Lewis & Clark Expedition through Physical Education

A WebQuest for 5-8 Grade (Physical Education)

Grace Goc Karp & Karla Jensen

gockarp@uidaho.edu

Introduction -  Task  -  Process  -  Resources  -  Evaluation  -  Conclusion  -  Credits

Introduction

Your team has the responsibility of finding out about one assigned aspect of the Lewis and Clark expedition.  Your team will use the information to develop the physical activity and then teach the activity to the rest of the class. 

Remember, we are counting on you to learn more about the Lewis and Clark expedition. 

Task

Members of your team will take on one of the following roles.  The team must ensure all the roles are assigned.  Each member is responsible for completing the tasks described for the role.  Roles and responsibilities include:

• 1-2 Historians in charge of gathering the information and developing the resources (e.g., task cards, signs etc.) about the expedition.

• 1-2 Activity Developers in charge of using the information and resources in creating the physical activity

• 1 Instructor in charge of teaching the physical activity to the rest of the class on the assigned day

As you can see, everyone on the team must share information back and forth so that the activity and the information can be successfully taught to the rest of the class.

Process

1. First you'll be assigned to a team of 3-5 students in charge of one aspect of the expedition
2. Once you've picked a role to play you will refer to the instructions for your role in the team you have been assigned.

Team 1:  Expedition Tag

(People of the Expedition)

A number of people were involved with the expedition.  Your job is to find out and share information about who they were, and what their specialty was or what contribution they made to the expedition.

Historian(s):

1.     Using the resources, make a list, and identify 6 people in the expedition.

2.     Also identify their specialty or contribution to the expedition.

3.     Share this list with the Activity Developers

Activity Developer(s):

1.     Use the information on the list to modify the game of Cartoon tag or Car lot tag.

2.     Try to make actions that remind us of the contribution the person made to the expedition.

3.     Share this game with the Instructor.

Instructor:

1.     Using your team demonstrate the game to the rest of the class.

2.     As you do this, be sure to identify the boundaries of the play area, how to tag, safety concerns, the actions, and the information about the people.

3.     Decide who starts the game, and when to start a new game.

4.     Referee the game for safety and fair play.

Team 2: Equipment Stations

(Preparing for the expedition)

The expedition took months to prepare and food and equipment items needed to be gathered.  Your job is to find out and share what was needed.

Historian(s):

1.     Using the resources, make a list of 3 important food items and 3 important pieces of equipment, and identify the amount needed or their cost at that time.

2.     Using a 2’x3’ task card for each item, draw the item, and list the amount/cost.

3.     Attach stickers (choose a different color for each item) to the task card.

4.     Share the task cards with the Activity Developers

Activity Developer(s):

1.     Use the following activities listed below.  You will designate an activity station for each item.  You cannot repeat an activity.  Try to modify/match the activity to the item.

2.     Decide how much equipment you will need for each station – remember you will have to divide the # of stations into the # of participants in your class to determine how much equipment is needed at each station.  You will need to help the instructor in setting up the equipment.

3.     Share these stations and task cards with the Instructor.

1. Jump roping

2. Hula hoping

3. Tossing balls into a container

4. Push ups and sit-ups

5. BB dribbling patterns

6. Your activity idea

Instructor:

1.     Using your team demonstrate the activities at each station and share the expedition information to the rest of the class.

2.     As you do this, be sure to identify the boundaries of each station area, safety concerns.

3.     Describe which way to rotate from one station to the next.

4.     Split the class into the numbers assigned at each station

5.     Choose and play the music for 30 secs at each station.  Help to rotate the groups.

6.     Referee the activities for safety.

Team 3: Secret Trading

(with Native American Indian Tribes)

Throughout the expedition, they met many different Native American Indian tribes who became their trading and hunting friends.  Your job is to find out who the tribes were and where they lived.

Historian(s):

1.      Using the resources, identify 4 Native American Indian tribes the expedition met along the journey; and identify where they lived.

2.     For each tribe make a 2’x3’ trading signpost using different colored paper for each tribe.

3.     Print the tribe name and location, and a symbol to remind us of the tribe on each signpost.

4.     Share the signposts with the Activity Developers

Activity Developer(s):

1.     The object of the game is to secretly divide your class into the 4 tribes.  A tribe has to throw a nerf ball amongst their tribal members (who have to catch the ball successfully) and throw the ball into their trading post (a goal area designated with their trading signpost) to make a successful trade.  No-one can move from their beginning position.  The problem is that they don’t know at first who is in their tribe!! – it’s a secret!!

2.     You will need to gather enough colored stickers for each tribe – remember each tribe has a designated color, and you need to divide your class participants by 4 so you will know how many stickers you need for each tribe.

3.     Decide which side of the play area is designated for each tribe, and help the instructor set up the trading signposts.

4.     Share this information in #1-3 above with your instructor.

Instructor:

1.     Using the information provided you will teach the game to the rest of the class

2.     In order to do this you will need to decide how the game is started, where people stand, what to do if a ball is not successfully caught, or if a ball goes out of bounds, and how to start the game when a trade has been made successfully.

3.     When you start you will need to hand out the stickers secretly and ask your classmates to hide the sticker.

4.     Referee the game for safety, rule violation and keep score.

Team 4:  The Journey

(where and how long)

The expedition started at St. Louis and ended at the Oregon coast.  The expedition covered many miles and went through many states.  Your job is to calculate the total mileage and calculate mileage between a number of segments along the journey.

Historian(s):

1.     Using the resources, identify the total mileage covered during the expedition.

2.     Then identify 4 fairly equal segments in the journey between St. Louis and the Oregon coast.

3.     Identify a beginning and end place for each segment, and calculate the mileage for each segment. 

4.     Design a journey mileage line poster, identifying these segments and their mileage.  The instructor must be able to identify the class progress along this line – so you have to make sure the mileage can be calculated on your line.

5.     Share this information with the rest of the team.

Activity Developer(s):

1.     Design 12 different activities using large muscles of the body that can be used to help us cover the mileage of the journey.

2.     For example, a person walking around the gym twice = 1 mile, or a person jump roping for 5 minutes =5 miles.

3.     List these activities in large print on a poster 3’x5’.

4.     Share this information with the instructor and help him/her in the activity.

Instructor:

1.     For each P.E. class, work with your teacher to designate 5 mins during class for everyone to participate in completing all segments of the journey.

2.     You choose the activities for the day, get the equipment ready you need for the activities and organize the class in the gym space with the appropriate equipment.

3.     You monitor the time and add up everyone’s mileage at the end of the activity time (remember you can use your team to help you add up the class mileage).

4.     Identify the class progress on the mileage line poster by an ‘x’ and the date.

Resources 

Evaluation

You will be evaluated on how you accomplished the tasks identified for your role in your team.

Conclusion

Through these activities you will have learned a lot!

You got to learn about:

• The Lewis and Clark expedition

• How to be active while learning about the expedition, and

• How to organize and instruct your classmates about the information and the activity

Well done! 

Credits & References

"We all benefit by being generous with our work. Permission is hereby granted for other educators to copy this WebQuest, update or otherwise modify it, and post it elsewhere provided that the original author's name is retained along with a link back to the original URL of this WebQuest. On the line after the original author's name, you may add Modified by (your name) on (date). If you do modify it, please let me know and provide the new URL."

Last updated Oct. 2003. Based on a template from The WebQuest