Grade 7 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 5, Lesson 2

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
Across the Centuries

Lesson at a Glance
Chapter 5, Lesson 2: The Empire of Ghana (pp. 112-117)

The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Interconnectedness and ScarcityBetween A.D. 300 and 1235, the empire of Ghana thrived as a center for the gold and salt trade between West Africans and Arab merchants.

Explain to students how the gold and salt trade worked, and why each commodity was so much more valuable far from the places it existed in abundance. Then discuss with students how trading for the materials they lacked allowed many people to prosper. Brainstorm the kinds of problems and misunderstandings that might occur between traders from different cultures. How would they solve these problems?

Lesson Outline
Use the Lesson Outline to preview the content of the lesson. You may wish to print it for your students as a guide during reading.

Check for Understanding

Ask students to take on the role of an Arab merchant and write reports home to their rulers about the potential for trade with Ghana.
Using the text for clues, ask students to create an illustrated story map of West Africa and the Sahara, showing Ghana and its divided capital, caravan trade routes, gold mines, and the sources of salt.

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