1. Mystery Lesson
How did the way people live in Europe change before the opening of the Atlantic?

2. What you will do: Group Roles: Clues -
Reader – read the clue to your group members
Recorder – records important information about the clue
Reporter – shares your group findings with the class
Clues -
Work in a group to analyze clues about life in Europe. You’ll read the clues, discuss what the clue tells you, and the decide if there are any connections present (Are there clues that relate to one another?)
Group your clues into appropriate categories. Be prepared to describe why certain clues go together.

3. Next Steps – Reporting on the clues:
Look at your grouping of the clues. What would be appropriate headings for them?
Share ideas as a class. Each group will share one of their categories. Be prepared to explain why you put the clues into the same category.
Time to record some information about your clues.
Handout to be provided.

4. Connections among Clues:
Greece & Rome
Feudalism
Crusades
Silk Road
Black Death
Renaissance
Mercantilism

5. Presenting Ideas:
Each group will take ONE topic and create a poster using Glogster (online poster creator)
Your poster must contain the following:
Four images associated with your topic.
One video associated with your topic
One paragraph summarizing the topic
Other items related to your topic
Sample glog:
Glogster and how it works:

6. Individual Assessment
Prepare a well-written essay that answers the questions – How did the way people live in Europe change in the period before the opening of the Atlantic? How did the changes effect Europe? Do you think these changes will influence Europeans to travel? Why or why not?
What criteria do you think should be used to evaluate your essay?

7. Solutions (Changes in Europe)
Greeks and Romans influenced later civilizations in many areas including architecture and government.
Feudalism emerged as a system of government and promoted separation.
The Crusades began and promoted trading between Europe and Asia.
Travel became safer, promoting trade routes like the Silk Road.
Increased trade had positive and negative effects. Ex: Black Death killed an estimated 25 million people.
The Renaissance brought new ways of thinking to Europe.
Mercantilism emerged as the economic system in Europe.