Lewis and clark corps of discovery flora fauna

Meriwether Lewis & William Clark, Nicotiana quadrivalvis, 1804.

The Lewis and Clark expedition can influence how we understand the world around us from a scientific and a social perspective, informing Americans about the flora and fauna of the physical land we call home as well as the cultures and histories of groups that were here long before us (and still are). However, as students get older, the questions they ask about these explorers must get more challenging. I believe that students can learn just as much from Lewis and Clark in 10th grade as they can in 2nd grade. Then, Lewis and Clark are rarely mentioned again. ItвЂ™s something many of us were taught about in elementary school: we hear about their bravery, forging a path through вЂњunexplored wilderness,вЂќ and the help they received from Sacagawea. I also learned that museum work is a lot more exciting than I originally thought it could be.Дuring Fall 2021, I worked on a lesson plan about the Lewis and Clark expedition, which took place over two years and across 8,000 miles of the North American continent. IвЂ™ve learned that certain historical artifacts are so light-sensitive they need to be displayed under a black shroud so they arenвЂ™t damaged simply from sitting in the light. IвЂ™ve learned about 18th-century balloon disasters, and that Benjamin Franklin (great as he was) could never master his familyвЂ™s soap recipe. While I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I arrived on my first day, IвЂ™ve since met many lovely people who have introduced me to what theyвЂ™re passionate about.

Over the past few months, IвЂ™ve had the pleasure of working in the Education Programs Department at the American Philosophical SocietyвЂ™s Library & Museum. By Madeleine Engle, Cultural Fieldwork Initiative Intern, 2021

Lewis and clark corps of discovery flora fauna