The Lewis & Clark Expedition for Middle Grades

The world into which Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their Corps of Discovery traveled was, as unknown to them as the outer reaches of the solar system remain for today's scientists. As the bicentennial of their expedition approaches in 2004, an examination of their accomplishments is appropriate. The expedition, Thomas Jefferson's dream, was motivated by economic, scientific, and territorial goals. Though it is oft repeated that they technically failed in the pursuit of a water route across North America—or Northwest Passage—to the Pacific Ocean, the explorers' contributions to the growth of the United States were enormous.

The obstacles in their path were many, ranging from the harsh topography and the difficulty in communicating with Native Americans to the annoyance of mosquitoes and fleas. The undertaking lasted so long—two and a half years—that people were sure the men had perished. Our knowledge of the expedition comes from the detailed and copious journals kept by Lewis and Clark and members of the Corps. They traversed close to 8000 miles round-trip, mapping their route and discovering more than 100 new species of plants and animals. The two explorers managed to cooperate throughout, and their men remained largely loyal and focused on the goal. Only one member of the Corps died, and there was only one skirmish with Native Americans.

However, the unintentional toll the expedition took on indigenous people was enormous. Lewis and Clark's discovery of a water and land passage to the Pacific resulted in the western expansion of white settlers who claimed the territory and pushed Native Americans from their land. This outcome should not be ignored even as we honor the incredible achievements and contributions of the Corps of Discovery.

Many accounts of this exciting episode in American history have been written for the middle school audience. Listed here are selected volumes that can help students understand the significance of the Lewis and Clark expedition.–Renee Steinberg

Nonfiction

BERGEN, Lara. The Travels of Lewis & Clark. Raintree/Steck-Vaughn. 2000.
Gr 4-6 –This is a brief though thorough and well-organized description of the expedition. The ways in which the Corps was helped by Native Americans are shown. Accessible vocabulary and sentence structure make this selection helpful for less-proficient readers. The extensive chronology is particularly helpful.

BLUMBERG, Rhoda. The Incredible Journey of Lewis & Clark. Lothrop. 1987.
Gr 5-8 –In clearly written prose, the background and details of the expedition are related. The economic impetus for the exploration is discussed, and evidence of the arduous nature of the trip and its astonishing results are presented. Black-and-white photos of explorers and Native Americans as well as sketches of equipment and wildlife are included. An extensive bibliography and notes render this an essential source for student research.

CAVAN, Seamus. Lewis and Clark and the Route to the Pacific. Chelsea House. 1991.
Gr 6-9 –This detailed exposition puts the explorers' accomplishments into perspective. Though there was a great deal of cooperation between the travelers and the Native Americans, the destruction of the Native American way of life is seen as one of the outcomes. Quotes from the journals of Lewis and Clark introduce the chapters, and the text is illustrated with photos of paintings of Native Americans, western scenes, wildlife, and portraits.

JONES, Landon Y., ed. The Essential Lewis and Clark. HarperCollins. 2000.
Gr 7 Up –The explorers' copious original journals have been edited to exclude duplications and celestial and navigational data. Jones has selected entries "which focus on the human drama of the voyages as told by the two captains." A thorough introduction gives a good historical overview of the expedition. This is intriguing reading and will be a challenge for middle school youngsters, but worth the effort.

FABER, Harold. Lewis and Clark: From Ocean to Ocean. Benchmark. 2002.
Gr 6-8 –Every aspect of the expedition is covered here. A chapter is devoted to Sacagawea, and the intricate method of translation used during the journey is described. A few special sections are interspersed throughout the text, including one on Lewis's dog, Seaman. Lengthy source notes are provided, and a section entitled "Further Research" includes Web sites.

KIMMEL, Elizabeth Cody. As Far as the Eye Can Reach. Random. 2003.
Gr 4-6 –This account reads like an exciting adventure story. Readers will be swept up in the details of the planning and execution of this arduous journey. Kimmel describes how the men had to build and repair their equipment, hunt for food, mend or make clothing, deal with harsh weather, and constantly face unknown challenges. Excerpts from the original journals are included.

KOZAR, Richard. Lewis & Clark: Explorers of the Louisiana Purchase. Chelsea House. 2000.
Gr 4-6 –A fine choice for reluctant readers, this clearly written text describes the adventures of the expedition. The color illustrations are a mixture of paintings, portraits, and photos. Intermittent sidebars and boxes offer further details, including the kinds of men that Lewis wanted for the Corps and facts about grizzly bears.

LOURIE, Peter. In the Path of Lewis and Clark: Traveling the Missouri. Silver Burdett. 1997.
Gr 5 Up –Written in a conversational tone, this narrative describing the author's 1995 journey up the Missouri River makes for great reading. The account is interspersed with information about the expedition and quotes from the explorers' journals. Lourie also speaks about the changes made in the river to contain flooding and make it more navigable. Photos and illustrations in black and white and color represent both the contemporary landscape and the world of the 1800s.

MCGRATH, Patrick. The Lewis and Clark Expedition. Silver Burdett. 1985.
Gr 5-8 –A balance in perspective is introduced as the effects of the expedition on Native Americans are discussed. "Their sufferings in the decades that followed teach us that what was good for the white settlers was not necessarily good for the Indians." Special sections on "The language barrier," "Food in the wilderness," and "Tribes along the way" are included. An accessible account, written in a journalistic style.

MORLEY, Jacqueline. Across America: The Story of Lewis and Clark. Watts. 1998.
Gr 4-7 –A great deal of information is presented in a pictorial format. A different topic, 22 in all, appears on each spread. Topics are arranged chronologically and proceed like a narrative time line. The last segment gives information about the Corps members after they returned home and about the expedition's aftermath. Though the page layouts are busy, information is readily accessible, and the lively format will sustain interest.

PATENT, Dorothy Hinshaw. Animals on the Trail with Lewis and Clark. photos. by William Muñoz. Clarion. 2002.
Gr 5-8 –The history of the expedition unfolds with a focus on the animals discovered by Lewis and Clark. The scientific significance of the exploration is made evident by the combination of a beautifully written narrative and color nature photographs. The 122 species of vertebrate animals are listed chronologically and geographically at the end of the text.

SCHANZER, Rosalyn. How We Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis & Clark. illus. by author. National Geographic. 1997.
Gr 4-6 –Important facts abound in this colorful, visual account of the expedition. Lively, cartoon illustrations incorporate details related to Native American culture, including dress and shelter. The text comes largely from the original journals of Lewis and Clark, though the author explains that sometimes sentences were shortened, or the observations of two or more explorers were combined "to clarify the narrative."

STEIN, R. Conrad. Lewis and Clark. Children's Press. 1997.
Gr 4-7 –This brief overview of the journey is suitable for reports and would be accessible to reluctant readers. The difficulties of the passage and the adventures along the way are chronicled in a lively style. Full-color and black-and-white photographs and a good map of the territorial breakdown of the United States in 1804 are included.

TWIST, Clint. Lewis and Clark: Exploring the Northwest. Raintree/Steck-Vaughn. 1994.
Gr 5-8 –The author places the expedition into historical perspective as he traces the growth of the United States. Clearly written, with ample black-and-white and color illustrations of scenes along the route, paintings of Native Americans and explorers, equipment used by the Corps, and animals encountered along the way, this title also spotlights related topics for further investigation. Clear maps show the trails followed by the Corps.

Fiction

O'DELL, Scott. Streams to the River, River to the Sea: A Novel of Sacagawea. Houghton. 1986.
Gr 4-7 –A feisty, courageous, and intelligent Sacagawea comes to life as O'Dell imagines the story of the expedition through her eyes. The young woman's infatuation with Clark becomes apparent. Treated like a slave by her French husband, she is attracted to Clark's kindness and respectful behavior. This would be a fine choice for an interdisciplinary approach to studying Lewis and Clark.

Nonfiction

LOURIE, Peter. On the Trail of Sacagawea. photos. by author. Boyds Mills. 2001.
Gr 5-8 –This first-person account of a trip following Sacagawea's route relates many details of the 19th-century expedition as well as conversations with present-day Native Americans. The courage shown by Sacagawea as she traversed mountains and traveled with her baby through river rapids comes to life in Lourie's appreciative account of the young woman's contributions to the expedition's success.

ST. GEORGE, Judith. Sacagawea. Putnam. 1997.
Gr 5-8 –Basically, the only part of Sacagawea's life that is known is the time described in the journals of Lewis and Clark. This extensively researched account is admittedly interspersed with fictionalized descriptions of what Sacagawea's "reactions and emotions would have been." The lively prose will hook readers.

WHITE, Alana. Sacagawea: Westward with Lewis & Clark. Enslow. 1997.
Gr 5-8 –Written in engaging prose, this thorough account of the expedition focuses on Sacagawea. In his journal, Lewis described her as loyal and brave, and White lucidly depicts the difficulty of the journey and the young Shoshone woman's importance to its success. She found edible roots for the travelers, saved supplies that had fallen into the river, and helped convince other Native Americans that the Corps had come in peace.

Fiction

KARWOSKI, Gail Langer. Seaman: The Dog Who Explored the West with Lewis & Clark. illus. by James Watling. Peachtree. 1999.
Gr 4-7 –The daily adventures of the expedition are effectively portrayed in this novel that focuses on Lewis's Newfoundland dog. Seaman's importance to the men of the Corps and to Sacagawea is evident. This absorbing, heavily researched tale could be used as a read-aloud to introduce a study of the journey. Follow-up information appears at the end of the book.

Nonfiction

PRINGLE, Laurence. Dog of Discovery: A Newfoundland's Adventures with Lewis and Clark. illus. by Meryl Henderson. Boyds Mills. 2002.
Gr 5-7 –Specifics of the expedition are described through the contributions of Lewis's dog, Seaman. He helped in hunting, retrieving, warning of approaching danger, and frightening predators. Written in journal style, this is basically a factual account. However, Pringle does admit to including "informed guesses" about some of Seaman's behavior. The dog does not "appear" in the journals describing the last two months of travel, but evidence reported in 2000 indicates that he did survive.