Big Ideas, Real Impact.

★ Read Across America · 250th Anniversary ★

Crack the clues. Discover the next stop. Read your way across America.

A 250-stop coded expedition. Every waypoint stays hidden until students secure all three of its clues and name the destination themselves — part Oregon Trail, part treasure hunt.

★ Current Waypoint
001 / 250

Acadia National Park

Maine · Leg 1 — New England

Expedition begun249 stops ahead
How The Expedition Works

Read a place. Crack its code. Earn the next stop.

Every stop follows the same simple path, so it is easy for teachers to run and easy for students to follow.

1
Choose your level

Explorer, Navigator, or Scholar. Your reading and clues adjust to fit.

2
Read & explore Stop 001

Read the passage, build vocabulary, and fly over the park in satellite view.

3
Secure all three clues

Each clue gives one secret fragment. Combine them to name the next waypoint — and the trail opens.

Leg 1 · New England

Birth of America & Great Minds

The journey begins at Acadia. The next waypoint stays encrypted — students reveal it only by securing all three clues. Stops chart themselves one at a time.

★ Expedition Log
Current Position
Acadia, ME Stop 001
Waypoints Charted
1 / 250
Next Waypoint
🔒 Encrypted
Clues Secured
0 / 3
Beyond lies the rest of Leg 1 and 13 more legs — every waypoint sealed until you reach it.
Step 1 · Choose Your Level

Pick your expedition band to begin.

Your reading passage, fluency or analysis activities, vocabulary, and clue difficulty all adjust to the level you choose. Teachers can assign one band per group, or let students self-select.

Navigator Reading at the Navigator level
Stop 001 · Leg 1 · The Model Stop

Acadia National Park

Conservation · Geography · Ecology — where the American story is written in mountains, forests, and shoreline.

StewardshipCivic ResponsibilityShared Public LandsScience & InnovationIdentity & Place
State
Maine
Region
Mount Desert Island
Established
1919 → renamed 1929
Classroom time
3–5 class periods
Landmark
Cadillac Mtn · 1,530 ft
First light
One of the first US sunrises

    Vocabulary in Context

    Leg 1 Anchor Reading Library

    Anchor books for your level

    Step 3 · Secure The Three Clues

    Three clues hide the road ahead.

    Each clue gives you one secret fragment. No single clue names the destination — only by securing all three and combining the fragments can you discover and unlock the next waypoint.

    Clue I — Field CipherSealed
    🔗
    Clue II — Vocabulary MatchSealed
    🔤
    Clue III — Word ScrambleSealed
    Clue I · Field CipherFragment 1 of 3

    Decode the first fragment of the next waypoint's name.

    Key
    Clue II · Vocabulary MatchFragment 2 of 3

    Tap a word, then tap its meaning. Match every pair to recover the second fragment.

    Clue III · Word ScrambleFragment 3 of 3
    Recovered Fragments
    Final Lock · Name the WaypointSealed
    ★ All Clues Secured — Waypoint Discovered

    Teacher key — clue answers
    Clue I (Field Cipher) → fragment PLY
    Clue II (Vocabulary Match) → fragment MO
    Clue III (Word Scramble) → fragment UTH
    Final Lock → combine the fragments to spell the next waypoint: PLYMOUTH (Stop 002 · Plymouth Rock).
    Tip: students should self-select or be assigned a level, then work the three clues in any order. The destination never appears on screen until a student enters it correctly.
    Closing Reflection · Stop 001
    “The nation’s story is not only found in battlefields, buildings, and documents. It is also found in mountains, forests, coastlines, and public places protected for the next generation.

    As the first stop, Acadia asks a question that follows students across all 250 stops: What parts of America are we responsible for protecting?

    The Great American Expedition
    Leg 1 · Stop 1 — Acadia National Park · Teacher Guide
    Aligned to NYS Next Generation ELA, C3 Social Studies & NGSS-style practices.
    Teacher source notes
    Key facts checked against National Park Service materials. Preview external sites before student use. nps.gov/acad · Wabanaki Nations