Journey Along
the Silk Road
Council on Islamic Education
w w w.cie.org
Journey Along the Silk Road
Overview
This lesson plan ties together the subjects of history, geography, religion, art and economics while taking
into account the fact there are many ways in which children learn.
All students make up a 13th - 15th century character and write a Rihla, or Travel Journal describing their
journey from their home to one of the great Islamic cities known for its grand markets and universities. Since
people traveled primarily along the great trade routes, students will learn about the Silk Road as well as the
Islamic world as they work on this project. The students can write their travel journal as if they’re traveling
for the sake of trade, education, or religious pilgrimage, or even a combination within those options, since
people often combined things like trade and intellectual pursuits on one trip.
The focus of this lesson will be on the city of Cairo, with its Khan al Khalili Market which was built in 1382,
and can still be visited today. The city also boasts Al Azhar University that was established in 972 and is the
oldest continuously functioning university in the world. Students still travel to Al Azhar today to study Islamic
science, law and theology. Of course teachers and students can select other cities as their interests direct
them.
Students also select two additional activities from a list of options. Because of the broad scope of this
subject, I’ve provided a list of activities students can select from that takes into account Howard Gardner’s
Theory of Multiple Intelligences. This list suggests activities that accommodate various learning styles.
Students must select activities from two different modes of learning: for instance, one from the Linguistics
list and one from the Natural Science list. They can work in a group or alone. Teachers may want to add
options to the list below, taking into account the specific interests of their students.
At the end of this program, students will share their projects with the class during a Celebration of
Learning. This could be simple, or it could develop into a costumed banquet with food, music, and students
playing the role of the character they made up for their Rihla, such as a Malaysian indigo merchant or a Syrian
calligrapher.
Journey Along the Silk Road
Lesson Plan
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Journey Along the Silk Road
National Curriculum Standards
Social Studies Thematic Strands
1. Culture
2. People, Places and Environment
3. Individual Development and Identity
4. Production, Distribution and Consumption
5. Science, Technology and Society
6. Global Connections
History Standards
1. Historical Comprehension
2. Historical Analysis and Interpretation
3. Historical Research Capabilities
Geography Standards
1. The World in Spatial Terms
• How to use maps and other geographic representations
2. Places and Regions
• The physical and human characteristics of places
3. Human Systems
• The characteristics, distributions and complexity of Earth’s cultural mosaics
4. The Uses of Geography
• How to apply geography to interpret the past
Lesson Objectives
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To develop basic research and writing skills.
To understand how to read, interpret and make maps.
To develop a global perspective.
To understand the various components that make up a “society” and a “culture.”
To explore the relationship between geography, climate and the nature of various societies.
To understand the difficulties that people encountered when traveling in the 13th to 15th centuries.
To comprehend the changes that technology has made in our lives and travels.
To gain awareness of the various religions that one found along the Silk Road and how the exchange
of ideas effected world history.
To appreciate the variety of peoples and cultures who shared the ancient trade and pilgrimage roads.
To understand the links between Islamic religious duties and the high level of geographic knowledge
amongst Muslims.
To expand vocabulary and learn the meaning of such words as Rihla, Hajj, Hadith.
To discover more about their own learning styles and preferred modes of study.
Journey Along the Silk Road
National Curriculum Standards
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Project Time Requirements
This depends upon how much of the project the teacher elects to do. The range can be from 2 hours to
one week, with a culminating Celebration of Learning at the end.
Materials
Optimal Learning Environment for a “Rihla” Unit: Ideas for Classroom set-up
1. Decorate the room with “stations” along the Silk Road or one of its many branches into places such as
Europe or India. Each station will have artifacts and other manipulatives from a different part of the
Old World trade routes. Let students spend time at the different stations and explore the items that
represent that part of the world. Try to have a few pieces of clothing in the room as well, so they can
try the clothes on.
Set-up stations as follows:
1. Fez, Morocco
6. Isfahan, Iran
2. Timbuktu, Mali
7. Bukhara, Central Asia
3. Cairo, Egypt 8. Delhi, India
4. Sana’a, Yemen
9. Guangzhow, China
5. Jerusalem
10. Bruges, Flanders
2. Put a map on the classroom wall and have students circle cities that they’ve studied.
3. Have students fill in countries on a map in their notebooks, but don’t allow them to write in the name
until they’ve learned something about that country and written it on a list.
4. On another map, have students mark the journey taken by Marco Polo. On the same map, but in
another color, have them mark the journey of Ibn Battuta. What places did they both visit? How did
their journeys differ?
5. Let students decorate the bulletin board with visuals cut from magazines. They can find things such
as pictures of people from across the Silk Road, or religions along the Silk Road, or animals along the
Silk Road. (Aramco Magazine, which is free to educators, is a good source for this project.)
6. Write the word “welcome” in several languages on the door to the classroom.
7. Have CDs available with music from various parts of the Silk Road. Make sure there’s a good
combination of quiet music and active music.
8. When students are writing in their Rihla (imaginary Travel Journals) in the classroom, turn the lights
off, draw the curtains and have them write by candle light.
9. Have scented candles in the room. Use them to tie in the subject they’re studying. For instance:
10. Burn a coffee scented candle while students learn about the transfer of this popular beverage from
Yemen to the cities of Europe.
11. Burn a floral scented candle when students learn about the path of tulips from the Middle East to
Holland.
12. Burn a rose scented candle when studying the development of perfumes.
13. Burn a sandalwood candle when studying India, China or Buddhism
14. Have some basic percussion instruments available, even if it’s wooden blocks for keeping the beat,
and allow students to use them while listening to music.
15. Turn the classroom Quiet Space into a “Mongolian Yurt” with a tent over the top of the bookshelves.
Journey Along the Silk Road
Project Time Requirements
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Background Information
The Rihla And The Islamic Concept Of Scholarship As A Religious Obligation
Muslims are encouraged to study and if possible, to travel in search of knowledge. There are two
primary sources of encouragement for scholarship amongst Muslims: the Qur’an, or holy text of Islam,
and the Hadith, or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Qur’an
The very first revelation of the Qur’an, which became verses 1-5 of Chapter 96, discusses reading,
writing, reciting (or proclaiming/lecturing) and the pen, indicating the important links between scholarship
and religion.
“Iqra’, Proclaim! (or Read)
In the Name of thy Lord and Cherisher,
Who created Created man, out of a mere clot
Of congealed blood
Iqra’ Proclaim! And thy Lord
Is most bountifulHe who taught
The use of the Pen
Taught man that
Which he knew not”
The Hadith
There are also many sayings of the Prophet Muhammad that encourage people to combine travel and
scholarship. Here are a few samples:
“Those who leave home in search of knowledge walk the path of God”
“Seek ye knowledge, from the cradle to the grave”
“Seek ye knowledge, even unto China”
Many people combined the idea of “Rihla fi talab al-ilm” [Travel for the Sake of Knowledge] with the
religious obligation to make the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, which is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
(See Addendum A: The Five Pillars of Islam)
Others traveled simply as merchants so they could participate in the economic activities of the vast
markets that arose across the Islamic world. As cities grew into great economic and intellectual centers,
they attracted people from as far away as Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, creating a tremendous
melting pot of commercial and intellectual exchange.
Buddhists, Jews, and Sabaean Star Gazers mingled with Muslims, Hindus and Christians during their
travels along the great trade routes of the Old World, exchanging ideas as well as products.
Journey Along the Silk Road
Background Information
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Background Information
Why Muslims?
There are many religious reasons for Muslim expertise in travel and geography. After reading the
handout “The Five Pillars of Islam” see if your students can identify links between religious obligations
and geography skills.
Possible Answers:
• No matter where they are on the globe, Muslims pray five times a day, facing in the direction of
Mecca. This certainly helps Muslims to be aware of geography!
• Muslims from the remotest lands made the journey to Mecca for the Hajj (pilgrimage). Even a
13th century Muslim living in a market town in China was expected to make the journey, and
would have linked up with well-trodden trade routes toward Arabia by land or sea.
• Guidelines for Islamic duties like prayers, fasting and celebrations require accurate time-keeping.
Time was calculated by studying the positions of the stars, the sun and the moon. The skies
became the calendar and “world map” for Muslim travelers who used these skills to traverse
much of the eastern hemisphere. Without the knowledge of stars, desert journeys could become
deadly.
• The Qur’an and Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) both encouraged the concept of
“Rihla fi talab al-ilm” or Travel for the Sake of Knowledge. Muslims sought opportunities to
literally sit at the feet of famous scholars and learn as much as possible before moving on to the
next city in search of more lessons. Some traveled from as far as Baghdad to Granada to find
teachers whom they admired.
Journey Along the Silk Road
Background Information
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Project:Writing a Rihla
How To Write A Rihla
Make up a character who is traveling from a point along the ancient trade routes to a market and
university town such as Cairo. Write a Rihla, or Travel Journal describing your travels. You must write your
Rihla in the first person, as if you are the individual who is traveling. Use your imagination and have fun!
Here are some character ideas to get you thinking:
• A Muslim Chinese silk merchant who travels by boat to the Red Sea and then joins a camel caravan
to Cairo.
• A Buddhist scholar from Siam (Thailand) who sees that many Muslim traders are settling in his
city of Bangkok. He wants to travel through Cairo and on to Fez so he can learn more about the
language, faith and culture of these people who are new to his world.
• A merchant from Syria who sells fine glassware. She plans to travel to the markets of Cairo to sell
her wares to European merchants who are buying at the Khan al Khalili Market. Then she’ll donate
much of her profits to a church charity in Damascus.
• A renowned woman archer from Bukhara who plans to trade some of her famous Ferghana horses
for Arabian steeds.
• An African textile merchant who’s making the Hajj and attending lectures at Cairo’s al-Azhar
University along the way.
• A Turkish book-binder in need of leather for repairing manuscripts in one of Istanbul’s magnificent
libraries. He is heading to the leather markets of Samarkand.
• A scholar from Cordoba who meets with his Muslim friends in Timbuktu every year for an exchange
of rare scholarly manuscripts that they all copied since their last gathering. After stopping in
Timbuktu he plans to study at Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo for a month before returning home.
What To Put in a Rihla
Include the following information in your Rihla. (Keep in mind that you’re traveling in the 13th to 15th
centuries.)
• Name of your character
• Gender
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Information about your hometown
Include:
• Name of your city
• When your city was founded
• What makes you the proud of your city
• Any monuments, churches, cathedrals, etc that your city is famous for
• Rivers, mountains or deserts that are near your city
•
•
The religion you follow
A “brag sheet” (which was quite normal at that time.) Tell us why you’re so wonderful. Are you a
beautiful woman, a scholar of mathematics, a sufi sheik, a princess with a singing voice that’s envied
by all who hear you?
Journey Along the Silk Road
Project: Writing a Rihla
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Project: Writing a Rihla
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Why you plan to travel. (To trade? To study? To make a religious pilgrimage? To find a good wife?)
Physical geography of your journey: identify mountain ranges, lakes, rivers, and deserts that must traverse
to get to your destination.
What cities do you pass through on your way to your destination? Tell what you like and dislike about
those cities. How do they compare to your hometown?
Technology of your travel: ships, horses, camels, donkeys, etc.
Tell us about the obstacles you faced along the way. Again, use your imagination! For instance:
Are you sure you want to be going through baghdad in the mid-13th century?
Does the bubonic plague cause you to take a detour? Are any people in your party lost to the plague?
What about battles that are raging at the time? What areas do you need to avoid?
Are you well protected from bandits?
If you’re coming from spain, what problems might you encounter in seville or cordoba in the 13th century?
Are you sure you want to take that route?
If you’re a european christian coming to the markets of cairo and you want to make a pilgrimage to
jerusalem on your way, how will your travel plans have to change? How much more time will you have to
give yourself?
Ibn Battuta’s Rihla
It always helps to look at someone else’s Rihla to see what they looked like. Perhaps the most famous Muslim
traveler of all times is Ibn Battuta, a 14th century Moroccan who departed for the Hajj at a young age and
traversed 75,000 miles before returning home late in his life. His route, as well as quotes from his Rihla can be
found on the web. A particularly good site is
http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/Ibn_Battuta/Ibn_Battuta_Rihla.html
Journey Along the Silk Road
Project: Writing a Rihla
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Journey Along the Silk Road
A Final Celebration
The End Of The Journey
This serves as a final event in the Rihla lesson. The Final Celebration of Learning gives all students an
opportunity to share the work they did, both in and out of the classroom and to share what they learned
along their imaginary “journey for the sake of knowledge”. This event will vary, depending upon how
elaborate the teacher wants it to be, and how much time is available for such an event.
At the least, students should use class time to share something they learned while writing their Rihla. A
list of these things could be hung on the wall for several days.
For those teachers who want to spend more time on this celebration, parents could be invited to attend
a party where they enjoy classroom decorations, music, and some small food items that parents bring.
Students dress in costumes and introduce themselves to the audience as the traveler they created for their
Rihla. Each student would have a few minutes to share the story of their journey.
Other projects that were done as Optional Activities could be placed around the room for parents and
other students to view. If students selected something such as music, dance or poetry, they could perform
it during the Celebration of Learning.
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A Final Celebration
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Evaluation
Suggested Rubric
Due to time constraints, teachers may select to only have
their students write the Rihla. Or they may decide to have
students select only one option from the list of additional
activities. For this reason, a rubric is difficult to create as it
can vary widely depending upon how much time and effort
a teacher devotes to various aspects of this project. If all
suggestions are followed--writing a Rihla, two short activities,
and a Celebration of Learning--a suggested rubric would be
divided as follows:
Rihla
50% of overall grade
Optional Activity # 1
15% of overall grade
Optional Activity # 2
15% of overall grade
Involvement in class set-up
5% of overall grade
Celebration of Learning
15% of overall grade
Total
100%
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Evaluation
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Resources & Bibliography
Books
Dunn, Ross. The Adventures of ibn Battuta, a Muslim Traveler of the 14th Century. (University
of California Press, Berkeley) 1989
Eickelman, Dale and Piscatori, James. Muslim Travelers: Pilgrimage, Migration and the
Religious Imagination. (University of California Press, Berkeley) 1990
Fletcher, Richard. Moorish Spain. (Henry Holt & Co., NY) 1992
Le Goff, Jacques. Intellectuals in the Middle Ages. (Blackwell, MA) 1993
Levathes, Louise. When China Ruled the Seas: The Treasure Fleet of the Dragon Throne.
(Simon and Schuster, NY) 1994
Smith, Huston. The Illustrated World’s Religions. (Harper and Collins, NY) 1994
Websites
Magazines
Saudi Aramco World (www.aramcoservices.com) Great color photos to use for bulletin
boards, art projects and student posters. Free to teachers and students. Class set available
at no cost.
Background Information for the Teacher on the Silk Road
Khan al Khalili Market of Cairo
Article on the great market of Cairo in The World and I Magazine
http://www.newton.mec.edu/Angier/DimSum/Silk%20Road%20Info.html
http://www.worldandi.com/newhome/peoples/2001/1_Jun/Html/page2.asp
Travelers on the Silk Road
Photo tour of the market
http://www.silk-road.com/artl/srtravelmain.shtml
Traveling the Silk Road
http://www.hawaii.edu/hga/GAW97/silkroad.html
http://www.touregypt.net/khan.htm
The Islamic City
Information on Cairo’s history with many links to other sites
http://www.muslimheritage.org/topics/default.cfm?ArticleID=206
http://touregypt.net/cairo/cairoislamic.htm
Mapping the World
http://www.muslimheritage.org/topics/default.cfm?TaxonomyTypeID=6&TaxonomySubTypeID=39&T
axonomyThirdLevelID=-1&ArticleID=217
Journey of a Thousand Li
http://www.bangorschools.net/hs/SR/travelerproject.html
The Rihla of Ibn Battuta
http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/Ibn_Battuta/Ibn_Battuta_Rihla.html
NASA photo of evening light going across the entire earth. You can scroll to the north, south,
east and west. You can see the pattern of settlement along the Silk Route this way.
http://www.ecai.org/silkroad/routes/LightsofEarthOriginal.jpg
Marco Polo and China
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/hmss/7/unit/act4.1.html
Arab and Islamic names of moon craters.
http://www.jas.org.jo/cra.html
Ben Ezra Synagogue of Cairo; one of the oldest in the world.
http://www.hsje.org/a_last_stand_by_the_jews_in_egyp.htm
Ben Ezra Synagogue of Cairo
http://www.icomos.org/~fleblanc/projects/p_restoration_ben_ezra.html
A virtual tour of Cairo’s mosques, markets and old universities, with maps
http://touregypt.net/cairo/cairoislamic.htm
Al Azhar Mosque and University
History of the mosque, with photos
http://touregypt.net/azharmosque.htm
Expansion on the history of the mosque
http://www.touregypt.net/azhar/al%20azhar1.htm
Home page of Al Azhar University
http://www.alazhar.org/english/profile.htm
The African City of Timbuktu
BBC report on the historical and the modern city of Timbuktu
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1911321.stm
Description of Timbuktu by Hasan al Wasan, (Leo Africanus), the 16th C. Muslim scholar
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/leo_africanus.html
A history of Timbuktu with links to other sites
http://africanhistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa031901a.htm
Short history of Mansa Musa, famed African King
http://www.mrdowling.com/609-mansamusa.html
Information on Mansa Musa and African History
http://purpleplanetmedia.com/bhp/pages/mansamusa.shtml
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Resources & Bibligraphy
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Curriculum Guide
Books
Arts of the Islamic World: A Teacher’s Packet. Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. (Washington,
DC: Smithsonian Institution, 2002) (www.asia.si.edu)
The Crusades from European and Muslim Perspectives. Council on Islamic Education (www.cie.org)
Emergence of Renaissance: Cultural Interactions Between Europeans and Muslims. Douglass and Alavi, 2000.
(Council on Islamic Education, CA) (www.cie.org)
Beyond a Thousand and One Nights: A Sampler of Literature from Muslim Civilization. Douglass, Susan.
(Council on Islamic Education, CA) (www.cie.org)
Doorways to Islamic Art. Godlas, Sylvia. AWAIR) 1997 (www.awaironline.org)
A Medieval Banquet in the Alhambra Palace. Shabass, Audrey. ( AWAIR) (www.awaironline.org)
Teaching About Islam and Muslims in the Public School Classroom. (Council on Islamic Education, CA) (www.
cie.org)
Multicultural Math: A Teacher Resource Book for Middle and Upper School Grades. Vogt, Sharon. (Frank
Schaffer Publications, CA) 1995.
Dover Art Books
Dover produces books of copyright free patterns for art projects. See them at: DoverPublications.com
Chinese Designs and Motifs. Dover Publications
Islamic Designs for Artists and Craftspeople. Dover Publications
Persian Designs and Motifs. Dover Publications
Traditional Designs from India. Dover Publications
Multimedia
The Silk Road (CD), DNA Multimedia Corporation, c1995.
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Curriculum Guide
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Appendix A: The Five Pillars
Shahadah (Witness)
“I bear witness that there is no deity except God, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”
With this declaration of faith a person joins the rest of the world’s Muslims in stating that there is only
one God, and that Muhammad is his Prophet. This also indicates belief in a long line of prophets prior to
Prophet Muhammad in the history of Islam (submission to the will of God.)
Salah (Formal Worship)
With this obligation to participate in formal prayer five times per day, (before sunrise, midday, afternoon,
immediately after sunset, and at night) a Muslim is assured of “remembering God” from morning till night.
This enables a Muslim to step back from his or her daily activities and reflect on things of a spiritual nature.
Prayers can be said within a large group or alone. The formal prayer is usually followed by a personal prayer.
Zakah (Almsgiving Tax)
Zakah is an annual tax of 2.5% on excess wealth which is collected from those who are eligible. Some of
this money is used for support of travelers, poor people and other beneficiaries. This is an act of worship
which offers an opportunity to purify one’s wealth (to avoid greed and arrogance which can accompany
wealth) and to give thanks to God for one’s material well being.
Sawm (Fasting During Ramadan)
Muslims fast from food and water from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan. Fasting helps
to develop the strength to control temptation and learn self-restraint; it offers a time of reflection and
commitment to one’s religious faith, and builds compassion for those who must go hungry out of need
during the entire year. Children start fasting when they feel they are ready. They frequently begin fasting in
stages, rather than fasting the entire month on their first try.
Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)
Muslims who are financially and physically able are expected to go on the pilgrimage to Mecca at least
once in their lifetime. This journey is meant to reaffirm the individual’s commitment to Islam as they take
the opportunity to leave the secular world behind and to participate in the world’s largest annual gathering.
While in Mecca they perform a series of rites which commemorate Abraham, his wife Hajar and their son
Ishma’il (who helped the prophet Abraham build the Ka’bah, a cubical structure in Mecca considered to be
the first house of worship dedicated to the One God.)
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Appendix A: The Five Pillars
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Appendix B: Vocabulary
Hadith
Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad
Hajj
Pilgrimage to Mecca (One of the Five Pillars of Islam)
Hajja (f) or Hajji (m)
A person (female or male) who has completed the Hajj
Haram al’Sharif
Sacred region of Mecca, where only Muslims who are on the Hajj can enter
Madressah
School linked to a mosque
Mecca (or Makka)
One of the three major Islamic holy cities, other two- Madinah and Jerusalem
Mosque
Islamic place of worship
Qur’an
The Islamic holy script, considered by Muslims to be the literal word of God
Rihla
Travel journal
Rihla fi talab al’ilm
Travel for the sake of knowledge
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Appendix B: Vocabulary
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Additional Activities
Linguistic Learners
1.
2.
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4.
5.
6.
7.
Read poetry from ancient China, Persia or Africa.
Make a chart with five columns. At the top, write: English, Chinese, Thai, Swahili and Arabic. Under each heading, write the word
they use for numbers 1 - 9.
Fill out a cross-word puzzle that has names of cities from along the Silk Road.
Find ancient names of countries- and fill them in on a map. For example:
• Persia = Iran
• Hindustan = India
• Mesopotamia = Iraq
• Siam = Thailand
Learn how to write your name in Arabic
Select a name for yourself that comes from a country along the Silk Road. Make yourself a name tag.
Create a newspaper called “The Battuta Bugler”. Tell of Ibn Battuta’s arrival home in Morocco after traveling 75,000 miles.
Visual Learners
1.
Find photographs of art and architecture along the Silk Road and make a poster of the pictures, or do a drawing of your favorite
piece of art.
2.
Compare the design of mosques with cathedrals in Europe. How do they differ? How are they the same?
3.
Make a collage from National Geographic magazine with photos from places that Ibn Battuta would have visited.
4.
Do one of the Islamic Art exercises (from the Doorways Book. See list of resources.)
5.
Read some Rumi poems and make a poster that depicts what you visualized while reading the poem.
6.
Draw African geometric patterns from fabrics onto cotton cloth. Hang them on the wall, or wear them if you’d like.
Body-Kinesthetic Learners
1.
Teach the class how to do the Debka Dance from Arabia. (You can find information on this dance on the web.)
2.
Make a wall mural of Debka dancers by having someone outline you while you lie on the floor in various positions of the Debka
dance. Draw colorful costumes on the outlines of your body.
3.
Build a model of a city along the Silk Road.
4.
Make stained glass windows using dyed glue, brushes and plexiglas. (see instructions in “A Medieval Banquet in the Alhambra
Palace. See resource list below.) If you don’t have plexiglas, you can make Islamic designs on paper and hang them in the window.
As the sun shows through them, they’ll look like windows. (You can find Islamic art patterns in Dover books. See resource list
below.)
5.
Study the English Morris (Moorish) Dance and teach it to the class.
6.
Make African masks from paper mache.
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Additional Activities
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Journey Along the Silk Road
Additional Activities
Musical Learners
1.
Learn songs from different parts of the world.
2.
Make up a song as if you’re traveling along the Silk Road from Morocco to China. Teach it to other students so you can all sing it
to the class together.
3.
Make a collage of various musical instruments from along the Silk Road.
4.
Select music from along the Silk Road to play some during class time. Use CDs and tapes from the library, or bring in your own.
5.
Study the life of Hildegard of Bingen and how she tried to stop the Crusades from happening. Play a CD of her music for the other
students while you give an oral report about her fascinating life.
6.
Listen to a tape of Buddhist chants and write a response sheet, telling how the sound makes you feel, what you like (or dislike)
about it, and why you think these chants would be popular in much of the world, even today.
Interpersonal - People Smart Learners
1. Become an e-mail pen pal with a student who lives in a country along the Silk Road.
2. Perform a play that comes from along the Silk Road.
3. Make poster-biographies of historical characters from along the Silk Road and hang them on the class wall.
4. Study the different ethnic groups in China and mark their locations on a map. Make a list of how their lives are different in terms of
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Language
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Transportation
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Religion
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Foods they eat
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Costume
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Where they live
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Housing
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Animals they raise
5. Study the symbolism used in African ceremonial fabrics and make a poster describing what the symbols mean. (For example: Zig-zag
for the power of nature, or a circled dot for the sun.)
6. Make shadow puppets out of poster board and perform a shadow play from either India, Indonesia or China.
Intrapersonal - Self Smart Learners
1. Find photographs of art and architecture along the Silk Road and make a poster of the pictures, or do a drawing of your favorite
piece of art.
2. Compare the design of mosques with cathedrals in Europe. How do they differ? How are they the same?
3. Make a collage from National Geographic magazine with photos from places that Ibn Battuta would have visited.
4. Do one of the Islamic Art exercises (from the Doorways Book. See list of resources.)
5. Read some Rumi poems and make a poster that depicts what you visualized while reading the poem.
6. Draw African geometric patterns from fabrics onto cotton cloth. Hang them on the wall, or wear them if you’d like.
Journey Along the Silk Road
Additional Activities
www.cie.org
Journey Along the Silk Road
Additional Activities
Natural World Learners
1. Learn songs from different parts of the world.
2. Make up a song as if you’re traveling along the Silk Road from Morocco to China. Teach it to other students so you can all sing it to
the class together.
3. Make a collage of various musical instruments from along the Silk Road.
4. Select music from along the Silk Road to play some during class time. Use CDs and tapes from the library, or bring in your own.
5. Study the life of Hildegard of Bingen and how she tried to stop the Crusades from happening. Play a CD of her music for the other
students while you give an oral report about her fascinating life.
6. Listen to a tape of Buddhist chants and write a response sheet, telling how the sound makes you feel, what you like (or dislike) about
it, and why you think these chants would be popular in much of the world, even today.
Existential Learners
1. Teach the class how to do the Debka Dance from Arabia. (You can find information on this dance on the web.)
2. Make a wall mural of Debka dancers by having someone outline you while you lie on the floor in various positions of the Debka
dance. Draw colorful costumes on the outlines of your body.
3. Build a model of a city along the Silk Road.
4. Make stained glass windows using dyed glue, brushes and plexiglas. (see instructions in “A Medieval Banquet in the Alhambra
Palace. See resource list below.) If you don’t have plexiglas, you can make Islamic designs on paper and hang them in the window.
As the sun shows through them, they’ll look like windows. (You can find Islamic art patterns in Dover books. See resource list
below.)
5. Study the English Morris (Moorish) Dance and teach it to the class.
6. Make African masks from paper mache.
Math Logic Problem-Solving Learners
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Study the history of mathematics beginning with India’s use of numbers.
Learn to write the Arabic Numerals that we use today, in Arabic. (0 to 9)
Try to do this mathematical problem by using Roman Numerals: 54+12 x 2
Make an abacus and the learn how to use it to calculate.
Calculate mileage from one major city to the next on Ibn Battuta’s journey. Begin with Marakkesh and finish in Canton, China.
Make a list of all the modes of transportation a Silk Road traveler would have used in the 13th to 15th centuries. List the modes that
are available today.
7. On a map, write the mode of transportation most commonly used in the regions where you would have traveled. For instance, in
the Sahara Desert, write the word Camel. On the Red Sea write the word Boat.
8. List the various geometric shapes found in African fabrics such as a Kente Cloth that was worn by Ashanti Chiefs.
9. Make a poster describing early Muslim use of “rocket science.” Use the web to find information http://www.muslimheritage.com/
Journey Along the Silk Road
Additional Activities
www.cie.org