Connection to the Standards and Curriculum

National Geography Standards
Standard 10: The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaic.
Standard 11: The patterns of economic interdependence on Earth's surface.
Standard 14: How human actions modify the physical environment.
Standard 15: How physical systems affect human systems.
Standard 16: The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources.

Alabama Course of Study: World History and Geography to 1500 (8th grade)
Standard 8:   Assess Roman the Roman cultural contributions
Standard 11: Interpret elements of classical civilization in India
Standard 12: Interpret elements of classical civilization in China

Grade Level

8th Grade

Learning Objectives

Following instruction the learner will be able to:
Understand how our dependence on resources encourages cultural and religious diffusion.
Analyze the impact of physical geography on economic development.

Primary Geographic Question

What role does geography play in economic development and cultural diffusion?

Secondary Questions

#1 What kinds of physical features presented obstacles on the Silk Road trade route?

# 2 How were the resources provided at the Silk Road markets used?

# 3 What evidence of human interaction with the environment are still apparent today in this region?

Material:

Netscape Composer Software
Activity Sheet
Paper
Pen 
Markers

Body of Lesson

Students will be place in small groups of three or four and will collect information on their activity sheets as they visits sites indicated in this lesson, which will help them complete their assignments.  Each student must take take the map tour on page two of the web sites. 

Assessment

Students may choose any three of the activities for their  assessments. 

Activity 1

Students will learn more about the regions encountered on the Silk Road by using a mouse to click on red stars on the trade route map. 
Activity sheets will provide students with advanced organizers that will help them complete the other activities.  Students choosing this option will make an imaginary  travel journal of their adventures on the Silk Road.

Activity 2

Students will follow the direction given at this site to make their own maps of the Silk Road.

Activity 3

Students will  pretend to be merchants making an inventory of twenty items they would like to acquire on the trade route and explain their answers.

Activity 4

Students will create their own news reports or weather advisories for the this period. 

Activity 5

Student will create their own travel brochures on paper promoting one of the areas mentioned on the map.

Activity 6

Students will create their own news reports based on current activities taking place along the Silk Road.

Resources

http://www.dalton.org/groups/rome/RMAPS.html
http://www.ghgcorp.com/shetler/rome/
http://www.ancientsites.com/as/rome/academy/gallery/
http://fp.thesalmons.org/lynn/china1.html
http://encarta.msn.com/index/conciseindex/6F/06F75000.htm?z=1&pg=2&br=1
 http://zinnia.umfacad.maine.edu/~mshea/China/xian.html 
http://search.eb.com/bol/search?type=topic&query=silk+road&DBase=Articles&x=37&y=0
http://www.silk-road.com/toc/index.html
http://trackstar.scrtec.org:80/main/display.php3?option=frames&track_id=7117
http://www.cnn.com/2000/ASIANOW/central/07/09/uzbek.restoration.ap/index.html
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/radar/sircxsar/silkroad.html
http://www.alumni.caltech.edu/~pamlogan/silkroad/
http://www-scf.usc.edu/~radigan/history.html
http://www.professionalpasta.it/dir_9/1_whoinv.htm
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Maze/5099/sld001.html
http://www.harappa.com/indus/1.html
http://www.weecheng.simplenet.com/mideast/syria/palmyra1.htm
http://www.historyofship.com/s013.htm
http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Chinalife.html#HAN
http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Indialife.html#INDUS
http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Romelife.html
http://phschool.com/