The Great American Adventure (Lewis & Clark)

Idea behind the song:

What an amazing and dangerous adventure the journies of Lewis and Clark was! At the same time, there were many whose lives were disrupted by that same journey. I wanted to write a song to celebrate the 200 year anniversary of the journey that was "celebratory" but at the same time sensitive to those who "lost" because of the journey.

Lesson idea:

In the Social Studies component of our 8th grade team, students study American history. I try (but it doesn't always work out) to connect my unit on rivers with this song. Share with your social studies friends...or anyone using the theme of Lewis & Clark.. It is a "theme song" for me. I love to use music to begin class. It gets students focused and the end of the song provides a dramatic beginning for my lessons.

I also connect (the technology of) Lewis & Clark to my Technology Yin & Yang mini-unit. (National Science Standard...) The idea is for students to understand:

1) How fast and much technology has impacted our world.

2) Technology has both good and bad consequences. (hence the yin and yang)

In the time of Lewis & Clark, rivers were of enormous importance. At that time, except for the flow of water, nothing traveled faster than a muscle could take it.

To quote from Stephen Ambrose's book Undaunted Courage, "