Lewis & Clark & Me

Students use Comic Strips to re-tell and participate in a great expedition.

Level: Jr. Grades 5-6
Originated by: Treetop Publishing

Use a time line to incorporate the “steps” that Lewis and Clark took to reach the Pacific.  Retell the story in a comic strip fashion, describing the hardships, the terrain, the weather, the people, places and things they saw.  The student will tell the story from his perspective as a member of the expedition.

Use the “Comic Tips” page for ideas on how to plan the comic panels and what to look for to make sure the story is cohesive.  For well-organized and very complete reference and journal entries, check out the Public Broadcasting Service web site: http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark

Suggestions for content:

• Use a map of the expedition for the comic book cover or inside covers.
• Describe occurrences that happened or may have happened in each of the eleven states that were crossed.
• Describe the physical and geographical challenges that were present and how they overcame them.
• Incorporate how some of the supplies that were taken were used into the story – the medicines, the equipment, the gifts for the Indian Tribes that were encountered.
• What duties were there and how were they assigned? For example, what is an engage’, and why were there so many of them?
• What weather did they experience, how did they dress?
• What did they eat?
• Describe how they participated in some of the activities that were enjoyed during some of the stops that were made in settlements/towns along the way.