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Lewis and Clark's Journey West: A Timeline Activity

A Online Scavenger Hunt Highlights Milestone Events in Their Journey West

from Education World ®

Subjects: Language Arts, Social Studies

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Objectives
Students will:

use library and Internet resources, including primary source journals, to learn about important events that occurred during the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Keywords
Lewis and Clark, Louisiana Purchase, primary, source, research, timeline, scavenger hunt

Materials Needed

Internet access (preferred)
Lewis and Clark's Journey West: Important Dates work sheet

Procedure

Many important events were recorded during the Lewis and Clark's trip west, which took about 18 months. In this lesson, students use print and online resources to complete the Lewis and Clark's Journey West: Important Dates work sheet (find link above).

Internet Resources

The following Internet resources will be helpful to students as they complete the work sheet:

General Histories

Journals

Extension Activity

Create a timeline and hang it along a wall of the classroom. Mark each month on the timeline with a strip of paper about a foot long. Start the timeline by marking the events on the Important Dates work sheet on it. As students do additional reading, they can add other important events in the timeline.

Assessment

Students will correctly identify the following events and associated dates. Note: You might accept February 1803 in place of the more specific February 28, 1803.)

February 28, 1803
Congress provides money for the expedition.
December 1803
Expedition members set up camp where the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers meet.
May 14,1804
Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery set off on their expedition.
August 3, 1804
The Corps of Discovery has their first encounter with Native people.
August 20, 1804
Sgt. Charles Floyd is the first Corps member to die.
September 25, 1804
In an encounter with the Teton Sioux, Native Americans demand one of the explorers' boats as a toll to proceed up the river.
October 24, 1804
Corps members discover the Mandan village and build their winter fort nearby.
November 4, 1804
The Corps hires Toussaint Charbonneau, a fur trapper, as an interpreter.
April 29, 1805
Lewis and another hunter kill a never-before seen animal -- a grizzly bear.
June 2, 1805
Lewis and Clark decide to head south when they come to a fork in the Missouri River.
August 17, 1805
The expedition discovers a village of Shoshones led by Sacajawea's brother.
October 16, 1805
The expedition reaches the Columbia River.
November 18, 1805
Clark sees Mount Hood and figures they must be near the ocean.

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