social studies

The following shows the five days of lesson plans on the Louisiana Purchase. Lesson plans are for 50-60 minute classes. The assignments for each day are listed numerically with a step-by-step process.

Day 1, Monday:

                    Step 1. Students watch the video and read about the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase. Video America's Louisiana Purchase                                                                                                                                         Step 2. Students will take information that was acquired in the video and reading of Louisiana Purchase and in groups of five will write an one page "newspaper" that includes:

• Background of Lewis and Clark
• Cost of Expedition
• Places that the expedition went on along with the amount of time
• Parties involved in the expedition
• Who the Louisiana Purchase was bought from and why

Day 2, Tuesday:

Step 1. Students will take the following vocabulary words and make a crossword puzzle with the definitions as the clues.

• Thomas Jefferson
• diplomat
• diplomacy
• expedition
• prophets
• Meriwether Lewis
• William Clark
• civilian
• pirogue
• Corps of Discovery
• keelboat
• epidemic
• agriculture
• Fort Mandan
• Charbonneau
• Sakakawea
• blacksmith
• forge

Step 2. Students work on timeline from the 1800 to 1807.

Day 3, Wednesday:

Step 1. Students read the excerpts from 3 and 4 Lewis & Clark The National Bicentennial Exhibition.               Step 2. Students then make a Venn Diagram to compare the Shoshone and Teton tribes.                                    Step 3. Make a cause and effect sheet with the native Americans.                                                                               Step 4. Make a cause and effect sheet of the from the countries overseas (ex. France and Spain) 

Day 4, Thursday:

Step 1. Students will map out the voyage of Lewis & Clark. Map should include

• Title
•  Compass map key
•  symbols
•  mountain ranges 
•  rivers

Step 2. Students will list what they pack to go on vacation, then students will list the items that Lewis and Clark took on their expedition.

Day 5, Friday:

Step 1. Students will read over Bill of Rights.                                                                                                                 Step 2. Teacher and students will discuss Bill of Rights and whether the Louisiana Purchase violated any rights of individuals, if so when?                                                                                                                                          Step 3. Students will discuss rights and responsibilities that they as citizens of the United States have.                                                                                                                                                                                                 Step 4. Students will list their results on paper and what could violate those rights and responsibilities.                                                                                                                                                                      Step 5. Last 10 minutes of class, teacher closes out lesson and takes any final questions or comments.