The following is a two week unit plan developed to cover the Trans-Saharan trade as outlined in the common core curriculum and California State Standards for 7th grade students.
Trans-Saharan Trade Unit Plan
Subject
Social Studies — World History
Grade Level
Grades 6-8
Standards Alignment
State-specific
License
About
Standards
Reviews
Standards
Describe the role of the trans-Saharan caravan trade in the changing religious and cultural characteristics of West Africa and the influence of Islamic beliefs, ethics, and law.
Trace the growth of the Arabic language in government, trade, and Islamic scholarship in West Africa.
Describe the importance of written and oral traditions in the transmission of African history and culture.
Study the Niger River and the relationship of vegetation zones of forest, savannah, and desert to trade in gold, salt, food, and slaves; and the growth of the Ghana and Mali empires.
Analyze the importance of family, labor specialization, and regional commerce in the development of states and cities in West Africa.
