Council for Economic Education
The Silk Road
The Silk Road connected the European, Middle Eastern, and Asian worlds. It also helped create the modern trade world. An analysis activity makes the importance of this Chinese innovation clear by asking participants to evaluate trades...
University of California
Silk Roads
We take for granted globalization today, but its roots run deep within China centuries ago. Using texts from ancient Chinese historians and photographs of items showing growing Eurasian trade, scholars look at the traces of...
Curated OER
Silk Road Caravan
Students determine how the geographic features of the Silk Road trade route contributed to the economic development and diffusion of culture in both Eastern and Western Civilizations.
American Museum of Natural History
Sounds of the Silk Road
Young explorers may not be able to travel the Silk Road but they can listen to music that was played on instruments of the time and create their own songs with the help of an interesting interactive resource.
Penn Museum
Penn Museum: China Gallery
Invite your learners to take a closer look at the art and mathematical function of dome buildings as designed by the ancient Romans. In the next segment of this attractive activity set, your young historians will then learn about ancient...
Curated OER
The Silk Road, An Ancient Internet
Pupils examine how goods and ideas moved along an ancient trade route between China and Europe. They make charts of items, ideas, etc. that were transported along the Silk Route.
Curated OER
Treasures Along the Silk Roads
Ninth graders examine the travels of the Silk road. In this Ancient China lesson, 9th graders analyze slides of artifacts as cultural and social representations of the Silk Road civilizations. Students create a word map and...
Curated OER
Traveling the Silk Road: A Multimedia Approach
Students transfer what they have learned about China into an electronic project. In this collaborative project, students take what they have learned from their textbooks and synthesize the information in order to create an electronic...
Curated OER
Trade along the Silk Roads
Young scholars explore the Silk Road. In this Asian history and culture lesson, students read a book about the silk Road, then create pictures of the products and landscapes found along the Silk Road.
Curated OER
The History of Silk
Sixth graders study the history of silk-making in China. They investigate the silkworm and follow the trade route of the Silk Road. They research other Chinese inventions.
Curated OER
The Hunters and the Hunted: The Search for China's Past
Students discover the history of Ancient China, specifically the period beginning with the Qin Dynasty and ending with the fall of the Ming Dynasty. They study the building of the Great Wall and the defeat of the Great Khans.
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Ancient and Medieval China
This is a thorough lesson on Chinese history that includes readings from primary and secondary sources, guided reading questions, videos, and a take-home final assessment. While it indicates an audience from 9th through 12th grade, it...
Curated OER
Treasures of the Silk Roads
Students examine and discuss art objects from the Silk Roads. They analyze images of artifacts, create a word map, and develop and write a short story or poem based on the slides viewed.
Curated OER
In Celebration of the Silk Road
Sixth graders explore the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road with a focus on a province in China to identify artifacts and research how these items arrived in the city of Turpan.
Curated OER
The Silk Road
Young scholars explore the Silk Road of Asia in this multi-day lesson plan that includes a "Silk Road roll play" and a mapping activity. This lesson plan can be used in a social studies or language arts classroom.
Curated OER
The Silk Road
Students research the geography of Asia from Xian to Istanbul. They explore the intricacies of ancient trade, including trade goods and policies. They study minorities within and outside of various Chinese and other Asian empires.
Curated OER
China: How to Put Some "Tang" in Your Medieval Dynasties
Fourth graders label the countries that border China and the physical features of Asia. They discuss the physical features of Asia and label them on the other map.
Curated OER
Monsoon Winds to the "Land of Gold"
Students recognize environmental factors that influenced maritime trade routes and the establishment of major trading centers in classical times. They evaluate perceptions of the ancient world through ancient maps and primary source...
Curated OER
A Caravan Of Camels
Fourth graders discuss the role the Silk Road had in trade and commerce practices in China during different Chinese dynasties. The lesson evaluation consists of individual student writing assignments.
Curated OER
Belief Systems Along the Silk Roads
Students reflect on similarities and differences among belief systems. Using excerpts of translated religious texts, they organize these quotations into broad themes. The quotations will be posted on a Silk Roads map as reminders of how...
Curated OER
Geography of Early China
Students research and identify the primary geographic features of China. They investigate which features isolated China, and identify the significance of the Hwang River to Early Chinese civilizations. Finally, they research the Silk...
Curated OER
Treasure of the Silk Roads
Students generate world maps that act as creative writing prompts. The prompts reflect on the cultures and history of the past through their own experiences. Students create an original writing sample.
Curated OER
Exploring China
Second graders explore the geography, holidays, important teachers, and inventions from China in the nine lessons of this unit. The results of their inquiries are expressed through a variety of products, writings, and presentations.
American Museum of Natural History
Make Your Own Paper
Paper, paper everywhere. Paper is so prolific that few think about where the idea for it originated and how it is made. Introduce young readers to the paper-making process with an activity that lets them create their own.