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Objectives:
Student
groups will select a topic to explore and answer the question:
What medicinal plants/plants were used for food or medicine
or animals were seen by Lewis & Clark? Did the medical treatments
work? Students will conduct research to find references to these
plants or animals and their uses by Lewis & Clark¯s Corps
of Discovery by using materials available such as journals, books,
internet sources, library materials.
Students
should become familiar with documenting sources when reporting
findings.
Each
group will devise a plan to find out, record and share their findings
electronically: making a web page or a PowerPoint presentation
for display to others.
Field
activity: Students may explore their local area to see if any
similar plants/animals discovered by Lewis & Clark are to
be found where students live today. Photos or digital images can
be shared electronically in their project production. Images (use
plants/animal keys to identify them). If outdoor activities are
unable to be conducted, use of field guides with range maps will
help students see what can be found in their area.
Students
will be asked to assess what they learned from this activity relating
to science, to history
and to technology.
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Standards and
Benchmarks Addressed:
Grade
Levels: 5-8 Benchmarks
Benchmark 8.2.2 Design and carry out a scientific investigation.
Benchmark 8.2.3 Use appropriate technology and techniques
to gather and interpret data.
Benchmark 8.2.4 Use acquired data to develop descriptions,
explanations, predictions, and models.
Benchmark 8.2.7 Communicate scientific procedures, explanations,
results and conclusions in a variety of ways.
Benchmark 8.6.1 Design a solution, using science and technology,
to a problem related to human needs or wants.
Benchmark 8.7.1 Understand how science influences personal
health.
Benchmarks Grades 9-12
12.2.1 Identify problems, develop appropriate questions and
recognize relevant concepts that guide scientific investigations.
12.2.2 Design and conduct investigations in various ways to solve
problems in a variety of forms.
12.2.4 Collect, organize, analyze and use data to solve problems.
12.2.7 Use knowledge and skills from other academic disciplines
to solve problems in science.
12.2.8 Use various forms of communication to present results
and explanations of scientific investigations.
12.4.5 Understand the interdependence of organisms and their
environments.
12.6.2 Use technological design to solve a problem or to
improve current technology.
12.7.1 Understand how science relates to personal and community
health issues.
12.8.2 Understand the nature of scientific knowledge.
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Detailed Description
of Activity:
Groups
will discuss the project, determine their selected area of focus
and plan how to achieve the answers to the questions. The group
will determine how to communicate their findings, and begin collecting
data, objects, photos, research in the fall. Best timing
for plants and animals for outdoor viewing and collecting activities
is early September.
Evaluating available information and research can be done indoors,
late fall into early winter. Communicating findings after
organizing and evaluating, and documenting sources can be done
at a later convenient time.
Questions
to address:
- What
plants or animals did Lewis & Clark see, record and find
helpful during their North Dakota passage?
- What
plants did Meriwether Lewis feel were important for medicinal
benefits and what was he treating?
- What
similar plants and animals are here today in North Dakota that
students could see, record and find helpful today?
- Is
diversity of plants and animals important?
- How
can students find out and communicate their findings to other
interested persons?
Project
participants are encouraged to select an area to focus on (for
example - native plants, or medicinal plants, grasses, wildflowers,
birds, trees of North Dakota or animals). The project activities
would encourage field exploration as well as library and internet
research for information. I would prefer to emphasize plants
and organisms native to North Dakota, and that are mentioned in
the journals of Lewis & Clark.
Find some specific references about helpful or interesting plants
and animals from Lewis & Clark journal writings from books
written or internet information sources.
Next, how can students find out what types of plants and animals
are located in their area? Devise a plan to do find out,
record and share their findings. How can students find plants
that are considered medicinal, and what they have been used for?
Students will be encouraged to explore their home area to find
out what types of plants, birds, trees, medicinal plants, etc.
they can find locally. Students would be encouraged to use
a digital camera to photograph these in the field, or make a collection
for their school. This will entail finding out how to make a proper
collection: for plants, insects or animals. How did Meriwether
Lewis document his findings, and how did he preserve specimens?
Why did he preserve specimens?
Other requested information would include researching the plants/animals
to find out more about their subject. Write a brief description
about their finding for each plant, animal or insect found.
If persons cannot get outside to do their own exploration for
plants & animals, the activity can be conducted wholly with
other resource materials from internet or library sources.
Students are encouraged to use field guides from their classroom,
library or local experts.
I would ask students to document their source of information,
and to include information from 3 kinds of sources: Internet,
books and scientific journals.
I will encourage students to learn how to accurately document
their sources of information
My
Students Will:
Junior High students will research what plants/animals are mentioned
in the journals of Lewis & Clark. Students will share their
findings with the other groups through posting in a manner yet
to be determined.
High School classes will expand on this and examine medicinal
qualities of plants mentioned in Lewis & Clark's journal writings.
They will research this by using books and Internet sources, and
accurately record their findings and document their sources.
They will include digital photos of medicinal plants. They
will post this information and brief descriptions.
Distant
schools participating in this project will be asked to:
contribute information about plants and animals found in their
areas, or on topics they can find out about and contribute to
the group's information fund. Including photos and descriptions
and documenting sources will be necessary to include. I
would ask that one group contribute butterfly/ host food information,
and another do birds and another do animal information.
The extent of their contributions would depend on the level of
grade they are working with, and their decisions on what to work
on.
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