In 2004, the United States will celebrate the 200th anniversary of what some historians describe as one of the most significant events in United States history, the purchase and exploration of the Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana Purchase is an interdisciplinary unit that will help bring this historical event to life for fourth- and fifth-graders. The lessons in the unit offer a variety of teaching strategies and activities that address social studies content and skills, communication arts skills, and process skills required by the Missouri Show-Me Standards.

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Lesson One: Students learn that explorers respond to incentives, such as the promise of wealth and fame or the hope of excitement and adventure. They participate in an activity that helps them recognize that it takes courage to explore a new place or idea. They also engage in an activity to help them see that the idea of "the west" means something different today than it did in the late 1700s.

Lesson Two: Students participate in an activity that helps them understand how important a map can be. They learn that a map of the Louisiana Territory would provide valuable information. Next, students read about Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, and the Louisiana Territory. Then, they begin a Louisiana Territory time line.

Lesson Three: Students participate in an activity designed to show that access to the Port of New Orleans affected Americans' ability to trade. Next, they participate in a play that explains some of the history of the Louisiana Purchase. Through the play, the students also recognize that President Jefferson knew the strategic importance of controlling the Mississippi River and the Port of New Orleans.

Lesson Four: Students engage in a brief trading activity to help them understand why Lewis took items to trade on the expedition. Then, they participate in a group activity to learn about the crew and supplies that Lewis took on the expedition as well as the training he received prior to the expedition.

Lesson Five: Students look at maps marking the Louisiana Territory and the trail that the expedition took. Along the trail, they meet various groups of Native Americans that the expedition met. The students learn about the keelboat that the expedition tool upriver and the expedition's stay at Fort Mandan. They participate in a trade activity to help them understand the benefits of trade.

Lesson Six: Students make an uninformed choice. They read about an important choice that Lewis and Clark had to make. They learn about the importance of having accurate information when they make choices.

Lesson Seven: Students compare the expedition's accomplishments to the three broad goals that President Jefferson set for the expedition. They learn that the expedition was considered a success even though all goals were not fully met.

Lesson Eight: In the warm-up activity, students learn about Gross Domestic Product (GDP). They look at the GDP for the United States in 2000 and the GDP in 2000 for 13 states that were part of the Louisiana Territory. Students learn about the circular flow of the economy and work in groups to research additional information about the 13 states.