Lewis and Clark

"Of courage undaunted,
possessing a firmness of purpose which nothing but impossibilities could divert from its direction" Thomas Jefferson of Merriweather Lewis
This summer the kids and I have studied the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It began with our being half-way through the book on the Louisiana purchase on the last day of school. Our interest was peaked and I hated to skip the books about Lewis and Clark that we did not have time to read during last school year, so...
The book about the Louisiana Purchase is titled: What's the Deal Jefferson and Napoleon and the Louisiana Purchase, by Rhoda Blumberg. I would classify this book as a textbook. We read it in small portions each day. Then we read a few chapter books about Lewis and Clark and some of the other characters in the Corps of Discovery, namely, Seaman, Meriweather Lewis' Newfoundland dog.
Patricia Reader Eubank's book, Seaman's Journal: On the Trail with Lewis and Clark is a beautifully* illustrated history for reading aloud to younger students. *Aren't all Patricia Reader Eubank stories beautifully illustrated, though?


Another story by Gail Langer Karwoski entitled Seaman: The Dog who Explored the West with Lewis & Clark is a chapter book for older readers. The history is good, though embellished for interest and believability. This dog is mentioned in the Lewis and Clark journals but, like Sacajawea, the journal entries leave us wanting so much more.

We also read Of Courage Undaunted: Across the Continent with Lewis and Clark by James Daugherty, originally in 1951. (This is not the story of similar title by the acclaimed Stephen Ambrose which was written in the mid 1990's.) James Daugherty composes his story directly from the journals of Lewis and Clark. Like journal entries, his sections are brief and a bit dry. The story is appropriate for school-aged children and I read it aloud to mine.

We really enjoyed reading the book about Naya Nuki, "the girl who ran", even though her story is pretty much legend at this point, we were fascinated. Naya Nuki: Shoshone Girl Who Ran, by Kenneth Thomasma.

My 3rd and 5th graders and I enjoy the Draw and Write Through History series by Carylee Gressman. Our library owns most of this series and we enjoyed learning how to draw Sacajawea and a grizzly bear, these lessons are found in, Draw and Write Through History Book 5: Napoleon to Lady Liberty: The World of the 1800's, by Carylee Gressman. My 3rd grader still has trouble keeping up with all the steps, but my artistically inclined 5th grader is able to channel his abilities and learn a few new tricks about drawing. People are especially challenging!