The most important part of any adventure story, is the back story. We reading about Lewis & Clark and did a dive into the timeline of their journey. Today, we’re going to pick up a few fun facts about the person who sent them on their journey, Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson was a writer, inventor, and statesman. The following infographic shows major events in his life:

Math and Messages and Meals

Jefferson made a wheel cipher to send secret notes. The wheels had many letters to mix up the code. This tool kept words safe from spies. He used people to carry messages during the war, but others used versions of the wheel.

Today, we’ll work on decoding our own message and then make a snack inspired by Jefferson’s time in France. Last week, we made Macaroni and Cheese — a favorite food he discovered in France.

Once you have unlocked your message, pick up a recipe and a mug and make your snack: