CAST’s UDL LESSON BUILDER

Lesson Overview
Title: Lewis and Clark – Challenges of the Journey
Author: Kimberly McKay
Subject: Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 8th grade
Duration: 5 hours
Subject Area: United States History
Unit Description: Before the Lewis and Clark Expedition,
Europeans knew little about what lay west of
the Mississippi River. The mental maps of
expedition members could not prepare them
for what lay ahead. The members of the corps
of discovery met and overcame many
challenges along the expedition.

Lesson Description for Day: In this lesson, students will conduct research
on one obstacle the expedition faced, including
how the expedition handled the challenged.
Students will then prepare and present a report
using Web 2.0 tools to share what they have
learned with the class.
Challenges/obstacle selections may include:
• Grizzly bears
• Native Americans
• Mosquitos
• Weather
• Terrain
• Buffalo
The presentations will include:
• Why their selection was an obstacle?
• Why was the obstacle dangerous?
• Where did the obstacle occur along the
expedition? How did the expedition
members overcome the obstacle?
State Standards: Social Studies: 113.8.30.D: Identify points of
view from the historical context surrounding an
event.
CAST2006 Adapted from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org 1
 Social Studies 113.8.11.A: Locate places and
regions of importance in the United States
during the 18th and 19th centuries
Social Studies 113.8.11.B: Compare places and
regions of the United States in terms of
physical and human characteristics.
Social Studies 113.8.11.C:
Analyze the effects of physical and human
geographic factors on major historical and
contemporary events in the United States.

Goals
Unit Goals: 1. Research and identify challenges the Lewis
and Clark expedition encountered on its
journey.
2. Identify the expedition’s approach to
overcoming challenges to reach goals.
3. Use Web 2.0 tools, create presentation to
demonstrate understanding of challenges
and how the expedition overcame
challenges.
4. Use technology tools to support research
and learning.
5. Use technology tools to collaborate, publish,
and interact with peers and teacher.
Lesson Goals: 1. Use Web 2.0 tools, create presentation to
demonstrate understanding of challenges
and how the expedition overcame
challenges.
2. Use knowledge gained through Lewis and
Clark lesson, determine how students
overcome personal obstacles.
3. Use a variety of media and formats to
communicate information and ideas
effectively.
4. Use technology to locate, evaluate, and
collect information from a variety of sources.

Methods
Anticipatory Set: • Introduce lessons goals and objectives to
students.
• Ask students to share their current

CAST2006 Adapted from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org 2


Introduce and Model New
Knowledge:
Provide Guided Practice:
CAST2006 Adapted from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org
knowledge of Lewis and Clark. (reflective
network)
• Show students map of the expedition and
ask students to brainstorm perceived
challenges of the expedition based on their
knowledge of the region. Guide discussion to
include animals, insects, terrain and
weather. (strategic network)
• Brainstorm how the expedition members
may have overcome the challenges.
(strategic network)
• Introduce technology and Web 2.0 tools that
may be used to identify actual
challenges/obstacles for the expedition and
for further research including a delicious
bookmark site. (affective network)
• Additional videos, journals, webquests, etc.
may also be used to introduce the
expedition and identify obstacles.
• Ask students to identify the real challenges
the expedition faced by showing the film
Lewis and Clark: Great Journey West or by
exploring Lewis and Clark websites.
• Ensure student pay close attention to
obstacles including insects, animals,
weather, terrain and Native Americans.
Divide students into groups. Instruct them to
select and conduct more in-depth research on
one or two obstacles the expedition faced,
including how the expedition handled the
challenge.
Invite each group to prepare and present using
technology that discusses challenges/obstacles
including:
• Why it was a challenge/obstacle?
• What dangers did the challenge/obstacle
present?
• How did the expedition overcome the
challenge/obstacle?
Invite the class to share and compare identified
obstacles and ask the following questions:
3
 • Which of the obstacles was the most difficult
to overcome?
• Which did the expedition handle best? Why?
• For which were they least prepared?

Teacher will assist the students in collecting

information using the internet and bookmarked sites.
Podcasts and assistive technology will be available to
support visually impaired students. Interpreter will be
assigned to assist hearing impaired students.

Provide Independent Students will be required to use the lesson blog to

Practice: reflect on the assignment and what they have learned.
Additionally, Using knowledge gained through
Lewis and Clark lesson, students will discuss
how they overcome personal obstacles.

Expanded lessons for GT students include identifying

obstacles students may face in getting from
home to school, or from school to a park. How
can these be overcome? Using
mindmeister.com to map the groups progress
and method for achieving the assignment
goals.

Assessment
Formative/Ongoing • Provide students with feedback regarding
Assessment: class participation, cooperative teamwork
and utilization of research tools.
• Provide students with feedback during
creation of presentation.
• Provide redirection as necessary.
Summative/End Of Lesson • Evaluation of final presentation and blog
Assessment: entries to determine if students met
assignment objective and social studies
standards.
• Did students effectively use technology tools
to support learning and collection of
information?
• Did student use appropriate presentation
tools to communicate information to their
peers?

CAST2006 Adapted from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org 4

Materials & Resources
• Computer(s); word processing software, Microsoft PowerPoint.
• Internet access, for research and access to Animoto, Prezi,
Mindmeister, etc.
• Assistive technology and interpretor for visually and hearing impaired
students.
• Film: Lewis and Clark: Great Journey West

Lewis and Clark Webquests

http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webquests/lewisclark/
http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/instructor/lewisandclark.htm
http://academics.uww.edu/cni/webquest/Fall02/lewisclark/

Lewis and Clark Resources and Websites

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/
http://www.edgate.com/lewisandclark/
http://lewis-clark.org/
http://www.lewisclark.net/
http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/
http://www.lewisandclarktrail.com/101.htm

CAST2006 Adapted from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org 5