IRON BOAT QUEST
INTRODUCTION:
Congratulations you have been selected by
the Meriwether Lewis Boat Company along with two other classmates to design and
construct an “experiment” boat that will be submitted for competition. What a
high honor this would be for you and your co-workers should your boat be
selected to accompany Lewis and his Corps members on the Expedition!!!
TASK:
Welcome
aboard mates! Your challenge is two fold.
First you and workers must work together as a team to design
and create a miniature replica of the “iron boat” using materials of the Lewis
and Clark time period. Its specs can be no larger than one foot by one
foot. It is your mission to figure out
why the “iron boat” failed. Set up an
advisory team to summit an explanation to the President along with recommended
changes for improving it. This
explanation may be in the form of a written report to the President or your
team may do an oral presentation before the President and Congress. (For all practical purposes this will be a
student from your classroom you have selected to play this role and the rest of
your classmates). Your first challenge will be to see if you can fix
the problem and make the “iron boat” successful.
Your boat must meet the following criteria:
1.
The
boat frame needs to be easily carried by the Corps members and the modes of
transporting it used in the 1800’s.
2.
Its
construction needs to be strong enough to withstand the conditions of the
Missouri and Columbia Rivers.
3.
A
covering is to be added to it to complete the structure at a later date as was
true of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
4.
It
will need to have a sealant of the time period in order to insure its buoyancy.
5.
It
must be easy to put together and not require a large amount of time to
construct.
6.
The
cost of the materials to make this boat cannot exceed the budget allotted by
the President for this expedition.
Remember there are many items needed for this expedition so you will
need to keep in close contact with Meriwether Lewis for your budget constraints.
Your second challenge will be to create a new design to submit to The Meriwether Boat Company. The ownership of this design will solely belong to you and your team. Do not share your ideas with other “companies” and make sure you have security so your plans are not stolen before you get them patented.
You
must meet the following guidelines:
1.
Your
boat design must be an accomplishment of all the members of your team.
2.
It
must be an original design. (You are
allowed to send researchers out into the field to do fieldwork to suggest ideas
and designs that have worked over time).
Field work can include but is not limited to the following:
a.
Internet
sites on boat designs and construction
b.
Internet
sites on the iron boat and the Lewis and Clark Expedition
c.
Other
internet sites on needed subject matter to complete this project
d.
Books,
magazines, pamphlets on the subject matter
e.
Visitations
to boat companies
f.
Maritime
museums
g.
Historical
museums
h.
Model
builders and/or model clubs
i.
Interviews
with experts or hobbyists
j.
Patent
office
3.
The
materials used for this boat design can be from the current time
period.
4.
Your
replica of this design can be no larger than one foot by one foot.
5.
It
must contain a sealant to insure its buoyancy.
6.
It
must be easily put together after its initial construction.
7.
It
must be able to be taken apart and carried in pieces.
8.
After
your team has decided on a design you must apply for a patent on your
design. Fill out the necessary
paperwork and have it on file with your company as well as with your teacher.
9.
Design
an advertisement that will portray your boat as the best choice for the Lewis
and Clark Expedition.
The
advertisements must be in the following forms:
a.
A
newspaper add
b.
A
TV add that includes a jingle
c.
An
add that could be used on flyers as well as billboards
PROCESS:
To carry out this mission your company will need to hire the following department co-workers:
HISTORIAN
RESEARCHER
DESIGNER/ARCHITECT
PATENT
LAWYER
ADVERTISEMENT
SPECIALIST
The following is a job description for each:
Your
job will be to research and report all the factual specs you can on the
original “iron boat”.
1.
Who made the boat?
2.
Were any specifications given to what it should look like, its size,
and what its weight should be?
3.
Was there a budget requirement to stay within and if so what was it?
4.
What did it look like?
5.
What materials were used in its construction?
6.
Any specifics your co-workers will need to know.
7.
Why did it fail?
8.
Has it been found so that historians may uncover answers to their questions?
1.
Figure out what your company feels went wrong with the design of the
original “iron boat”.
2.
After careful planning and research submit to your company a design
using materials available in the 1800’s that you think will make the “iron
boat” a success. You must have blue
prints.
3.
Upon approval of your company construct a miniature replica of the
“iron boat” no larger than one foot by one foot.
4.
Test your boat and revise if needed to insure its success.
5.
Design a modern “iron boat” using materials available today. Make blue
prints. Remember it must meet the
required guidelines already mentioned.
6.
Test your design and revise if needed to insure its success.
1.
Research how to obtain a patent on your companies design.
2.
Reproduce the necessary paperwork for a patent.
3.
Apply for a mock patent for the re-design of the original “iron boat”.
4.
Apply for a mock patent for the new modern design of the “iron boat”.
5.
File mock papers with the necessary persons in your school.
6.
Do the necessary legal actions should you find that your company has
experienced any spies or had plans stolen.
for Meriwether Lewis Boat Company to select to
accompany Lewis and his men on the Expedition.
2.
Design a newspaper add.
RESOURCES:
SEARCH
ENGINES TO USE:
1.
Google
2.
Dogpile
3.
Yahoo
WEBSITES:
1.
www.lewisandclark.org/pages/catalog.htm
2.
www.lewisandclark.org/index.htm
3.
www.gorp.com/gorp/resources/us_trail lewis+c5.htm
4.
www.ndlewisandclark.com/profiles.html
5.
www.historychannel.com/classroom/missouri/time.html
6.
www.ndonline.com/tribwebpage/features/sakakawea/sakaklc.html
7.
www.lewis-clark.org/journal_jun10-1805_more.htm
8.
I will add to this section later.
BOAT PLAN SITES:
5.
http://sailing.about.com/cs/helpadvise/index.htm?iam
6.
http://sailing.about.com/cs/freeplans/index.htm
7.
http://paddling.about.com/cs/canoeplans/index.htm?
8.
www.youngsaintlouis.com/archive/january200l/history.html
BOOK AND ARTICLE LIST:
Articles taken from the website: www.lewisandclark.org/pages/catalog.htm
1.
“Meriwether Lewis at Harpers Ferry”Nov. 1994, Jeffrey, Joseph
2.
“The Rocky Boat Ride of Lewis and Clark” Feb. 1995, Large, Arlen J.
3.
“A Note on the White Pirogue” May 1986, Moulton, Gary E
4.
“Captain Lewis’s Iron Boat: The Experiment” May 1981, Rose, Donald W.
5.
“Lewis’s Iron Boat” August 1997, Phil Scriver
6.
“Lewis and Clark at the Portage Unveiled” August 1989, Saindon,
Bob
Evaluation:
Your
company will be evaluated in the following categories:
1-2 3-4 5-6
Team
Work team members did team members worked team members worked
their own job and together somewhat but together throughout the
did little or no still worked independently entire project
work together
Research very little information some information most information
included
included
included
Construction little or no specs most specs followed
specs
followed
followed
Blue
Prints none or poor quality provided but not provided and best
(Original)
quality
quality
Construction little
or no specs most specs
followed specs followed
followed
Presentation poorly planned planned but all ideas planned and presented
Pres/Congress ideas not clear
not clearly presented
ideas clearly
Patent incomplete completed but poorly completed and presented
designed and
presented in an attractive
format
in a
less attractive format
Advertising incomplete complete but does not sell complete and sells the
does not sell the product well product well
does not include jingle includes jingle but not clear includes jingle that
how it promotes the
product promotes the product
Artistic the product well
design is not as appealing or
design is well thought out
Appeal design is not
or well thought out and appealing
neat or appealing
CONCLUSION:
Upon
completion of this quest you have learned how to:
1.
Work
with others as a team member.
2.
Analyze
a problem and establish questions needed to fact find in order to establish a solution. (Problem solving).
3.
Use
the internet to research specific and general information to reach a solution.
4.
Transfer
and organize this information into exciting and useable formats.
5.
Expanded
your own personal knowledge of the subject matter.
6.
Present
your newly acquired knowledge in a way that others can learn from.
7.
Gain
presentation skills to include and not limited to oral speaking; persuasive
speech; advertising in auditory as well as visual avenues.
8.
Invent
a product.
This
quest is copy written by: Cindy Mapston
cmapsdenton@hotmail.com