Day One

Divide students into five groups. Explain to them that they are reporters who have been granted an exclusive interview with Meriwether Lewis after his return to Philadelphia in 1807 to prepare for the publication of his journals. Explain further that the explorer has set specific parameters for the interview. He will answer only five questions based on the goals of the expedition–one question for each category he specifies. The specified categories are:

• Fossils or Paleontology


• Geography


• Cartography or Mapmaking


• Native People or Ethnography


• Science

Distribute Worksheet 1: Brainstorming the Topic. Assign each group a topic and tell the students that each member is required to complete the worksheet using the information on the National Park Service website related to their topic. Stress that their response to number 5 on the worksheet should deal with a critical question that only Meriwether Lewis can answer.

Reconvene the groups after each student has completed the worksheet and instruct them to compare their answers and to agree to one critical question they want to ask Meriwether Lewis. For example:

• A major goal of the expedition was to open commerce into the western regions. How might the native groups you met aid or detract in achieving this goal?


• Much of the trip took you to previously unexplored and unmapped territory. Can you describe one unexpected geographic obstacle you encountered and how the expedition was able to overcome the problem the obstacle presented?

Circulate to each group to give input on the nature and scope of the question. You may have the class reconvene to approve the questions or to recommend changes.

Day Two

Assemble the groups and tell them that they must now provide Meriwether Lewis's answer to their question. Distribute Worksheet 2: Researching the Journals and Source 4: Assessment Rubric. The journals are catalogued and searchable on the two sites:

• Source 2: Sierra Club - Catalogued Journals of Lewis and Clark


• Source 3: University of Virginia - Journals of Lewis and Clark

The students will use these website sources to research and read excerpts from the journals about their topic. Source 2: Sierra Club - Catalogued Journals of Lewis and Clark features the entry of the day you use the website. If you click on "All Entries" at the upper, right side of the page you will find a large number of entries arranged by date. Some of the background readings for each topic from Source 1: National Park Service - Overview of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and Its Goals specify journal entries by date as well, and may provide leads for students to research. Source 3: University of Virginia - Journals of Lewis and Clark is arranged by chapters and contains multiple journal entries arranged chronologically. Virtually every topic is covered to some degree in each of the chapters. Tell students to take notes as they read and to cite the journal entries they use in their research. Each member will prepare an answer to their critical question using the facts from the journals.

Have the groups then reconvene to discuss their answers and to develop a collective response. Each group should appoint a scribe and prepare a rough draft of their response. For homework a final copy of the question and the response should be prepared to be handed in with a list of the journal entries used. Responsibility for editing, typing, and compiling a list of sources should be divided among the group. The assignment will be evaluated using the assessment rubric. Each group will present their question and answer to the class. As a culminating activity make copies of all the questions and answers and distribute for all to read and discuss.