Central Question: Which sources are most reliable for learning about the Ancient Silk Road?
Zhang Qian Travels Mural, Mogao Caves, China. From Wikimedia Commons.
Ancient World History Investigation 3
Students grapple with the concept of reliability as they consider how we can learn about the distant past through documents and artifacts. After reading and analyzing a collection of modified sources, students use evidence and reasoning to critique an argument about which sources should be used to learn about the Silk Road.
Teaching Materials
Student Materials
Accommodated Materials for Bilingual & Multilingual Learners
Standards Alignment
Standards Alignment – CCSS & C3

Literacy in History/Social Studies
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1-8.2, 8.4-8.8.
ELA Reading: Information Text
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1-7.2, 7.7-7.10.
ELA Writing
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1, 7.4-7.5, 7.7-7.10.
ELA Speaking & Listening
CSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1-7.3

Dimension 1: D1.2.6-8.
Dimension 2: D2.Civ.6.6-8, D2.Geo.7.6-8., D2.Geo.11.6-8., D2.His.1.6-8., D2.His.4.6-8, D2.His.6.6-8., D2.His.10.6-8., D2.His.13.6-8., D2.His.16.6-8.
Dimension 3: D3.1.6-8., D3.2.6-8., D3.3.6-8., D3.4.6-8.
Dimension 4: D4.1.6-8., D4.2.6-8, D4.3.6-8., D4.6.6-8., D4.8.6-8.