Friday-Wednesday we will be conducting an in depth study of Lewis and Clark’s expedition to discover what was in the newly bought lands in the Louisiana Purchase.

Here are the parameters:Project Title

“Lewis and Clark: Many Paths, One Journey”

Group Size

3–4 students per group

Big Idea

Each group becomes the class expert on one aspect of the expedition and teaches it to everyone else.

🧭 Group Topics (Assign One Per Group)

1️⃣ Relationships with Native American Tribes

Which tribes they met

How tribes helped or challenged the expedition

Sacagawea’s role as a guide and interpreter

2️⃣ New Plants and Animals Discovered

Examples: prairie dog, grizzly bear, buffalo, new plant species

Why these discoveries mattered

3️⃣ Rivers & Routes Traveled

Missouri River

Columbia River

Why rivers were important for travel

4️⃣ Food & Survival on the Journey

What they ate

How they got food (hunting, trading, Native help)

Hardships with food and weather

5️⃣ Challenges & Dangers

Mountains, weather, sickness

Getting lost

Boats, supplies, injuries

6️⃣ Purpose & Impact of the Expedition

Why Jefferson sent them

What the expedition proved

How it changed the United States

(You can adjust the number of topics based on class size.)

👥 Student Roles (Used in EVERY Group)

Each student researches the same topic, but from a different angle.

1️⃣ Lead Researcher

Finds key facts about the group’s topic

Answers: Who? What? When? Why important?

2️⃣ Evidence Collector

Finds:

3 strong facts

1 short quote or journal-style fact

Makes sure information is accurate and clear

3️⃣ Visual Designer

Creates visuals:

Drawings

Diagrams

Maps (if applicable)

Adds labels and captions

4️⃣ Speaker / Organizer (optional)

Organizes information neatly

Makes sure everyone speaks during presentation

Leads practice and timing

(In groups of 3, combine Evidence Collector + Speaker.)

📦 Final Product (Same for All Groups)

Each group creates:

One poster OR 4–6 page mini-book focused ONLY on their topic

At least:

1 heading

3 pictures with captions

5–7 facts written in student-friendly language

📅 Day-by-Day Plan (45 minutes each)
Day 1: Launch & Research

Introduce all topics

Assign groups, roles, and topics

Begin research using:

Textbooks

Teacher-provided articles

QR codes

✅ Exit Ticket: One fact related to your group’s topic

Day 2: Build the Project

Write facts

Create visuals

Organize information

Teacher checks for accuracy and participation

✅ Checkpoint: All roles have contributed something written or drawn

Day 3: Finalize & Practice

Finish poster/mini-book

Practice presentation (2–3 minutes)

Each student speaks

Day 4 (Optional): Presentations & Class Synthesis

Groups present in topic order

Students complete a note-taking sheet to build a full picture of the expedition

🧠 Class Wrap-Up Idea (Highly Recommended)

After presentations, students complete:

“Three things I learned about the Lewis and Clark expedition that I didn’t know before.”

This ties all the groups together into one shared understanding.

🧾 Grading (Simple & Fair)
Category Points
Topic accuracy 25
Role participation 25
Visuals 20
Presentation 20
Neatness/effort 10