Lewis & Clark Site Map

CONNECTION TO LEWIS AND CLARK
Before he sailed down the Ohio River to meet William Clark in the summer of 1803, Captain Lewis bought a dog. It was a large black Newfoundland dog that Lewis named Seaman. Subsequent journal entries indicate that Seaman was a valuable companion on the westward journey, and that his master and other expedition members took good care of him.

OVERVIEW OF THIS ACTIVITY
Students act out an event from Captain Lewis' journal involving Seaman. The event was the time Seaman scared away a stampeding buffalo running toward the tent where the captains were sleeping. (For the original journal excerpt click on JOURNAL ENTRY "D"/ SAVED BY SEAMAN.)

PURPOSE(S)
To acquaint pupils with the Lewis and Clark expedition by associating it with something most of them have experienced--owning a pet; to introduce pupils to the Lewis and Clark journals by reading or telling stories from the journals about Seaman; to emphasize that Seaman was not only a pet, but a valuable helper on the expedition as well.

STAGE PROPS NEEDED

• Doll to represent Pomp, Sacagawea's baby
• For a campfire: several sticks; piece of red cellophane or tissue paper
• For a tent: 1 medium size blanket
• Yardstick or similar object to represent a rifle
• For whittling: plastic knife and a stick
• Cardstock, felt markers, and yarn
• Pads for actors to lie upon

ADVANCE PREPARATION
Set up stage area as follows:

1. Cut circles from card stock and print the names of the characters on them. (See cast of characters in skit below.) Punch a hole at the top of each circle and thread a piece of yarn through it long enough to hang around the necks of the actors.
2. Drape the small blanket over chairs or desks to serve as a tent. Place it on the left side of the stage area.
3. Place the sticks in front of the tent; crumple up the red paper and place on the sticks to represent fire.
4. Select the actors and put their name cards on them. Since the skit is very short, it may be reenacted two or three times to give everyone a chance to be in it. Those not acting will serve as the audience.
5. Read and discuss the skit with the students thoroughly before they act it out.

IMPLEMENTATION

THE SKIT

SAVED BY SEAMAN
(A Skit Without Words)

Cast of Characters
Captain Lewis
Captain Clark
Sacagawea
Toussaint Charbonneau
Guard duty soldier
Five or six soldiers of the expedition
Seaman, the dog (portrayed by student)
Buffalo (portrayed by student)

Setting: The tent is placed on the left side of the "stage." Captain Lewis and his dog, Seaman, are sitting beside a campfire in front of the tent. Captain Clark is sitting beside them. The Charbonneau family is sitting nearby. Several soldiers are lying on pads scattered here and there.

Action:

• Sacagawea rocks her baby in her arms, Charbonneau pretends to whittle a stick, Captain Lewis pats Seaman's head, and Captain Clark writes in a book. A short time later, Captain Clark stands up and closes his book. He yawns and stretches his arms. He nods goodnight to everyone, goes into the tent, and lies down. Sacagawea and her husband get up and follow Captain Clark into the tent.

• Captain Lewis sits alone for a few seconds. He warms his hands at the fire. Then he stands up and stretches. He pats Seaman on the head. Seaman rolls over, then follows Captain Lewis to the door of the tent. Captain Lewis pats Seaman one more time and goes into the tent. Seaman lies down and falls asleep in front of the tent.

• The only one left awake is a soldier on guard duty. He marches up and down with his rifle.

• After everyone is asleep, the buffalo (at the back of the room) pretends to be swimming a river and climbing up the bank on the other side. The buffalo then runs onto the stage area opposite the tent. It runs through the camp, close to the sleeping soldiers. Because it is dark, the soldier on guard duty doesn't see the buffalo at first. By the time he does see it, the buffalo is running directly toward the tent where Lewis and Clark are sleeping.
  
  
• Seaman sees the buffalo coming. He jumps up and begins to bark. His barking scares the buffalo and it turns away from the tent just in time. The buffalo runs off.
  
  
• Lewis and Clark and the Charbonneau family wake up and come out of their tent. All the soldiers are awake and standing, too. They are looking puzzled at each other because they don't know what happened. The guard points to the buffalo as it runs away and they realize how lucky they were that the buffalo did not step on anyone or run over the captains in their tent.
  
  
• The Captains, Sacagawea, and Charbonneau are happy, too. They know that Seaman has saved them from the buffalo. They smile and pat Seaman on the head.

  End of Skit

FOLLOW-UP SUGGESTIONS

1. Have students (second graders) practice the skit and present it for first-grade or kindergarten pupils.
2. After acting out or watching the skit, have each student draw a picture of the incident as they understand it. Display the finished artwork.