The Silk Road
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe how the Silk Road facilitated economic and cultural exchange across Eurasia.
Key learning points
- The Silk Road was a trading route stretching across Eurasia.
- The Silk Road facilitated economic and cultural exchange between Europe and Asia.
- The Mongol Empire controlled important points along the Silk Road in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Keywords
Trade - trade refers to the sale and purchase of goods
Common misconception
Only silk was traded along the Silk Road.
Silk was a primary commodity for a long time along the Silk Road, but there were many different goods and ideas that were traded between East and West along the trade route.
Teacher tip
There are excellent videos available on the Silk Roads and ancient trade which would help bring this topic to life for pupils.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which continents make up 'Eurasia'?
Q2.What does 'trade' mean?
Q3.What is silk used for?
Q4.Complete the sentence: the Empire controlled most of Europe and the Mediterranean from the 1st century BCE to the 5th century CE.
Q5.Complete the sentence: Islam originated from the Middle .
Q6.Where in the world is China?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Complete the sentence: the Silk Road was a of trade routes linking China with the West.
Q2.How long was the Silk Road?
Q3.What goods were traded along the Silk Road?
Q4.What negative things could also be experienced along the Silk Road?
Q5.Which people threatened China in the 2nd century BCE, encouraging the Chinese to begin trading for superior horses, which was the start of Silk Road trade network?
Q6.Which empire controlled the whole Silk Road in the 13th century?
To help you plan your 7 history lesson on: The Silk Road, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 history lesson on: The Silk Road, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the The Black Death and the Silk Road: how connected was the medieval world? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.