Review of Heroes of History: Meriwether Lewis Book & Study Guide

I was so excited to read Heroes of  History: Meriwether Lewis by Janet & Geoff Benge, but even more excited that there was a unit study study guide to go along with it! Meriwether Lewis is part of YWAM Publishing's Heroes of History series. I love to learn about  history with my children and grandchildren!

Meriwether Lewis had a cool, clear head even as a youngster. It almost seemed he was born for adventure. 

As a young man, Meriwether Lewis found himself in the enviable position of Private Secretary to President Thomas Jefferson. When the President decided to explore the Louisiana Territory, he was hoping to purchase from France, the two of them brainstormed together. All the while, Meriwether was hoping that President Jefferson would choose him to lead the expedition. And he did!

The book took us along with Lewis, Clark, and the Discovery Corps on one adventure after another. From delays and Indian attacks to grizzly bear encounters and treacherous terrain, these brave men and their sweet friend Sacajawea faced danger with bravery.

I learned so many things reading the book that I never knew before: 

• President Jefferson wanted to meet with all the Indian Chiefs to make peace
• Lewis and Clark were hoping to stop the Native Americans from going to war with one another
• Dr. Benjamin Rush trained Lewis & Clark in first aid and medicine
• Dr. Benjamin Barton, a botanist, taught them how to label and preserve animal and plant specimens
• How often they got desperately ill
• How much the weather dictated their travels
• They used dead reckoning to figure out where they were and make maps

Heroes of History Meriwether Lewis by Janet & Geoff Benge was well-written, exciting, and full of information. We learned so much! We had so much fun!

It wasn't enough to just read the book; we wanted to explore hands-on learning activities, too. That's where the Hereos of History Meriwether Lewis Unit Study Curriculum Guide came in handy. 

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Wow! What fun to explore the Lewis and Clark Expedition with the unit study guide.

First, let me tell you about the study guide. 

The Heroes of History Meriwether Lewis Unit Study Curriculum Guide opens with an overview, information about learning styles, and instructions to the parent/teacher. From there, Moms can explore the 8 sections of the guide: Key Quotes, Display Corner, Chapter Questions, Student Explorations, Community Links, Social Studies, Related Themes to Explore, and Culminating Events. 

Here are some of the things we enjoyed from the study guide: 

• Mapping the Route of the Lewis & Clark Expedition
• Writing a newspaper article
• Creating a brochure to recruit Corps of Discovery men
• Trying to make shoes out of leather scraps
• Learning more about buffalo
• Discussing Napoleon and the Louisiana Purchase

The Study Guide ends with two sections: Books & Resources and Answers to Chapter Questions. Answer keys are always a blessing. As a book-aholic, I loved the resource section! 

Also, there are some worksheets available. There's a information sheet to fill out about Lewis Meriwether, as well as some maps to label. 

We colored and labeled the map, drawing the route they took to from Saint Louis to the Pacific Ocean.

There is also a timeline with 21 events that we looked up to find the dates. Then we made our own timeline figures and attached them to the timeline. 

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Would you like to check out more reviews about the YWAM and their Heroes of History and Christian Heroes Then and Now? You can hop over to the Review Crew Blog and read more here. 

I am hoping to read the biography on Milton Hershey next, and then C.S. Lewis. Wow! So many heroes to choose from!

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And how about my overall rating? I give the series, as well as Heroes of History: Lewis Meriwether a five-star rating. The writing was excellent, the book and series honors the Lord, and character traits were presented that call my children to greatness!

I highly recommend YWAM as a place to find excellent homeschool resources. We have purchased materials from them for years and appreciate the quality of books they carry. My goal is to raise children who love Jesus and to homeschool for the glory of God. YWAM has been a big help in reaching my homeschool goals. 

Until next time: Happy Homeschooling!
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For His Glory,
Meredith Curtis

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