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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Road with Marco Polo: Sea Voyage to India

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine Marco Polo's route from China to Sumatra. They investigate the geography and climate, the religions and architecture of modern Indonesia. They study the use of spices and why they were so important in medieval times.
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Lesson 3: On the Road with Marco Polo: From Hormuz to Kashgar

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young explorers examine the route that Marco Polo and his father traveled to reach China. They examine online maps of the Silk Road and harsh terrain of Afghanistan to determine challenges that may have been encountered during travel.
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Lesson 1: On the Road with Marco Polo: A Boy in 13th Century Venice

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners investigate Marco Polo's life as a young boy in 13th century Venice. They analyze maps, explore various websites, complete a chart and answer discussion questions, and create a travel brochure about visiting 13th century Venice.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Road with Marco Polo: Marco Polo in China

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students trace Marco Polo's route into China and use the Internet to research major products fabricated in 13th century China. They discuss their findings and write a report on either: silk, porcelain, jade, lacquerware or tea.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Road with Marco Polo: Homecoming

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners role play as Marco Polo to detail his travels. They include the terrains, foods, religions, people and cultures that were encountered. They write a journal entry as if they were Marco Polo detailing one aspect of his travels.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marco Polo Takes A Trip

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students identify Marco Polo and discuss why he took his trip, indicate on map routes Marco Polo took to China and back, describe challenges of traveling along Silk Road, list several interesting aspects of 13th Century Chinese culture,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Road with Marco Polo: Marco Polo in China

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate who the Mongols were and where their empire was located. They research Kublai Khan and the region he ruled. They study the major products of 13th Century China.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Marco Polo

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this history reading comprehension activity, students first read a 3 paragraph text about the life of Marco Polo. Students then answer 10 multiple choice comprehension and vocabulary questions.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Travels of Marco Polo

For Students 4th - 5th
For this social studies reading comprehension worksheet, learners read a page long detailed biography of Marco Polo. Students complete 12 multiple choice questions and one essay.
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PPT
Curated OER

Imperial China: Qin to Ming Dynasties

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Looking for a way to supplement a unit on ancient China or world cultures? Look no further than this presentation, which combines rich information with entertaining pictures of Chinese artifacts. China's glorious dynasties provide a...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Marco Polo and Edmund Hillary

For Students 4th - 6th
In this Marco Polo and Edmund Hillary worksheet, students read about the lives of the 2 explorers. They then answer 3 questions pertaining to the information they read.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Road with Marco Polo: From Hormuz to Venice

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners study the route from Hormuz to Constantinople that was traveled by the Polos. They explain the importance of Constantinople in medieval time and discuss its location, and outer wall structure.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Imagining China through Words

For Teachers 6th - 8th
When Europeans first came back with tales of China, they provided vivid written accounts and minimal visual imput. This resulted in art rendered mostly from descriptive language. Learners explore this phenomena by listening to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Road with Marco Polo: From Venice to Hormuz

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students take virtual trip with Marco Polo from Venice to China. They explore terrain of Iran.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Road with Marco Polo

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students follow Marco Polo's route to and from China. They explore the geography, local products, culture, and fascinating sites of those regions. They record their findings.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modern Marco Polos: Searching for China

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students conduct Internet research to determine information about China's laws, government, philosophy, architecture, inventions, calendar and language. Students create a web site about ancient China and how it has influenced world history.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Road with Marco Polo: Crossing the Deserts of China

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the geography of China. They describe the geography of the Taklimakan. Students discover the best route to travel from one end of the desert to the other. They investigate how some of the local inhabitants make a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Imagining China Through Words

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students create a drawing from a written description and examine and discuss how European artists from the past created images of China that combined imagination with written descriptions and limited visual imagery.
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

The Hunters and the Hunted: The Search for China's Past

For Teachers 4th
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Imagining China Through Words

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students create a drawing from a written description to examine images of China in European art. In this art analysis lesson, students create a visual image from a written description of an object. Students compare their image to the one...
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Activity
Mr. Roughton

The Maya Files

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Class members adopt the role of Law and Order history investigators and examine primary source documents to determine the legitimacy of Marco Polo's claim that he traveled to and traded in China. A cleverly crafted activity that deserves...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

China: How to Put Some "Tang" in Your Medieval Dynasties

For Teachers 4th
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sharing Beliefs and Ideas

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine how cultural ideas and thought were exchanged as travelers and traders of the Silk Road met, interacted, and traded with different peoples from different regions and cultures along the Silk Road.
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Lesson Plan
Foreign Policy Research Institute

Ancient and Medieval China

For Teachers 10th - 12th
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...