HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM GUIDE
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Although members of the Corps of Discovery possessed many
different talents, there were no artists among them. The Captains
sometimes drew sketches in their journals, but neither man was
exceptionally talented in that respect. However, explorers close
on the heels of Lewis and Clark took artists with them, or were
artists themselves. The works of these early artists were predominately
of American Indian cultures and the natural wonders of the West.
Over time, however, painters and sculptors began portraying
the opening and settlement of the West that began with the Lewis
and Clark Expedition. |
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The physical problems faced by the Corps of Discovery often
overshadow the equally difficult communication problems they
encountered as they moved farther and farther west. These problems
were of three kinds: (1) communicating with western Indian tribes
who spoke many different languages (2) recording observations
and scientific information in journals under less than favorable
conditions, and (3) communicating with President Jefferson in
Washington. The lesson plan and activities in this unit relate
to one or another of those problems. |
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The untimely and mysterious death of Meriwether
Lewis never ceases to pique the curiosity of the American public.
Thousands of words have been written on the subject with arguments
falling into two camps—murder or suicide. In spite of strongly
held opinions on both sides of the question, no one today knows
exactly what happened. In this unit, Students (1) research the
circumstances of Meriwether Lewis' death and make up their own
minds about the passing of this famous American explorer, and
(2) compare how Lewis' death would be handled today by a crime
scene investigation team. |
A Word For Teachers About Using This Curriculum Guide
Lesson plans and activities in this curriculum guide have been planned
to accommodate a wide range of student interests and capabilities
rather than imposing a rigid age/grade structure upon the materials.
We encourage teachers to adapt the materials according to the needs,
interests, and capabilities of their classes. After all, no one
knows your students better than you do.
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