Introduce your students to the thrilling journey of Lewis and Clark with this No-Prep Lewis and Clark Scavenger Hunt! This engaging and interactive activity puts students in the shoes of the Corps of Discovery as they navigate the vast, mysterious lands of the Louisiana Purchase.

In this activity, students become members of the historic Lewis and Clark expedition, commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the new territory purchased from France in 1803. Their mission: map the land, learn about the plants and animals, and create relationships with Native American tribes. But the journey is filled with challenges, including finding crucial information to help them survive and complete their mission. Each student, or group of students, will receive 10 reading task cards related to the Lewis and Clark expedition. These cards contain important historical information about key moments, people, and discoveries made during the expedition. The task is not only to read the cards but to solve 10 questions—the catch is that the answer to each question is found on a different card, encouraging students to read all the information thoroughly.

How It Works:

• Students will need to determine the code word for each card by answering the fill-in-the-blank questions.
• Once all the code words have been found, students must unscramble the letters from each code word to discover the final mystery word.
• In addition, they will collect clues to uncover a 4-digit code, which will help them successfully complete their journey.

Failing to unscramble the mystery word or crack the 4-digit code will result in the expedition being a failure—just like if Lewis and Clark had never reached the Pacific Ocean. However, completing the mission means students will have successfully journeyed from St. Louis, across the uncharted land, and back again, bringing important discoveries to future generations!

What Makes This Activity Perfect for Your Classroom:

• Engaging and Educational: Your students will be excited to play the role of an explorer while learning about one of America’s most important expeditions.
• Critical Thinking Skills: By having to cross-reference information from multiple task cards, students practice comprehension, critical thinking, and attention to detail.
• No-Prep Needed: Simply print the task cards and hand them out to your students! It’s ready to go with minimal prep.
• Flexible Usage: This scavenger hunt can be used independently, as a group activity, or even as a fast-finisher task. It works perfectly as a history lesson, or as a fun, educational activity!

Ideal for Different Learning Styles

Whether done individually or in groups, this scavenger hunt provides the perfect opportunity for students to collaborate and share ideas as they solve the puzzles. If students are working independently, it gives them a chance to practice self-paced learning while still engaging with the history of the Lewis and Clark expedition in an interactive way.

Perfect for History Lessons or Fun Themed Activities This activity fits seamlessly into your classroom’s history curriculum. It’s a perfect way to introduce and reinforce learning about the Louisiana Purchase and the brave explorers who helped shape American history.

This Lewis and Clark Scavenger Hunt is not only a fun, no-prep classroom activity, but it also ensures that students gain a deeper understanding of history while developing important reading and comprehension skills. Bring the excitement of the Lewis and Clark expedition into your classroom with this adventure-packed scavenger hunt.