Sacagawea: Daughter of the Lemhi Shoshone
Nestled in the scenic Lemhi Valley of Salmon, Idaho, the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural, and Educational Center stands as a testament to one of history’s most celebrated yet misunderstood figures. While many Americans recognize Sacagawea as the courageous young Shoshone woman who guided the Lewis and Clark Expedition across the uncharted American West, her story begins long before she met the explorers. The Center, located on 71 acres of her ancestral homeland, focuses on her origin story, highlighting her birth and early childhood among the Agaidika, or "Salmon Eater" band of the Lemhi Shoshone. By exploring this landscape, visitors gain a deeper understanding of the early environment that shaped her remarkable resilience, knowledge, and skills.
- Agaidika:
- The 'Salmon Eater' band of the Lemhi Shoshone tribe, known for harvesting wild salmon.
- Continental Divide:
- A high mountainous ridge in North America that separates river systems flowing toward opposite sides of the continent.
- Nomadic:
- Moving from place to place according to seasons and food availability, rather than living in a permanent settlement.
- Resilience:
- The ability to recover quickly from difficult, changing, or traumatic situations.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Vocabulary
Practice words from the passage with a printable worksheet.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.
Ready to use this passage in class?
Start free with the Mixed worksheet and 3 PDF downloads each week. Focused skill sets depend on plan.
Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Where is the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural, and Educational Center located?
- 2What does the name of Sacagawea's Shoshone band, the Agaidika, translate to in English?
Where this passage belongs
About this biography passage for Middle School
“Sacagawea: Daughter of the Lemhi Shoshone” is a biography reading passage about Sacagawea's early life and her ancestral homeland in Idaho, written for Middle School. It takes about 4 minutes to read (557 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.