Online Learning Activities
Lewis and Clark Student Activity
Students explore one of the greatest adventures in American history — Lewis & Clark’s historic expedition westward, from 1803 to 1806.
- Grades: 3–5, 6–8
Scholastic's Lewis & Clark student activity shares with students the Corps of Discovery's exciting journey west. This online activity not only follows the historic journey from 1803–1806 — while students participate, they are encouraged to collect objects and information just as Lewis and Clark did for President Jefferson.
- Prepare for the Journey (Grades 3–8) offers background information on the explorers, the involvement of Thomas Jefferson, and the importance of the Louisiana Purchase. Students can take an interactive quiz to test what they’ve learned.
- Students can relive 1803, 1804, and 1805–6 (Grades 3–8) — the four years covered through the Lewis & Clark journey. Each year covers important events that happened to the Corps of Discovery with links to more information, stories, and images.
- The Trail Today (Grades 3–8) asks students to imagine being on the trail with Lewis and Clark as a reporter and write newspaper reports on what they’ve witnessed. Or, students can imagine they were one of the expedition’s team members and write journal entries of their experiences. They can also read other students’ reports.
- As students follow the Lewis and Clark journey, they’ll be asked to collect objects and write about them. Students can then create an online Specimen Box (Grades K–8) or make one offline as an arts and crafts activity.
Learning Objectives
While participating in the Lewis & Clark project, students become proficient with several of these skills.
- Use Web technology to access information on the explorations of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery
- Make decisions on what skills, tools, and supplies would be needed to go on a journey like Lewis and Clark’s
- Participate in active writing activities and peer review
- Use technology tools to synthesize information and communicate that knowledge
- Investigate change over time to gain perspective on the successes of the Lewis and Clark journey
- Write a first person journal as if they were in the Corps of Discovery
- Interpret information from maps through historical and current map comparisons
- Develop an understanding of the Native American cultures encountered by Lewis and Clark and how they assisted the Corps of Discovery
- Identify and analyze dates and the passage of time
- Demonstrates comprehension through experiential response
- Subjects:Early Exploration and Settlements, Westward Exploration and Expansion, Research Skills
