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Sacagawea Read Aloud Play (Preview)
Sacagawea Read Aloud Play (Preview)
Cast of Characters:
Narrator
Historian
Bird GirlSacagawea (sak-uh-juh-WAY-uh)
as a young girl
Jumping Fisha Shoshoni (shoh-SHOH-nee) girl
Toussaint Charbonneaua French trader
Hidatsa (hih-DAHT-suh)an enemy warrior
Capt. Meriwether Lewis
Capt. William Clark
Chief Cameahwait (cah-MAY-ah-wait)
a Shoshone chief
Scene One
1800, Near a Shoshoni Village in what is now Idaho
Remembering Sacagawea -- Page 2 of 10 ReadAloudPlays.com 2009 Mack Lewis. All Rights Reserved
NARRATOR: Jumping Fish plunges into the BIRD GIRL: I am not important to our people,
stream. Bird Girl follows. They try to hide in the and they do not have guns to fight. No, this is
reeds. my fate. Goodbye, Jumping Fish. Remember
me.
BIRD GIRL: Who are they?
Remembering Sacagawea -- Page 3 of 10 ReadAloudPlays.com 2009 Mack Lewis. All Rights Reserved
NARRATOR: The Chief thinks for a moment.
He is curious about the game. He rolls. A three
and a four turn up. Sacagawea is happy to see Scene Three
Charbonneau give up the rifle. Fall 1804, Upper Missouri River
CHARBONNEAU: Thats worth more than ten SACAGAWEA: But I am with child.
skins, Chief.
CHARBONNEAU (irritated): If only the
NARRATOR: The chief glances around. He Hidatsas would take you back! The men plan on
sees Sacagawea watching. staying here through the winter. By then you
will give birth.
HIDATSA: You win, you take Sacagawea!
Remembering Sacagawea -- Page 4 of 10 ReadAloudPlays.com 2009 Mack Lewis. All Rights Reserved
CLARK: The Hidatas say they got their horses CLARK: Were fortunate we didnt lose her.
from the Shoshoni. We can trade with them.
HISTORIAN: She almost died of an infection,
LEWIS: The Shoshoni language is obscure. then was nearly lost in a flash flood.
Wed have to communicate well to trade.
LEWIS: It was a good decision to bring her.
CLARK: What
about the NARRATOR: Four
Frenchman? His months have passed. The
Indian woman is group makes camp.
Shoshoni, and he Sacagawea turns to
has asked to hire Charbonneau.
on.
SACAGAWEA: My
LEWIS: Take people are nearby!
them with us? An
Indian woman and CHARBONNEAU: Lets
her newborn baby? keep that to ourselves
Think of the Lewis & Clark on the lower Columbia. until the time is right.
hardships of the Painted in 1905 by Charles Marion Russell. (PD) Youre just anxious to
journey. find your kin. Dont get
any ideas about staying.
CLARK: Well take her as far as the Shoshoni
camp. Shell want to reunite with her people. SACAGAWEA: Tell them! If we dont find the
village soon, there will not be time to pass
LEWIS: And what of the husband? The Indians through the mountains.
insult him behind his back.
NARRATOR: Sacagawea tugs on his arm and
CLARK: But he has a valuable wife. gestures toward the captains. Charbonneau loses
his patience and strikes her across the face.
LEWIS: Very well. Let us hire his servicesbut
only if the Indian woman comes along. CHARBONNEAU: Youre my property, not
theres. Ill decide what and when to tell them.
HISTORIAN: On two occasions, when boat NARRATOR: Sacagawea dares not look up.
nearly overturned, Sacagawea saved important
papers and journals. CLARK: Now, tell me what she was saying.
Remembering Sacagawea -- Page 5 of 10 ReadAloudPlays.com 2009 Mack Lewis. All Rights Reserved
Reading Comprehension Bird Girl Quiz
Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: _________________
1. What are the strange-looking stones 5. In Scene Four, which answers show what
Charbonneau displays? Captain Lewis is implying when he says the
A. gold nuggets Indians insult him behind his back?
B. painted rocks A. the Indians are rude
C. shapes carved from the tusks of wild boar B. Charbonneau is a buffoon
D. dice C. Charbonneau cant be trusted
D. they probably shouldnt hire him
2. What is meant by the word confer in
the first scene?
6. Charbonneau believed he could trick the
A. talk
Hidatsas. How is his game a trick?
B. congratulate
C. an evergreen tree __________________________________
D. consult maps and check bearings __________________________________
__________________________________
3. At the end of Scene Three, Charbonneau is
irritated with Sacagawea. Why? __________________________________
A. She doesnt know what an ocean is. __________________________________
B. Shes become a burden to him.
C. He thinks having a pregnant wife will keep 7. That Sacagawea chooses not to stay with
him from getting hired as an interpreter. her people is a key point of the play. Why does
D. All of the above. she make this decision?
__________________________________
4. Can you blame her? Why doesnt
Sacagawea understand the word ocean? __________________________________
A. He said it in French instead of English. __________________________________
B. Neither she nor her people had ever seen an __________________________________
ocean. __________________________________
C. She did understand it; she was just __________________________________
trying to irritate him.
D. All of the above.
II. The author intends for you to draw conclusions about the plays main characters. Match each character with
a descriptive word from the box, then tell which line or lines from the play support youre position.
Remembering Sacagawea -- Page 9 of 10 ReadAloudPlays.com 2009 Mack Lewis. All Rights Reserved
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