Materials

• A map of the silk roads to display
• A current map of Europe and Asia
• Teacher-selected reading, worksheet, or activity

Instructional Activities

NOTE: The following Web resources may be helpful in teaching this session:

• “Interactive Silk Road Map Exercise.” Silk Road Seattle Project. <http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/index.html>
• “Silk Road Influence.” Travel China Guide.
  <http://www.travelchinaguide.com/silkroad/index.htm>.

1. Review the topics discussed to this point in the unit.
   
   
2. Conduct a discussion on the importance of trade routes. Discuss the historical impact of the interstate highway system on the growth or decline of certain cites and industry. For example, encourage students to think about a highway they have traveled where businesses (hotels, stores, etc) have closed or lost business and a nearby highway is flourishing. Encourage students to discuss how or why this may occur.
   
   
3. Display a map of the silk roads and explain the importance of these roads to early civilizations. The Web sites listed above may be of assistance. The site titled “Interactive Silk Road Map Exercise” provides quizzes on geographic knowledge of the silk road.
   
   
   
   
4. Provide students with a map of Europe and Asia. Instruct them to trace the silk road onto their maps and create symbols to indicate the products that were traded along the silk road.
   
   
5. Assign a teacher-selected reading, worksheet, or other reinforcement activity, using available teacher resources.

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