Students build on their knowledge of Ancient Civilizations from 6th grade and conduct short research projects to create a large wall map and individual desk maps of Afroeurasian trade patterns in the period from the decline of the Western Roman Empire and the Han Empire to the rise of Islam.
Students use the maps to guide their reading of three historical accounts of the period.
At the beginning of the year, this unit is a bridge between the ancient civilizations studied in 6th grade and the rise of Islam, the first major topic for this region in the 7th grade. Standard 7.3.1 Mapping the mosaic of urban and pastoral societies that prevailed in Afroeurasia at 500 C.E., including patterns of trade between regions and the spread of major religions to that point. Students use a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries and to explain the historical migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and the growth of economic systems. Students frame questions that can be answered by historical study and research. A transparency of the outline map of Afroeurasia , an overhead projector, and enough large pieces of white paper to make a large tracing of the outline map.