Entry #6 Sacagawea

In this second grade lesson, I am focusing on Sacagawea because she has become an important part of the Lewis and Clark legend, as she is a symbol of women's worth and independence.  Sacagawea was born into the Shoshone tribe in what is now modern-day Idaho.  As a child, she had many different names but in time she became known as "bird woman".  "Sakaga" means bird and "wea" means woman and thus her name was Sacagawea.  She was kidnapped by Hidatsa warriors as a child and given in marriage as a teen to a French Canadian fur trapper.  Sacagawea was pregnant with her first child when the Corps of Discovery arrived in her village to spend the winter months.  Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark hired Sacagawea and her husband, Charbonneau, as interpreters when they realized she spoke Shoshone.  Sacagawea saved the expedition on many occasions and after their return home she gave her son (Little Pomp) over to Captain Clark to care for as his own and she eventually died not long thereafter.  (Content)
Ask students to recall previous knowledge of Lewis and Clark's expedition and tell what they know about Sacagwea. (DOK 1)  Read to the students Sacagawea by Lise Erdrich and have them summarize the major events in the story.  (CC 8.5.6.G) Students should be able to describe the effect that Sacagawea had on the expedition and what her major role was to its success.  (CC 8.5.6-8.C) (DOK 2)  Have students determine the author's purpose for the story and how it affects their ideas of Sacagawea with details and examples.  (DOK 3)  (CC 8.6.6.A) Students will research what the meaning of their own name is and design a picture using illustrations to represent it.  Just as Sacagawea means "bird woman", the students will be able to make a connection and report to the class their designs and findings.   (DOK 4) (Creative Idea)

Domains: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 2a, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 3c