Early Islamic Civilisation

Trade and Travel

Discover that the ‘silk road’ and ‘spice routes’ were important ancient highways for trade; enjoy first-hand experience of some of these goods.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To examine a range of sources, piecing together reliable evidence to answer a question.
• To recognise that ideas and knowledge were also exchanged by travellers of trade routes.
• To discover how trade routes linked geographically distant locations and understand that natural resources are location-dependent.

Children will:

• Watch videos and read to discover more about the ‘silk road’ and ‘spice routes’.
• Enjoy first-hand experience of some of these goods, smelling/ tasting/ feeling as appropriate, e.g. pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, silk, ivory, sandalwood, porcelain, rice, cotton, tea, paper, salt, precious stones.
• ‘Pin’ pre-prepared cards on a map to show possible country of origin of many trade-goods.
• Read and discuss a brief biography of Leonardo Fibonacci, to begin to understand the importance of knowledge and innovations travelling the trade routes.

• Recording sheet for note-taking during films
• Map showing extent of the Islamic civilisation
• Trade goods cards
• Pisano biography and ‘paper’

• ‘Trade goods’, e.g. pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, silk, ivory, sandalwood, porcelain, cotton, tea, paper, salt, precious stones, incense, gold
• Trade and Commerce in the Early Islamic World by Rachel Eugster

Animation explaining the origins of the 'Silk Road' – YouTube clip
Further explanation of the 'Silk Road' using animation, photos and commentary – YouTube clip
Biography of Leonardo Pisano from britannica.com
Mapped locations of traded resources from silkroutes.net

Formulate the basis of a game simulating the journey along the ‘silk road’.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To examine a range of sources, piecing together reliable evidence to answer a question.
• To learn how the silk and spice trade routes linked geographically distant locations.
• To understand that natural resources are location-dependent.

Children will:

• Investigate the people who travelled the silk road, caravans, physical geography, natural hazards, robbers.
• Design a board game based on the silk road, incorporating rules, features and experiences that reflect life on the road.

• Slides for shared reading: ‘Who travelled the ‘silk road’ trade routes?
• Slides for discussion: ‘What was life on the road like?’
• Board game features checklist
• Board game templates (editable)

• Atlases and internet-based mapping tools, e.g. Google Maps
• Trade and Commerce in the Early Islamic World by Rachel Eugster
• The Silk Road: A Very Short Introduction by James Millward
• Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354 by James Rumford

Teacher reference only - website detailing history of neurosurgery from clinicalgate.com
Teacher reference - website documenting Adelard's 'mystical vision' which led to his travel from albabblog.blogspot.com
Teacher reference - website documenting the scholar's travels from orias.berkeley.edu

Finalise and make their board games; play each other’s games and evaluate their success.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To examine a range of sources, piecing together reliable evidence to answer a question.
• To learn how the silk and spice trade routes linked geographically distant locations.
• To understand that natural resources are location-dependent.

Children will:

• Create a board game to represent and apply knowledge.
• Play games to share knowledge.

This session does not need any provided resources.

• Materials for game creation, e.g. large pieces of card, coloured paper, scissors, glue, colouring pens and pencils, sticky-back film
• Internet access for further information referencing
• Books as per session 2

Traditional looking map with digital routes drawn on from silkroutes.net
Range of different presentations and styles of map from silkroutes.net

Make a close study of an Islamic artefact and translate this to a plan for a 3D replica.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To encourage close observation of historical artefacts.
• To learn to use art techniques, including sketching with different materials and using Modroc.

Children will:

• Choose an early Islamic artefact to recreate in a choice of medium.
• Sketch, then formalise a final design, incorporating a list of materials and a bullet point list to show the process.

• A range of early Islamic artefacts
• Example sketches
• Pro-forma for artefact design (enlarge to A3)

• Children’s sketchbooks, conté crayons, various grades of pencil, charcoal
• iPads or laptops
• Selected materials for papier mache, or Modroc

This activity could also be an opportunity to bring a local expert in to school to share a skill, such as painting, pottery, embroidery or wood-carving.

Range of links to different image resources from islamicart.museumwnf.org
Low res home video style with well explained steps for using Modroc – YouTube clip
Crafting website with clear sections and explanations from modroc.com

Create chosen artefact and decorate. Evaluate against design criteria. Please note that the artefacts will need to be left at least overnight before they can be painted, so you will need two separate blocks of time to complete the session.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To encourage close observation of historical artefacts.
• To learn to use art techniques, e.g. sketching with conté crayon, using Modroc.

Children will:

• Create and finish a replica artefact from somewhere across the Islamic ‘world’.

(This activity requires two separate sessions to allow at least one day for drying the artefacts before painting them.)

This session does not need any provided resources.

• Children’s artefact designs
• Materials for modelling, e.g. clay, tools for shaping clay, papier maché (newspaper, PVA glue, water), Modroc, shallow trays, PVA glue, scissors, glass paints; Camera/ iPad

Low res home video style with well explained steps for using Modroc – YouTube clip
Crafting website with clear sections and explanations from modroc.com

Organise and set up a ‘bazaar’, including acting as merchants and selling goods.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To synthesise and apply elements of learning from across the block.

Children will:

• Prepare for and hold a mock bazaar where some goods are traded, bought and sold.
• Carry out trades, while visitors to the bazaar (parents) buy products and the bazaar inspector (headteacher) watches out for dishonest merchants.

• Images of bazaars

You do not need any particular resources for this session.

Wide slection of Syrian dessert recipes with clear photo prompts from orangeblossomwater.net
Simple easy to follow baklava recipe from bbc.co.uk
Relatively complicated method to make a very typical sweet of the region - contains nuts from bbc.co.uk
Easy access free music archive with good sound quality from freemusicachive.org