As an 8th grade history teacher, my pal Shari was just giddy with excitement when we arrived at The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail And Interpretive Center. What a truly fantastic place to learn and appreciate the journey, struggles, and story of these two very brave men who were sent on an expedition by Thomas Jefferson to explore the wilderness of the Louisiana Purchase. We learned all about the various plants and animal specimens they sent back, about Sacagawea and her tribe who helped them, and how they traveled on foot and in carved canoes that they sometimes had to carry because the whitewater was too dangerous to cross. The kids loved talking to the rangers who answered all their questions. They even got to dress up as Lewis and Clark, and Native Americans. Very educational and lots of hands-on exhibits. We spent a lot of time talking about what it meant to be an explorer, to be brave in discovering new things, facing danger, and being unsure about things. We also talked about planning, miscalculations and how to adapt when a situation throws you a curveball…DO NOT MISS!!!
