Materials

• Map that reflects geographic obstacles such as rivers and mountains.
• Maps of India
• Overhead projector (optional)
• Teacher-selected reading, worksheet, or activity

Instructional Activities

1. Review the content covered to this point in the unit.
   
   
2. Display a map of Virginia, the United States, or another location that depicts rivers and mountains. Explain to students that they must journey from one location to another. Select the destinations to ensure the journey will require travel through or over geographic obstacles. Explain that there are no bridges or roads along any path they might choose. Instruct students to take a few minutes to write down what problems their journey presents and how the problems may be resolved. Encourage students to share with the class what they wrote.
   
   
3. Explain that, while geographic obstacles do not present as big a problem in present day travel, in the time period being studied they were a problem. Explain also that geographic or physical barriers may provide a benefit.
   
   
4. Display the following notes on the board or overhead:
   Physical barriers such as the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Indian Ocean made invasion of the Indian subcontinent more difficult.
   Mountain passes through the Hindu Kush provided invasion routes into the Indian subcontinent.
   
   
5. Instruct students to locate these barriers on a map.
   
   
6. Ask students to explain the benefit of rivers. Encourage them to think in terms of trade, travel, power, irrigation, and other benefits.
   
   
7. Provide black and white maps of India to students and instruct them to shade in the Indus and Ganges rivers. Ask students to discuss the impact the location of these rivers had on the Indian subcontinent and the spread of Classical Indian civilization.
   
   
8. Assign a teacher-selected reading, worksheet, or other reinforcement activity, using available teacher resources.