European Trade Routes Teacher Resources

Sixth graders map out trade routes. In this Renaissance time period lesson, 6th graders complete a Christopher Columbus Map Activity, discuss and identify the parts of a map, and locate Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Students...

In this ancient trade routes worksheet, students respond to 10 multiple choice questions and 1 essay question about the Silk Road and its significance.

How did the discovery of the Americas change the world? A US history textbook covers topics such as the Americas, changes in European society, and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Young academics also complete the assessment included in...

In this triangular trade study guide worksheet, learners read a brief overview pertaining to the trade linking Europe, Africa, and the Americas and then respond to a reflection question.

Interpreting text is vital. Middle schoolers read a 1 page passage describing why Europe was so interested in colonizing India. After reading, they answer 8 comprehension questions. 

Students analyze the global distribution of natural resources to determine the relationship of resource availability to international problems and issues. They explain how the uneven distribution of resources can result in global...

Learners examine the religions that developed along the Silk Road. In this compare and contrast instructional activity, students visit various stations within the classroom to learn about the Silk Road and the two religions that...

Lead by a letter circulating through Europe, early Portuguese explorers searched for the Fountain of Youth and the Tower of Babel in an area in Ethiopia ruled by an emperor called Prester John. Viewers learn more about the Portuguese...

Students are able to show on a map how the Black Death moved through Europe. They summarize the direct effects of the Black Death in Europe. Students cite evidence from firsthand accounts in developing an argument that connections can,...

Planet Earth has come a long way from its dramatic beginnings. How long did all of these changes take? Science sleuths unravel the often-tangled timeline of our progress from single-celled sea creatures to world-traveling homo sapiens in...

Young scholars 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.

Students engage in a host of activities during an examination of early Medieval Europe. They draw coats of arms, make collages of architectural designs, and create posters of knights, serfs, and castles. Students role-play as sons of...

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.

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.

Students examine global trade. In this global economics lesson, students visit websites to learn about trade with China and the environmental damage of global trade.

Tenth graders explore the impact of trade on culture. In this trade lesson, 10th graders compare the travels of Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta. Students research the explorers and create materials for a gallery walk that feature the impact...

Students create an oversized map from Europe to East Asia. They include information such as Silk Roads, geographical features, major cities and cultural information on their map.

Students discover the origins of fruits and vegetables. In this nutrition lesson, students research how fruits and vegetables came to the United States via trade routes.  Resources are provided.

High schoolers examine a variety of ceramic pieces and trace their route through China into Europe. As a class, they discuss how ideas and patterns were carried along with the art itself. To end the lesson, they write a report on the...

Pupils take a virtual trip down the Silk Road. Using a map, they trace the location of the trade route and others that were developed later. They use different spices and goods to trace how they came to the Americas. They answer...

Fifth graders examine the motives, progress and results of the European exploration and conquest of Asia, Africa and the West Indies from the 15th to the 17th centuries. They use maps to trace spice routes and research the role of spices...

Young scholars recognize that the Ottoman Empire was at its grandest during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent. They use a map to draw in the extent of and the details of the Ottoman Empire during hie reign. In addition, they prove...

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.

Ninth graders examine the goods and culture that was traded along the Silk Road.  In this World History lesson, 9th graders compare and contrast the belief systems of the Silk Roads.  Students analyze a primary text of sacred and...