Lewis and Clark embarked on an expedition, by order of President Jefferson, lasting from 1803-1806. Their mission was to find a water route from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean. The journey was to take them through the unexplored wilderness of the west. They relied heavily upon the support of the native people to help them through the unfamiliar terrain. On July 25, during their return journey, Lewis and company met several Piegan warriors of the Blackfeet Indian Tribe. This encounter ended in a confrontation, which resulted in the death of two Blackfeet warriors.
Our mission was to explore various characteristics of the Blackfeet tribe. As we delved into the Blackfeet tribe, we not only learned about their culture, but we acquired many skills and ideas along the way. One of the things we learned about was the Creation story of the Blackfeet people. In addition, other legends were read and discussed leading the student to create their own legend. Students also were acquainted with the Blackfeet by learning about their food, shelter, clothing, and language. Later they explored the differences among the different tribes of Blackfeet. We also explored some of the geography, plants, and animals of Montana that Lewis and Clark, and the Blackfeet would have experienced back in 1806. Students also experienced writing in a journal like Lewis and Clark would have done many years ago.
While studying about the Blackfeet Tribe, the students were exposed to several ideas and skills. One major idea the students have been exposed to is the tolerance/acceptance of people different from themselves. They understand that there are differences between the Blackfeet people (culture, beliefs, customs, etc), and us; and they do not think any less of the Blackfeet for being different then themselves. The students have also been able to compare and contrast the Blackfeet and ourselves. Being able to learn about the differences and similarities between the two groups has also enabled the students to learn more about tolerance (that being different is not a bad thing). Another concept students have worked on throughout the semester is self-control. Students worked on self- control by taking turns talking, raising their hand before answering a question, waiting for their turn with materials, and listening to instructions. The need for self-control was often needed, especially when the students shared their work with the rest of the group. Working in groups enabled students to work on their cooperation and communication skills. They were able to share ideas with each other, and they usually were required to share materials. One skill that the students used often was their writing skills. They were often required to produce written work as part of the lesson. They followed directions for the writing and worked on proper sentence structure. Students also were exposed to geography and a sense of a time of the past. When students learned about the Blackfeet, journaling and Lewis and Clark, they were reminded of the differences between the current time period and time past.
| Team |
Concept Map |
Kid pix- What WeLearned |
Links to Learn More |
Field Trip |
Facts About the Blackfeet |
Rationale |