Lewis & Clark Site Map

CONNECTION TO LEWIS AND CLARK
When Toussaint Charbonneau was hired as an interpreter for the Lewis and Clark expedition, he was allowed to bring along his young wife, Sacagawea, and their infant son, Jean Baptiste. Since this happened so long ago, no one knows exactly how Sacagawea carried him, but she probably carried him on her back in a cradleboard-- just like many other Indian mothers did.

OVERVIEW OF THIS ACTIVITY
Students cut out and color a paper cradleboard and an Indian baby to place inside. They lace up the cradleboard with yarn and glue on a head guard for the baby's head.

PURPOSE(S)
To demonstrate how Jean Baptiste traveled on his mother's back during the long journey to the Pacific Ocean; to connect past and present through examining the customs of other peoples, times, and places; to foster appreciation for the artistic expressions of other peoples.

MATERIALS NEEDED

• Downloaded copies of cradleboard and baby
• 9 x 12 colored paper (tan, light yellow, etc. to resemble soft leather)
• Yarn or string

TOOLS NEEDED

• Copier
• Scissors
• Crayons, colored pencils, or markers

ADVANCE PREPARATION

1. Download CRADLEBOARD, pages 1 (inside), 2 (outside), and 3 (baby).
2. Copy sheet 1 on tan paper. Copy sheet 2 (cradleboard outside) on back of sheet 1, making sure the fringe is at the bottom. An alternate suggestion is to copy sheets 1 and 2 on two different sheets and glue together back to back.

IMPLEMENTATION

1. Cut out the cradleboard and snip on the fringe lines.
2. Color the designs on both sides.
3. Punch holes on edges where indicated. Bring edges together and crease along sides.
4. Cut out baby (sheet 3). Make a slit on cradleboard inside where indicated. Slip baby's "feet" into the slot to keep it from falling through.
5. Lace up the cradleboard cover with yarn or string.
6. For the head guard, cut a strip of dark-colored construction paper 6 inches X 1/2 inch. Fold under 1/2 inch on each end. Put a dab of glue on the folded ends and stick to the cradleboard on the X marks. (Figure 1. Head Guard)
   
   
   
   
7. Cut two strips of stiff cardboard 12 inches long and 1 inch wide. On one end of each strip, clip each side to make a point. Glue one strip on either side of the cradleboard so that it will stand upright when leaned against an object.

Completed Project

SUGGESTIONS FOR PRESENTATION

• Make a display of the completed cradleboard and baby in the classroom, hall bulletin
  Board, library, etc. If in the library, ask the librarian to display books about Indian
  children around the display.
• Allow children to take their cradleboards home and tell their parents about a little
  Indian boy, Jean Baptiste (Pomp) who lived a very interesting life, both as a child
  and an adult.