Discovering the West: The Expedition of Lewis and Clark

by John Micklos Jr.

Overview

Imagine being asked by the president of the United States to explore an unknown part of the country. That’s exactly how Lewis and Clark found themselves blazing a trail west from Missouri to the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, they met American Indian tribes and documented plants and animals they had never seen before. Lively language, historical illustrations, and primary source journal entries from the explorers help readers feel as if they were a part of the journey. Meets Common Core critical thinking standards, and provides strong ties to social studies standards on westward expansion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781491401903
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	07/01/2014
Series:	Capstone Adventures on the American Frontier Series
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	7.75(w) x 8.75(h) x 0.12(d)
Lexile:	910L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 10 Years

About the Author

John Micklos, Jr. has written more than 50 children’s books spanning a wide range of ages and genres. His work includes picture books, poetry books, and numerous nonfiction books. Popular titles include One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me! (Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books, 2017), which was chosen for inclusion in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program for multiple years.
John’s other top-selling books include 125 True Stories of Amazing Pets (contributor) and 125 Cute Animals (contributor), both published by National Geographic Kids. He also has written dozens of biographies, history books, and social studies books for educational publishers such as Capstone and Cavendish Square. Biographies include Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Amelia Earhart, Alexander Graham Bell, Abraham Lincoln, Muhammad Ali, Sequoyah, Geronimo, and others. History topics include the Revolutionary War (six-book series), Civil War, Challenger tragedy, Gold Rush, Lewis and Clark Expedition, and many others.
A resident of Newark, Delaware, John enjoys visiting schools (in person or via Zoom) and conducting writing workshops with students of all ages. His presentations and workshops center on writing poetry, nonfiction, and persuasive pieces, as well as the art of research and revision, to name just a few. Learn more about John’s work at www.JohnMicklosWriter.com.

Table of Contents

Stranded in the wilderness — Preparing for the great adventure — Heading into the vast unknown — Dangers and triumphs — Returning heroes.

Editorial Reviews

11/01/2014
Gr 3–5—Some of the most exciting, pivotal times in American history are explored in these titles. Each book begins with a hook—a lively anecdote or a climactic situation—to pull readers in. For instance, Discovering the West starts with the Lewis and Clark expedition 16 months into the journey, when the explorers were tired and near starving. The narrative then rewinds and explains how the group of disparate individuals found themselves in this predicament. The text brims with amazing bits of information that are worthy of any "Ripley's" book: for instance, railroad workers were lowered in reed baskets to plant dynamite in the sides of mountains. Occasional sidebars offer "Fun Facts," such as how, during the Gold Rush, stores sold "California gold grease," a concoction that guaranteed that it would draw gold to those who rubbed it on their skin and rolled down the mountain. Solid entries that make history intriguing.

School Library Journal