Walking in Wisdom: Celebrating Sacagawea's Journey of Courage and Connection
"The trail is beautiful. The path is beautiful. Look around you. There are beautiful things everywhere." — Native American Proverb
When we think of great explorers who shaped America's understanding of its vast landscapes, Sacagawea stands apart as a woman whose wisdom, courage, and deep connection to the land made possible one of history's most significant journeys. As a young Shoshone woman carrying her infant son on her back, Sacagawea guided the Lewis and Clark expedition through unfamiliar territories, serving as interpreter, peace ambassador, and knowledgeable navigator of both the physical terrain and cultural landscapes they encountered.
Her story offers our families a beautiful opportunity to explore values of courage, cultural bridge-building, and deep connection to the natural world. Through Sacagawea's example, children can discover how knowledge of plants, languages, and respectful relationships with different communities creates pathways toward understanding and growth.
Below you'll find age-appropriate activities to help your family walk in Sacagawea's footsteps, learning to navigate both the outer world and their inner landscape with wisdom and courage.
Preschool
Discovering the Language of Nature
Young children naturally embody Sacagawea's observant nature, noticing details in their environment that adults often overlook. At this age, children are developing their ability to recognize patterns, collect treasures, and find their way in familiar settings.
Activity: Nature Medicine Pouch
Create small drawstring pouches from natural fabric (cotton or linen works beautifully). Take your little ones on a "medicine walk" to collect healing plants and natural treasures that speak to them. Explain that Sacagawea would have known which plants helped with healing, which berries were safe to eat, and which materials made the best tools.
As they collect pine needles, smooth stones, aromatic leaves, or flower petals, encourage them to use their senses fully—smelling, touching (safely), and observing each item closely before adding it to their pouch. At home, they can carry their nature medicine pouch during imaginative play or when they need courage for new experiences.
Lower Elementary
Mapping Our World
Children at this age are developing a sense of place and beginning to understand how to navigate their expanding world. Sacagawea's ability to recognize landmarks and remember territory she had traveled as a child mirrors this developmental stage.
Activity: Create a Landmark Map
Take a walk around your neighborhood or a familiar natural area. Ask your child to notice distinctive features—a uniquely shaped tree, an interesting building, a special rock formation. Together, create a map on natural paper using beeswax crayons or watercolors, marking these landmarks and the paths between them.
Discuss how Sacagawea would have used natural landmarks like mountains, rivers, and distinctive trees to guide the expedition. After completing your map, try following it together, encouraging your child to lead the way using the landmarks they've identified.
Upper Elementary
The Language of Plants and People
At this age, children develop deeper understanding of different perspectives and the value of communication across cultures. Sacagawea's role as translator between diverse groups offers a meaningful framework for exploring these concepts.
Activity: Botanical Communication Journal
Create a journal with pages divided into sections: a sketch of a plant, its uses (medicinal, food, craft material), and words for this plant in different languages (including Latin botanical names and, if possible, Native American language terms).
Take regular nature walks to discover and document plants in your area. Research together how different cultural traditions have used these plants. Discuss how Sacagawea's knowledge of plants would have helped sustain the expedition through unfamiliar territories, and how her language skills helped bridge understanding between different peoples.
Middle School
Navigating Between Worlds
Middle schoolers exist between childhood and adulthood, navigating multiple social groups and developing their own identity. Sacagawea's experience bridging different cultures and finding her path while caring for her child offers powerful parallels.
Activity: Cultural Compass Navigation
Research different navigation methods from around the world: star navigation from Polynesian traditions, compass use from European exploration, landmark navigation from Native American traditions, and modern GPS technology.
Create a "cultural compass" art project that represents how these different perspectives offer various ways of finding one's path. Discuss how Sacagawea navigated not just physical terrain but cultural differences, using her understanding of multiple perspectives to guide peaceful interactions.
Follow this with a practical navigation challenge at a local park or nature area, using different methods to find your way to a destination.
High School
Finding Voice, Creating Legacy
Teenagers are developing their voice and considering the impact they want to have on their world. Though historical records tell us little of Sacagawea's own words, her actions created a lasting legacy that continues to inspire.
Activity: Untold Stories - Narrative Reclamation
Research Sacagawea's life, noting the gaps in historical records and the various ways her story has been interpreted through different perspectives. Discuss how history is often written from limited viewpoints, leaving many important stories untold or misrepresented.
Invite your teen to create a first-person narrative, poem, or artistic expression that imagines Sacagawea's experience in her own voice. What might she have thought about her journey? What wisdom might she have hoped to pass to future generations? How might she have felt about her representation in historical accounts?
This activity encourages critical thinking about historical narratives while honoring the complexity of Sacagawea's experience.
Gentle Screen Time
"Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery" (1997) - Ken Burns documentary
"Night at the Museum" (for younger viewers - features Sacagawea as a character)
"The Spirit of Sacajawea" - PBS documentary
Remember to adapt these activities to your family's comfort level and interests. The goal is to explore and appreciate Indian culture while creating meaningful family connections. Feel free to explore these activities in a way that suits your family’s rhythm—adapt them, mix them up, or create something entirely new! The beauty lies in making them your own. If you try something different, we’d love to hear your story and share in the journey!
Parent Reflection
In our busy modern lives, we often rely on GPS and established paths to guide us. Sacagawea's journey reminds us of the deeper ways of knowing that connect us to land, to diverse communities, and to our own inner compass.
As parents, we navigate uncharted territories daily, making decisions without maps, relying on observation, instinct, and the wisdom of those who've gone before us. Like Sacagawea carrying her infant son across mountains and rivers, we carry our children through challenges, seeking safe passage while introducing them to the beauty and diversity of our world.
Consider setting aside time this week for a family conversation about navigation – not just physical wayfinding, but how we navigate challenges, relationships, and decisions. What landmarks guide your family's journey? What languages of understanding help you connect across differences? How do you honor both ancient wisdom and new discoveries as you forge your path?
In Sacagawea's footsteps, may we walk with courage, curiosity, and deep connection to the lands and peoples we encounter.
