Caravan Quest Slides Caravan Quest
A Journey Along the Silk Road
The Great Connection
A 4,000-mile network of trade routes connecting China to the Mediterranean Sea .
Active from approximately 130 BCE to 1453 CE.
Named for Chinese silk, but moved much more than just fabric.
"The Silk Road was the internet of the ancient world—transmitting ideas, inventions, and cultures across continents."
What was Traded?
East to West
🔹 Silk & Tea
🔹 Porcelain (China)
🔹 Paper & Gunpowder
🔹 Jade & Spices
West to East
🔸 Horses & Camels
🔸 Glassware
🔸 Gold & Silver
🔸 Grapes & Olives
Invisible Cargo
✨ Religions (Buddhism, Islam)
✨ Languages & Music
✨ Mathematics
✨ Disease (Black Death)
Survival of the Fittest
Travelers didn't go alone. They traveled in caravans—large groups of camels and merchants—to survive the harsh geography.
Mountains
Freezing temperatures and thin air in the Himalayas.
Deserts
The Gobi and Taklamakan ("Go in and never come out").
Bandits
Raiders often attacked lonely travelers for their cargo.
Oases
Crucial desert stops with water and markets (Caravanserai).
Today's Mission
You are a merchant in a 14th-century caravan. Your goal is to travel from Chang'an to Antioch, trading goods and collecting knowledge along the way.
Check your Merchant Log for Instructions
Merchant Log Packet Official Record
Year: 1350 CE
Merchant Log
Silk Road Caravan Expedition
Traveler Name:
Hometown / Origin City:
Starting Inventory
Choose three items from your starting location to begin your journey.
5 Bolts of Silk
2 Chests of Tea
3 Porcelain Jars
1 Sack of Spices
The Path Ahead
Geography Entry
Before the caravan departs, you must study the hazards of the route. Refer to the classroom map to identify these critical locations.
Physical Hazards
Describe the challenge each environment poses to a merchant caravan.
Taklamakan Desert
Himalayan Mountains
Major Trading Hubs
City Significance Chang'an (Xi'an) The eastern terminus; known as the "City of Eternal Peace." Samarkand Baghdad
|
| Antioch | The western terminus; entrance to the Mediterranean world. |
Market Day
Economics Entry
"Wealth is not just in gold, but in the exchange of what one has for what one needs." — Silk Road Proverb
Trade Transaction Log
Record your trades with other merchants in the classroom simulation. Ensure you describe what you gave and what you received.
Item(s) Given
Item(s) Received
Trading Partner
Gain/Loss Reflection
Supply and Demand
Why did the price of silk increase as it traveled further West? Explain using the concepts of scarcity and transportation costs.
Invisible Cargo
Culture Entry
Religious Spread
Identify two religions that traveled the Silk Road and how they changed as they reached new regions.
New Inventions
List three technologies or ideas (like papermaking) that moved between East and West. How did they change life for people who received them?
Traveler's Sketch
Draw an artifact, landscape, or scene you witnessed in a foreign bazaar.
Caption / Description:
Merchant Inventory Cards Merchant Inventory Cards
Set A: Goods from the East
Instructions: Cut out these cards. Distribute 3 starting items to each student or group. Use these to track physical inventory during the simulation.
Fine Silk
Origin: China
Lightweight, valuable, and highly sought after by Roman nobility.
VALUE: High
Fine Silk
Origin: China
Lightweight, valuable, and highly sought after by Roman nobility.
VALUE: High
Fine Silk
Origin: China
Lightweight, valuable, and highly sought after by Roman nobility.
VALUE: High
Loose Leaf Tea
Origin: China
A medicinal drink that has become a popular daily beverage.
VALUE: Medium
Loose Leaf Tea
Origin: China
A medicinal drink that has become a popular daily beverage.
VALUE: Medium
Porcelain Vase
Origin: China
Fragile and elegant ceramic; secret firing process only known in China.
VALUE: High
Rare Spices
Origin: India/Southeast Asia
Cinnamon, pepper, and cloves used for seasoning and preservation.
VALUE: Extreme
Rare Spices
Origin: India/Southeast Asia
Cinnamon, pepper, and cloves used for seasoning and preservation.
VALUE: Extreme
Rare Spices
Origin: India/Southeast Asia
Cinnamon, pepper, and cloves used for seasoning and preservation.
VALUE: Extreme
Merchant Inventory Cards
Set B: Goods from the West
Ferghana Horse
Origin: Central Asia
Strong and fast; highly desired by the Chinese military for border defense.
VALUE: Extreme
Ferghana Horse
Origin: Central Asia
Strong and fast; highly desired by the Chinese military for border defense.
VALUE: Extreme
Glassware
Origin: Roman Empire
Clear, beautifully crafted glass; a luxury unknown in the East.
VALUE: High
Gold Bars
Origin: Europe / Arabia
Precious metal used as a universal standard for high-level trade.
VALUE: Universal
Gold Bars
Origin: Europe / Arabia
Precious metal used as a universal standard for high-level trade.
Caravan Facilitation Guide Caravan Facilitation Guide
The Silk Road Simulation
Subject
7th Grade Social Studies
Duration
2 Class Periods (90-120 min)
Learning Objectives
Identify the geographical features and major cities of the Silk Road.
Analyze the economic principles of supply, demand, and scarcity in a historical context.
Explain how the Silk Road facilitated the exchange of goods, technologies, and ideas (cultural diffusion).
Preparation Checklist
Print 1 Merchant Log Packet per student.
Print and cut Inventory Cards (approx 1 set per 4 students).
Set up 4 "Trading Hubs" around the room (e.g., Chang'an, Samarkand, Baghdad, Antioch).
Project the Caravan Quest Slides for the introduction.
Teacher Tip
The simulation works best when students are assigned specific "Home Cities."
Eastern Cities start with Silk, Tea, and Porcelain.
Western Cities start with Glassware, Gold, and Horses.
This creates immediate scarcity and encourages long-distance trade.
Instructional Sequence
Phase 1: Intro
The Hook (15 mins)
Use the slides to introduce the concept. Ask: "If you lived in 1300, how would you get a silk robe from China to Rome?" Focus on the geography and the concept of caravans.
Phase 2: Prep
Merchant Setup (10 mins)
Students fill out the cover page of their Merchant Log. Assign hometowns and distribute 3 starting Inventory Cards based on their location.
Phase 3: Action
The Great Exchange (40 mins)
Allow students to move between "Hubs." They must trade cards and record every transaction in their log. Interject "Events" (see next page) every 10 minutes to simulate the dangers of the road.
Simulation Mechanics
Tools for facilitating a dynamic classroom experience.
Random Events (The "Dangers")
Read these aloud at random intervals to disrupt the market:
Bandit Raid! All merchants traveling between Samarkand and Baghdad must give 1 card to the "Bandit Pile" (the Teacher).Sandstorm! All movement stops for 3 minutes. Merchants can only trade with people already at their current Hub.Royal Wedding! The price of Silk has doubled. 1 Silk card can now be traded for 3 of any other item for the next 5 minutes.
