. Point out

the symbols for mountains, rivers, roads, and capital cities.

4.

Pass out the black-line maps and the blank map legend (Appendix 1). Have the students get out their crayons and a pencil.

5.

Complete the transparency map as their children complete their black line map. (Directions are below.)

a.

First, label the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

b.

Outline the original 13 colonies in red.

c.

Put mountain symbols on Appalachian Mountains. (^ ^ ^ ^ ^)

d.

Label North Carolina with NC and color it yellow (This is where Daniel Boone was from, which will be introduced in the next lesson).

e.

Label Kentucky with KY and color it light green.

f.

Mark the Wilderness Road using dashes from North Carolina over the Appalachian Mountains to Kentucky. (The Wilderness Road will also be discussed in the next lesson).

g.

Fill in the cardinal directions on the compass rose at the bottom of the map.

6.

Use Appendix 1 to create a legend for the map. Remind your students that a legend is used to help people read the symbols on a map.

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a.

Draw a red line on the line next to “The Original 13 Colonies.” Draw a star on the line next to “Washington, D.C.” Put mountain symbols next to “The Appalachian Mountains.” Put a yellow line next to “North Carolina.” Put a light green line next to “Kentucky.” Put a dashed line next to “The Wilderness Road.”

7.

Remind the students that this is what America looked like in 1775.

E.

Assessment/Evaluation

1.

Have students present their maps to a partner by explaining how to read the legend and by pointing out each labeled part. While students are presenting their maps to a peer, walk around the classroom and informally assess the students’ knowledge of the lesson (See Appendix 2).

Lesson Two: Daniel Boone and the Wilderness Road

A.

Daily Objectives

1.

Concept Objective

a.

2.

Lesson Content

a.

Farming was important to the people living in the 13 colonies, but in the 1770’s the colonies were getting too crowded to support the number of people who wanted to farm.

b.

Daniel Boone was a rough and tough man who went West by blazing a trail through the Appalachian Mountains to make Wilderness Road.

c.

Many people traveled on the Wilderness Road to get to Kentucky and

further west.

3.

Skill Objectives

a.

The students will recall that Daniel Boone blazed a trail toward the West that many settlers used.

B.

Materials

1.

one hula hoop for each child (or one for every two to three children)

2.

Pearson Learning-Core Knowledge History and Geography: Exploring the West

and teacher guide

3.

What Your First Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch

4.

Daniel Boone by Tom Streissguth

C.

Key Vocabulary

1.

wilderness – land that very few people live on

2.

frontier – land that hasn’t been explored or settled yet

3.

settlers – people who go to live on the frontier

4.

trailblazer – someone who leads the way through a unknown land

D.

1. Briefly review the history of the American colonies from the early 1700’s to 1775, especially discussing the number of people that immigrated to the colonies during this time.

2. Discuss the difference in economies from 1775 to 2002. (Today each family is less reliant on farming—we can buy our food from a grocery store. We don’t grow our own food. We live close to our neighbors because we don’t need a lot of land to grow our crops).

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3. Demonstrate and conclude that the colonies were getting too crowded for everyone to have enough land to farm.

a. Today we can live close together and there is enough space, just as we are all sitting close together in our classroom. Remind the students about the large amount of space that each family needed for farming in 1775.

b. Give each child (or group of children) a hula hoop. This represents the amount of land each family needed to farm.

c. Let the children try to move around the room. They will bump into each other and have to overlap hula hoops. There isn’t enough room!

d. What is the solution? Send some families (hula hoops) outside or into the hallway. This is what happened in the colonies in the 1770’s. People moved west.

4. Why else did people want to go west? Why did we go to the moon? Why do people climb Mount Everest? Why do people explore deep into the ocean? People love taking challenges; we love the mystery of exploring new places; we love adventures.

5. Read from Pearson Learning-Core Knowledge History and Geography:

Exploring the West. Show the children the pictures from the book while reading

aloud to them from the teacher guide. In the teacher guide read pages 4 and 5 which give the history of Daniel Boone and the Wilderness Road.

6. Read “America Grows” from What Your First Grader Needs to Know (pp. 171-172)

7. If you have time read Daniel Boone by Tom Streissguth.

8. Review on a map the original 13 colonies, the Appalachian Mountains, the Wilderness Road and Kentucky.

9. Define and review the vocabulary for this lesson. a. wilderness, frontier, trailblazer, and settler

10. Place Daniel Boone’s role in the Wilderness Road in history (1775) in relation to the Declaration of Independence.

11. Conclude that the Wilderness Road was an important gateway to the west that pioneers traveled looking for a place to settle.

E.

1.

The teacher will observe informally that the student has an understanding why Daniel Boone and other settlers wanted to go west.

2.

The teacher will observe informally that the student is gaining knowledge of early American geography. (A formal assessment will be given in Lesson Four.) Lesson Three: The Louisiana Purchase

A.

Daily Objectives

1.

Concept Objectives

a.

b.

The student will develop a sense of historical empathy as they wrestle with the displacement of Native American tribes after the Louisiana Purchase.

2.

Lesson Content

a.

In 1803 Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd_{president of the US, purchased the area}

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b.

It was called Louisiana after the French King Louis.

c.

The Louisiana Purchase more than doubled the size of the United States.

d.

Many Native American tribes lived on this land when it was sold.

3.

Skill Objectives

a.

The student will show the ability to locate the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Mississippi River.

b.

The student will begin the process of memorizing “The Louisiana

Purchase Chant.” (Appendix 3)

B.

Materials

1.

A black-line transparency map of the United States

2.

Overhead projector and colored pens

3.

Blank black-line maps of the United States for each student (These were started in Lesson 1.)

4.

Map Legend (Appendix 1)

5.

Crayons and a pencil for each student

6.

Pearson Learning-Core Knowledge History and Geography: Exploring the West

7.

What Your First Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch

8.

Growing Up on the Oregon Trail by Susan Buckley

C.

Key Vocabulary

1.

purchase – to buy something

2.

bargain - to buy something and pay a lot less than it is worth

D.

1.

Teach and discuss a brief history of France’s influence on the U.S. (In 1541 Spanish explorers traveled the Mississippi River in search of gold; in1682 French explorer LaSalle claimed the entire Mississippi Valley for France, named it after King Louis XIV, and it became a French colony.)

2.

To teach about the Louisiana Purchase read selections from books.

a.

Read from Pearson Learning-Core Knowledge History and Geography:

Exploring the West teacher guide. Read pp. 7-9.

b.

Read “What a Bargain! The Louisiana Purchase,” p. 172 and the first paragraph on page 173 from, What Your First Grader Needs to Know.

3.

Pass out the black-line maps and paper. Have the students get out their crayons

and a pencil.

4.

Complete the transparency map as their children complete their black line map.

a.

Trace the Mississippi River with a blue crayon.

b.

Label New Orleans and mark it with an orange crayon.

c.

Color the area included in the Louisiana Purchase dark green.

5.

Review all areas of the map with the students.

6.

Introduce and practice the Louisiana Purchase Chant with the students to review content learned in this lesson (See Appendix 3).

7.

Finally, to discuss Native American issues that proceeded the Louisiana Purchase read “A Different Story,” pp. 16-18, Growing Up on the Oregon Trail by Susan Buckley.

E.

1.

Review student maps for accuracy.

2.

Students will be formally assessed on the content of this lesson at the end of Lesson Four.

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Lesson Four: Introduction to Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery

A.

Daily Objectives

1.

Concept Objective

a.

2.

Lesson Content

a.

Thomas Jefferson wanted to explore the West for three reasons: a. He was curious about what the West was like.

b. He was hoping to find a river that flowed from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

c. He wanted to make contact with the Native Americans that lived in the land that now was part of the United States of America.

b.

Thomas Jefferson chose Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to lead an

expedition to explore the West.

c.

Lewis and Clark assembled a team of other men who were willing to go exploring with them. This team was called the Corps of Discovery.

3.

Skill Objectives

a.

The student will fill out the first two pages of their journal with accuracy (Appendix 5).

b.

The student will recall the main content covered in Lessons One through Four in an oral assessment (Appendix 6).

B.

Materials

1.

Appendix 4 – Review Questions by Lesson

2.

Maps and legends from Lessons One and Three

3.

Student “Expedition Journals” (Appendix 5) When photocopying from the Appendix, if possible, photocopy the front cover of the journal on parchment paper so that the journal appears to be old and weather-beaten. Teachers will also need to hand-draw maps of the United States or photo copy a reduced black line map on pages 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 14 of the Journal.

4.

copy of “Expedition Journals” on transparency paper

C.

Key Vocabulary

1.

expedition – a trip to discover something

2.

Northwest Passage – a supposed route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean via rivers

3.

corps – a team of people

D.

1.

Begin with review questions. (Appendix 4)

2.

To introduce the students to the Lewis and Clark Expedition read selections from books. Stop often to ask questions or to lead discussions.

a.

Read from Pearson Learning-Core Knowledge History and Geography:

Exploring the West teacher guide while showing the student the pictures.

Read page 10.

b.

Read from What Your First Grader Needs to Know pages 173 (from below the map) through the first sentence on page 174.

c.

Read pages 1,2, and 3 from How We Crosssed the West: The Adventures

of Lewis and Clark by Rosalyn Schanzer.

3.

To introduce the geography important to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, pass out the maps and legends from Lesson 1 and 3.

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a.

Review the map with the students.

b.

Identify St. Louis as the beginning point for their expedition. Label it and color it purple.

c.

Identify the Missouri River as the river that the Corps of Discovery would travel up to begin their journey West. Label the Missouri River and trace it with blue.

d.

Fill out the corresponding labels on the map legend. The maps and legends are finished now and can be sent home.

4.

Pass out the “Student Exploration Journals” to each student.

a.

Explain that you would like them to pretend that they are chosen to be part of the Corps of Discovery. Thomas Jefferson would like them to keep maps of your journey and he would like them to keep track of the different animals and plants they see. He would also like you to write or draw about some of the adventures you have along the way.

b.

Have the students carefully write their names on the cover.

c.

Turn to the first two pages. Have the students give you the answers to the blanks. Fill out the corresponding page on your overhead so that the students can accurately fill in the information. The answers are included in bold here: In 1803 Thomas Jefferson purchased land that doubled the size of the United States. (Have the students color in the Louisiana Purchase green.) Jefferson wanted to explore this land for 3 reasons. 1. He was curious. He wanted to meet the Native Americans. He wanted to find a Northwest Passage which would be a river running from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Jefferson chose Meriwether Lewis to go and explore the West. Lewis chose William Clark to be a leader with him. Lewis and Clark knew they couldn’t go explore the west by themselves. They would need a team of good explorers to help them. They called the team The Corps of Discovery.

d.

The selections you read from the books introduced the members of the Corps of Discovery. Display these books so that your students can draw an illustration of each member listed on page 2 of their journal. Have them draw themselves also as members of the Corps of Discovery.

E.

1.

While students illustrate the members of the Corps of Discovery in their journal call individual students (or groups of students if you have a larger class) to take an oral assessment covering the content from Lessons One through Four (Appendix 6).

Lesson Five: Preparation for the Expedition / Forest Habitat

A.

Daily Objectives

1.

Concept Objectives

a.

b.

2.

Lesson Content

a.

The Corps of Discovery meets near St. Louis to get organized for their trip.

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b.

Geography

a. The Mississippi River b. St. Louis

c.

Introduction to habitats/environments: animals that live in a particular habitat have special characteristics (their covering, camouflage, instincts) that help them live in that particular habitat.

d.

Some of the animals that the Corps of Discovery saw in this habitat were: black and brown bears, foxes, raccoons, deer, squirrels, rabbits, and nightingale.

e.

Some of the plants that Lewis and Clark saw in this forest habitat were: sugar maple trees, ash trees and mulberry trees.

3.

Skill Objectives

a.

The student will be able to locate the Mississippi River on a map.

b.

The student will be able to list characteristics of a forest habitat.

B.

Materials

1.

“What I Must Take” by Meriwether Lewis (Appendix 7)

2.

The Gift of the Tree by Alvin Tresselt

3.

It’s Science: All Kinds of Habitats by Sally Hewitt

4.

Who Eats What? by Patricia Lauber

5.

Student “Expedition Journals”

6.

copy of “Expedition Journals” on transparency paper

7.

overhead projector and markers

8.

Forest Habitat Assessment – Appendix 8

C.

Key Vocabulary

1.

habitat – an area where a group of plants and animals live together

2.

food chain – a diagram that shows what animals in a certain habitat eat

3.

carnivore – animals that eat meat (other animals)

4.

omnivore – animals that eat meat and plants

5.

herbivore – animals that eat plans

D.

1.

Begin with review questions (Appendix 4).

2.

Tell the students that the Corps of Discovery met at a place near St. Louis called Camp Wood to get ready for their trip. Clark stayed at the camp with the men to train them while Lewis went to St. Louis to gather more supplies.

3.

Have the students get out their journals and turn to pages 3 and 4. Complete the map work on page 3 by labeling St. Louis and by tracing the Missouri River blue.

4.

Next, brainstorm with the class what the Corps of Discovery might have done

during this time to get ready for the trip. Brainstorm what they might pack for their trip. What would they need? Write their answers down on a chart or the chalkboard.

5.

Introduce and discuss the poem “What I Must Take” written by Meriwether Lewis (Appendix 7).

6.

Have the student choose some of the items they brainstormed along with some of the items Lewis wrote about and have them copy them down on page 3 of their journals.

7.

Next, introduce animal habitats.

a.

Discuss how God created every animal to live in a specific type of place. These areas are called habitats. Every animal is well suited for his or her

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habitat. The things they eat are there, they have places to make homes, their fur or covering is appropriate for that kind of weather, and they might be camouflaged to hide in that area.

b.

Read It’s Science: All Kinds of Habitats by Sally Hewitt pages 6-7 to introduce habitats.

c.

Discuss how humans can adjust to different environments while most animals are made only to live in a specific type of environment.

d.

Also talk about food chains, carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores.

(This can be a brief introduction.) Read parts of Who Eats What? by Patricia Lauber to introduce food chains.

e.

Remind the students that part of the reason Thomas Jefferson was sending the Corps of Discovery on this expedition was that he was curious about the kinds of plants and animals in the West. No one that Jefferson knew had ever been out that far. There might be new plants and animals that they didn’t know about. Remind the students that the Corps of Discovery are getting ready in Camp Wood, which is in a forest. Read The Gift of the Tree by Alvin Tresselt to educate about a forest habitat.

f.

Brainstorm the kinds of animals Lewis and Clark would have seen in this forest habitat while they got ready for their trip. Were these animals new to them? Were these plants new?

g.

Have the students illustrate forest animals and plants on page 4 of their journals.

h.

Depending on ability, they may also write a sentence about how they are feeling about the upcoming trip.

E.

1.

Give Forest Habitat Assessment (Appendix 8). Lesson Six: Down the Missouri River / River Habitats

A.

Daily Objectives

1.

Concept Objectives

a.

b.

2.

Lesson Content

a.

The group leaves on their expedition in May 1803.

b.

They used a keelboat and two dugout canoes to travel upstream with all of their gear.

c.

Geography

a. The Missouri River b. St. Louis

d.

Some of the animals that Lewis and Clark saw in this river habitat were: raccoons, pelicans, water moccasins, pike, beaver, ducks, plover, bass, catfish, perch, mussels, water skippers, and mosquitoes

e.

Some of the plants that Lewis and Clark saw in this river habitat were: trees and brush on the banks and water reeds.

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a.

The student will be able to recall that the group used keelboats to travel upriver for this part of their trip.

b.

The student will be able to list characteristics of a river habitat.

B.

Materials

1.

Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the American West by Steven Kroll

2.

The Back of Beyond: A Story of Lewis and Clark by Andy Bowen

3.

The Children’s Book of America by William Bennett

4.

How We Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark by Rosalyn

Schnazer

5.

6.

River of Life by Debbie S. Miller

7.

Student journals

8.

copy of journal on transparency paper

9.

C.

Key Vocabulary

1.

keelboat – a wide, shallow boat that is usually poled or towed

2.

upstream – to travel the opposite way a river is flowing

D.

1.

To follow the journey of the Corps of Discovery read selections from books.

a.

Read pages 8-11 in Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the American West by

Steven Kroll

b.

Read pages 24-27 and the very first part of page 28 in The Back of

Beyond: A Story of Lewis and Clark by Andy Bowen.

c.

Read the middle paragraph (about the Missouri River) on page 37 in The

Children’s Book of America by William Bennett

d.

Read pages 6-7 in How We Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis

and Clark by Rosalyn Schnazer

2.

Have the students get out their “Expedition Journals” and turn to pages 5 and 6.

a.

Have them trace the Missouri River from St. Louis to Omaha.

b.

Have the students illustrate “Trouble with Mosquitoes” and “Trouble with the Teton Sioux.”

3.

Briefly review the content about habitats (environments).

4.

To introduce river habitats, ask the students if they can think of what kind of habitat the Corps of Discovery was in during this part of their journey.

a.

Read page 20-21 in It’s Science: All Kinds of Habitats by Sally Hewitt

and read River of Life by Debbie S. Miller to educate the students about river habitats.

b.

Brainstorm on a chart or the chalkboard animals and plants the Corps of Discovery might have seen on the Missouri River.

c.

Have students choose four animals and two plants to illustrate and label on page 6.

d.

Depending on ability, they may also write a sentence about how this portion of the trip.

E.

1.

Assess the journals for accuracy. Watch to see if students are demonstrating an understanding of the expedition and also of animal habitats.

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A.

Daily Objectives

1.

Concept Objective

a.

b.

2.

Lesson Content

a.

The Corps of Discovery saw many new kinds of animals when they reached the Great Plains.

b.

The Corps of Discovery met many Native Americans in the Great Plains and they spent the winter near the Mandan Indians.

3.

Skill Objectives

a.

The student will recall characteristics of a prairie habitat.

b.

The student will recall three events or adventures that happened on the expedition.

B.

Materials

1.

2.

The Back of Beyond: A Story of Lewis and Clark by Andy Bowen

3.

The Children’s Book of America by William Bennett

4.

How We Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark by Rosalyn

Schnazer

5.

6.

Grassland Mammals by Elaine Landau

7.

Grasslands by Darlene Stille

8.

Student journals

9.

10.

C.

Key Vocabulary

1.

prairie – flat grassland

D.

1.

To follow the journey of the Corps of Discovery read selections from books.

a.

Read pages 12-14 in Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the American West

by Steven Kroll

2.

Have the students get out their journals and turn to pages 7 and 8.

a.

Have them color in the area of the Great Plains with a brown crayon.

b.

Have the students illustrate “Trying to capture a prairie dog” and

“Making camp for the winter.”

3.

Briefly review the content about habitats (environments).

4.

To introduce prairie habitats read selections from books.

a.

Grassland Mammals by Elaine Landau

b.

Grasslands by Darlene Stille.

c.

Brainstorm on a chart or the chalkboard animals and plants the Corps of Discovery might have seen.

d.

e.

Depending on ability, they may also write a sentence about this portion of the trip.

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E.

1.

Informally assess the journals for accuracy. Watch to see if students are demonstrating an understanding of the expedition and also of animal habitats. Lesson Eight: Sacagawea

A.

Daily Objectives

1.

Concept Objective

a.

2.

Lesson Content

a.

Sacajawea was kidnapped when she was a young girl.

b.

The Corps of Discovery met Sacajawea on their journey.

c.

Sacajawea was one of the most important people who helped the Corps of Discovery to find their way West.

3.

Skill Objective

a.

The student will recall that Sacagawea was vital to the Corps of Discovery Expedition.

B.

Materials

1.

The Children’s Book of America by William J. Bennett

2.

Sacajawea: Her True Story by Joyce Milton

3.

First Biographies: Sacagawea by Jan Gleiter

4.

a copy of Appendix 9 for each student

5.

Student journals

6.

copy of journals on transparency paper

7.

C.

Key Vocabulary

1.

Shoshone – the tribe that Sacagawea was from

D.

1.

Start with review questions. (See Appendix 4)

2.

To introduce and educate about Sacagawea’s life and role in the expedition read selections from books.

a.

In The Children’s Book of America by William J. Bennett read p. 39 (the first full paragraph that begins “One day a French trader…) through 41 to introduce Sacagawea.

3.

Read Sacajawea: Her True Story by Joyce Milton.

4.

Pass out Appendix 9. This lists the important events in Sacagawea’s life. Read these with your students; then have them cut these out in strips and sequence them in order on their desks. Once you have checked their sequence for accuracy, have them paste these events in order on page 7 in their journals.

5.

Once they have finished this, have them illustrate two of these events on page 10.

E.

1.

Assess to see if each student can correctly sequence the events of Sacagawea’s life.

Lesson Nine: Reaching the Continental Divide

A.

Daily Objectives

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a.

b.

2.

Lesson Content

a.

The groups find out that there is no “Northwest Passage” when they reach the small headwaters of the Missouri River at the Continental Divide

b.

Geography

a. The Missouri River b. Rocky Mountains

c.

Some of the animals that Lewis and Clark saw in this mountain habitat were: Grizzly bears, wolves, foxes, mule deer, mountain goats, eagles

3.

Skill Objective

a.

The student will recall the characteristics of a mountain habitat.

b.

The student will identify the Rocky Mountains.

B.

Materials

1.

2.

How We Crossed the West by Rosalyn Schnazer

3.

Our Natural Homes by Sneed Collard

4.

Student journals

5.

6.

C.

Key Vocabulary

1.

Continental Divide – The imaginary line that traces the highest points of the Rockies. From this point water flows East to the Atlantic and west to the Pacific.

2.

The Northwest Passage – a supposed waterway that flowed from the Atlantic

Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

D.

1.

2.

Remind the students that Thomas Jefferson was hoping that Lewis and Clark would find a river that went from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. This was called the Northwest Passage. Discuss why Jefferson was hoping to find this kind of waterway.

3.

Lewis and Clark were traveling up the Missouri River hoping that it would go all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

a.

Read p. 18-23 in Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the American West by Steven Kroll.

b.

Read from April 7, 1805 through Late Summer 1805 in How We Crossed

the West by Rosalyn Schnazer.

4.

Have the students get out their journals and turn to pages 9 and 10.

a.

Have them color in the area of the Rocky Mountains with a brown

crayon.

b.

Have the students illustrate “Meeting the Shoshone Tribe” and “Trouble at the Bitterroot Mountains.”

5.

To introduce mountain habitats brainstorm what it might be like to live in the mountains. Have the children think about the kind of characteristics animals

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must have to survive the cold winter on a mountain. Talk about how the Corps of Discovery survived the cold winter in the Rockies.

a.

Read pp. 12-13 in Habitats by Sally Hewitt to talk about mountain habitats.

b.

Read the “Mountains” page in Our Natural Homes by Sneed Collard to talk about some of the animals in a mountain habitat

6.

Have students choose six animals to illustrate and label on p. 12.

7.

E.

1.

Informally assess the journals for accuracy. Watch to see if students are demonstrating an understanding of the expedition and also of animal habitats. Lesson Ten: From the Mountains to the Pacific Ocean / Costal Habitat

A.

Daily Objectives

1.

Concept Objectives

a.

b.

2.

Lesson Content

a.

The group arrives at the Pacific Ocean in November 1805 by traveling down the Columbia River in canoes.

b.

Geography

a. The Pacific Ocean b. The Columbia River

c.

Some of the animals that Lewis and Clark saw in this ocean habitat were: salmon, starfish, gulls, salt-water mussels, jellyfish, and crabs.

d.

Some of the plants that Lewis and Clark saw in this ocean habitat were: seaweed, kelp.

3.

Skill Objective

a.

The student will identify characteristics of a costal habitat.

B.

Materials

1.

Lewis and Clark by George Sullivan

2.

3.

How We Crossed the West by Rosalyn Schnazer

4.

At Home in the Tide Pool by Alexandra Wright

5.

6.

Student journals

7.

8.

C.

Key Vocabulary

1.

downstream – to travel the same way a river is flowing

D.

1.

Begin with review questions. (Appendix 4)

2.

To teach this part of the expedition read selections out of books.

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b.

Read pp. 24-26 in Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the American West by Steven Kroll.

c.

Read from Running the Rapids through November 18, 1805 in How We

Crossed the West by Rosalyn Schnazer

3.

Have the students get out their journals and turn to pp. 13 and 14.

a.

Have them color in the area of the Pacific Ocean with a blue crayon and have them trace the Columbia River with blue.

b.

Have the students illustrate “Running the Rapids” and “A Difficult Winter at Cape Disappointment.”

4.

Have the children brainstorm the type of animals that might live near the ocean.

a.

Skim through At Home in the Tide Pool by Alexandra Wright to talk

about tidal habitats.

b.

Read pp. 22-23 It’s Science: All Kinds of Habitats.

5.

6.

E.

1.

Informally assess the journals for accuracy. Watch to see if students are demonstrating an understanding of the expedition and also of animal habitats. Lesson Eleven: The Journey Back East and Review

A.

Daily Objectives

1.

Concept Objective

a.

b.

2.

Lesson Content

a.

Review content from Lessons Four through Nine.

3.

Skill Objective

a.

The student will be able to match the section of the expedition of the Corps of Discovery with an animal habitat (environment).

B.

Materials

1.

2.

Student journals

3.

10 index cards per student

C.

Key Vocabulary

1.

Review vocabulary from entire unit.

D.

1.

2.

Read pages 27-30 in Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the American West by Steven Kroll

3.

Pass out index cards to the students.

a.

On the lined side of five cards, have the students write Camp Wood, Down the Missouri, The Great Plains, The Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Coast.

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b.

Next have them illustrate a forest, a river, a prairie, a mountain, and a costal habitat on the unlined side of the other five cards. (They can use their student journals to help them remember various plants and animals in each habitat.

c.

As they finish the cards, have them play memory with themselves. a. They should place all the cards face down. Then they turn over

two cards. If the part of the expedition matches with the illustration of the habitat, they can keep the match. Otherwise they must turn the cards back over and continue until all the cards are matched.

E.

1.

Evaluate the student’s memory of the expedition and characteristics of various U.S. environments by watching how easily they create the memory cards and then how proficiently they can play the game.

VI.

CULMINATING ACTIVITY (Lesson Twelve)

A.

The Corps of Discovery Field Trip – Teachers can take this opportunity to use a near by park or nature trail to review and enhance the concepts and content from this unit. These are just some ideas to expand and make work for your class.

• Thomas Jefferson in Washington D.C. (Headmaster/Principal sends a letter to the first-graders asking them to explore the unknown west.)

#1 Camp Wood – Woods • Group assembles

• Parts are assigned (Corps of Discovery characters) • Supplies are listed and collected

• Teams are organized

• Look for and observe woodland animals and plants • Review questions

#2 Down the Missouri River – creek • Review keel boat

• Look for river animals and plants • Meet some Indians (parent actors) #3 Great Plains – School field

• Look for buffalo • Capture prairie dogs

• Meet some Indians (parent actors) #4 The Continental Divide– path in woods

• Review questions

• Look for food (snack of hard tack) #5 Pacific Ocean – outside of classroom

• Live in tents for the winter • Fleas

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VII. HANDOUTS/WORKSHEETS

A.

Appendix 1 – Map Legend for Lessons 1 and 3

B.

Appendix 2 – Informal Student Assessment for Lesson 1

C.

Appendix 3 – The Louisiana Purchase Chant

D.

Appendix 4 - Review Questions for all lessons

E.

Appendix 5 – Explorations of the West Student Journals

F.

Appendix 6 – Oral Assessment for Lessons 1-4

G.

Appendix 7 - “What I Must Take” by Merewether Lewis (from American History Poems, Scholastic Professional Books, 1998.)

H.

Appendix 8 – Forest Habitat Assessment for Lesson 5

I.

Appendix 9 – Sacagawea Sequencing

J.

Appendix 10 – End of the Unit Assessment checklist

VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY

A.

Bennett, William J. The Children’s Book of America New York. Simon & Schuster, 1998. ISBN 0684849305

B.

Bowen, Andy Russel The Back of Beyond: A Story about Lewis and Clark. The Lerner Publishing Group, 1997. ISBN 1-57505-224-5

C.

Buckley, Susan and Burt, Barbara Appleseeds: Growing Up on the Oregon Trail. Cobblestone Publishing Company, 1999.

D.

Sneed, Collard. Our Natural Home. Watertown, MA, 1996. ISBN 0881069299

E.

Gleiter, Jan and Thompson, Kathleen First Biographies: Sacagawea. Steck-Vaughn

Company, 1995. ISBN 0-8114-84534-X

F.

Hewitt, Sally It’s Science: All Kinds of Habitats. New York: Children's Press, 1999. ISBN 0516211811

G.

Hirsch, Jr. E.D. What Your First Grader Needs To Know: Fundamentals of a Good

First-Grade Education. New York: Dell Publishing, 1991. (p. 171-175)

H.

Hirsch, E.D., Jr. Pearson Learning-Core Knowledge History and Geography:

Exploring the West (student and teacher guides) Parsippany, New Jersey: Pearson

Education Inc., 2002 ISBN 0-7690-5011-5

I.

Kroll, Steven Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the American West. New York: Holiday House ISBN 0-8234-1034-X

J.

Landau, Elaine Grassland Mammals New York: Children's Press, 1996. ISBN 0516200399

K.

Lauber, Patricia Who Eats What? New York: HarperCollins, 1995. ISBN 0060229829

L.

Wright, Alexandra. At Home in the Tide Pool. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 1992.

ISBN

M.

Miller, Debbie S. River of Life. New York: Clarion Books, 2000. ISBN 0395967902

N.

Milton, Joyce Sacajawea: He True Story. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 2001 ISBN

0448425394

O.

Pringle, Laurence Dog of Discovery: A Newfoundland’s Adventures with

Lewis and Clark Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press, Inc., 2002. ISBN 1590780280

P.

Schanzer, Rosalyn How We Crosssed the West: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark. Scholastic, 1997. ISBN 0-590-63523-9

Q.

Streissguth, Tom Daniel Boone Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 2002. ISBN 1-57505-520-1

R.

Stille, Darlene R. Grasslands. New York: Children's Press, 1999. ISBN 0516215094

S.

Tresselt, Alvin R. The Gift of a Tree. New York: Lothrop, 1992. ISBN 0688106846

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Appendix One

Map Legend, Lessons One and Three Westward Expansion and Animal Habitats

Name: ______________________________________________

Map Legend

_____________________ The Original 13 Colonies

_____________________ Washington, D.C.

_____________________ The Appalachian Mountains

_____________________ North Carolina

______________________ Kentucky

______________________ The Wilderness Road

______________________ The Mississippi River

______________________ New Orleans

______________________ The Louisiana Purchase

______________________ St. Louis

(20)

Appendix Two

Informal Geography Assessment, Lesson One Westward Expansion and Animal Habitats

Student name:___________________________________

Date: ___________________________________

Assessed by: ______________________________

Topic: Geography of America in 1775

Checklist Items

Yes No

Is confident with basic map skills?

Followed directions?

Completed map with accuracy?

Completed map with neatness and care?

Completed map legend with accuracy?

Seems to grasp concepts behind reading or making a map legend?

Can explain map and features to a peer?

Additional Comments:

_________________________________________________________________________

(21)

Appendix 3

Louisiana Purchase Chant, Lesson Three Expansion and Environments

The Louisiana Purchase Chant

(Chanted and clapped to a ta-ta ti-ti-ta rhythm or “Good Night Ladies” tune)

Thomas Jefferson

Our 3

rd

President

In 1803

Signed a French treaty

Napoleon Bonaparte

With his land did part

We bought Louisian’

Doubled U.S. land.

(22)

Appendix 4

Review Questions, All Lessons Expansion and Environments Lesson 1

• What is a map legend? (Something that helps us to read a map.)

• What are the two oceans on either side of North America? (Atlantic and Pacific Oceans) Lesson 2

• How did many families in the 13 colonies get their food? (From a farm on their own property.) • Who was Daniel Boone? (A rough and tough man who created the Wilderness Road.)

• What does it mean to “blaze a trail”? (To mark a trail for those coming behind you.) • What mountains did Daniel Boone blaze his trail through? (The Appalachian Mountains) • What does frontier mean? (Unexplored territory.)

Lesson 3

• What year was the Louisiana Purchase? (1803)

• Which president made the Louisiana Purchase? (Thomas Jefferson) • How much more land the US have afterwards? (twice as much) • Which French leader did Jefferson make the deal with? (Napoleon) • What does bargain mean? (to buy something for less than it is worth) • Recite the “Louisiana Purchase Chant” with me.

Lesson 4

• What did Jefferson want to do after he bought the land? (explore it) • Who did he choose to explore it? (Lewis and Clark)

• What was the name of the team of people that went on this expedition? (The Corps of Discovery) Lesson 5

• What were some of the animals that they saw in the forest habitat? (bear, deer, foxes…)

• What is a carnivore? An herbivore? And omnivore? (A meat-eater; a plant-eater; an animal that eats both.)

• Give an example of a food chain. (A fox eats a rabbit, a rabbit eats grass.) Lesson 6

• What river did Lewis and Clark go up? (Missouri) • What kind of boat did they use? (keel boat)

• What sort of plants and animals did they see in this habitat? (fish, pelicans, reeds…) Lesson 7

• What sort of plants and animals did the expedition see in the prairie? (buffalo, antelope, prairie dogs, wolves…)

Lesson 8

• What was the name of the woman that helped Lewis and Clark? (Sacagawea) • What Indian tribe was Sacagawea from? (Shoshone)

• What does Sacagawea mean? (Bird Woman) Lesson 9

• Did the Corps of the Discovery find the Northwest Passage? (No.) • Why not? What was in the way? (The Rocky Mountains)

• What kind of characteristics do animals that live in a mountain habitat have? (Warm covering for the cold winter.)

Lesson 10

• What river did the expedition travel down to get to the Pacific? (The Columbia River.) • What sort of animals and plants live in a coastal habitat? (starfish, gulls, seaweed…) • Did the Corps of Discovery make it home safely? (Yes!)

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Appendix 5

Explorations

of the West

The Journals of

Chronicling the journeys of the Corps of Discovery to

the West and back

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Introduction to the expedition of

Lewis and Clark

In ________________________ Thomas Jefferson purchased land that

doubled the size of the United States.

Jefferson wanted to

explore this land for 3

reasons:

1. He was

__________________.

2. He wanted to meet the ___________________________________.

3. He wanted to find a ___________________________________ which

would be a river running from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

Jefferson chose _________________________________________ to go and

explore the West.

Lewis chose ______________________________________________ to

help him.

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The Corps of Discovery

Lewis and Clark knew they couldn’t go explore the west by themselves.

They would need a team of good explorers to help them.

They called this team __________________________________________.

Meriwether Lewis William Clark Sacagawea

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Camp Wood Missouri

Map of the United States in 1803

Supplies List

_________________

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_____________________ Habitat

Animals we saw

Plants we saw

(28)

Down the Missouri River

_____________________________________

(29)

_____________________ Habitat

Animals we saw

Plants we saw

(30)

The Great Plains

_____________________________________

(31)

_____________________ Habitat

Animals we saw

Plants we saw

(32)

(33)

_____________________________________

(34)

The Continental Divide

_____________________________________

(35)

_____________________ Habitat

Animals we saw

Plants we saw

(36)

To the Pacific

_____________________________________

(37)

_____________________ Habitat

Animals we saw

Plants we saw

(38)

Appendix 6

Oral Assessment, Lesson Four Expansion and Environments

Student name:___________________________________

Date: ___________________________________

Assessed by: ______________________________

Topic: Geography of America, Daniel Boone, The Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark

Checklist Items

Mastery Developing Little or no

understanding

What is a map legend?

Point to the Appalachian Mountains.

Who was Daniel Boone?

Why did he want to move West?

What is a trailblazer?

Which president made the Louisiana Purchase?

Who was Louisiana named after?

How much bigger was the United States after the purchase?

Recite the “Louisiana Purchase Chant” with me.

Point to the Mississippi River.

What was one reason Thomas Jefferson wanted to explore the

land in the Louisiana Purchase?

Point to the Missouri River.

Who were the two leaders who were going to lead the

expedition?

Additional Comments:

_________________________________________________________________________

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Appendix 7

What I Must Take, Lesson Five Expansion and Environments

What I Must Take

Meriwether Lewis: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, August 31, 1803

All I know

of

frontier skills

astronomy

surveying

maps

geography

animals

Indians

botany

herbal cures…

curiosity

and a

double dose of …

bravery!

(40)

Appendix 8

Forest Habitat Assessment, Lesson Five Expansion and Environments

Name ______________________________________

Missouri Forest Habitat Assessment

1. Which of these animals is not part of a forest habitat? X it.

bear

giraffe

deer

rabbit

2. Write down two animals that might live in a forest habitat.

_______________________________________________________

3. Circle the animal that is a carnivore.

(41)

Appendix 8

Forest Habitat Assessment, Lesson Five Expansion and Environments

4. We learned about a food chain. Draw the arrows to show how the food chain

works.

fox

rabbit

grass and leaves

5. Circle the picture of a forest habitat.

(42)

Appendix 9

Sacagawea Sequencing, Lesson Eight Expansion and Environments

Charbonneau and Sacagawea join the Corps of Discovery.

She was kidnapped by the Hidatsa Indians when she was a young girl.

Sacagawea was born into the Shoshone tribe.

She was married to French trapper Charbonneau.

Sacagawea leads Lewis and Clark to back to her family—the Shoshone tribe.

Sacagawea has a baby named Jean Baptiste and nicknamed him Pomp.

The Shoshone tribe sells Lewis and Clark horses to get over the mountains.

Sacagawea saved the Corps of Discovery’s supplies when their boat tipped over.

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Appendix 10

End of Unit Assessment, Lesson Eleven Expansion and Environments

Student name:___________________________________

Date: ___________________________________

Assessed by: ______________________________

Topic: Westward Expansion and Animal Environments

Checklist Items

Mastery Developing Little or no

understanding

Point to the Appalachian Mountains.

Who was Daniel Boone and why did he want to move West?

Which president made the Louisiana Purchase?

How much bigger was the United States after the purchase?

Point to the Mississippi River.

What was one reason Thomas Jefferson wanted to explore the

land in the Louisiana Purchase?

Who were the two leaders who were going to lead the

expedition?

What is a habitat?

What is a food chain?

What river did the expedition begin on?

What sort of new animals did the expedition discover in the

prairie habitat?

Who was one of the most important helpers to Lewis and Clark?

What sort of characteristics do animals in a mountain habitat

have?

Was it easy for the Corps of Discovery to cross the Rocky

Mountains?

Did they find a Northwest Passage?

What kind of transportation did the expedition use for the last

part of their journey?

Did the expedition make it safely back home?

Additional Comments:

_________________________________________________________________________