The Silk Road stretched for more than 4,000 miles across Asia. The Silk Road connected the Han Dynasty in China and the Roman empire in Europe.  Both goods and ideas traveled along the Silk Road. Silk, jade, spices from India, and glassware from Rome were all traded along the various routes. The Silk Road held many dangers as travelers had to traverse deserts and mountains.  Many travelers lost their lives on this route.  

In this interactive course, learners will play a game and try to win the most points as they become travelers on the Silk Road.  Learners will learn how different cultures were connected and what ideas and goods were traded.

Course Outline:

Day One:  The People Traveling on the Silk Road: Learners will learn about some of the people that traveled on the Silk Road and learners will create their character to begin their journey on the Silk Road.

Day Two:  The Goods Traded along the Silk Road - Learners will explore the different items traded along the Silk Road.  Travelers (learners) will choose the goods that they will trade.

Day Three:  The Western Silk Road - Travelers will travel the Western Silk Road, trade their items, and learn of the dangers that await travelers through the Pamir Mountains.

Day Four:  The Eastern Silk Road - Travelers will trek through the network of routes on the Eastern Silk Road encountering sandstorms and bandits along the way in the Taklimakan Desert.  

Day Five:  The Exchange of Ideas on the Silk Road - Learners will learn about the different ideas that were spread on the Silk Road such as agriculture, glassmaking, and Buddhism. We will end the class with a trivia game!

Learners do not need any prior knowledge to participate fully in this class.   Multiple viewpoints and perspectives will be presented.

Each day, there will be a short homework assignment (less than 20 minutes).  The homework assignment will enhance what was explored during class.