1. Do Now: Q3SA pg.39 The Gold Turtle Salt Shaker
Questions: How much do you think the item featured above is worth? Why would it be valuable to you? Which do you think is most valuable? The gold turtle or the salt it holds? Stems: “I think the item is worth…” “It would be valuable to me because..” “I think the gold turtle/salt is most valuable because…”
As some of you may agree, gold is a valuable natural resource and is used in many different ways. Hundreds of years ago in Africa, however, salt was considered extremely valuable and was traded for gold.  As a matter of fact, salt was actually worth more than gold to some groups.
Under what circumstances do you think certain groups would value salt over gold?
Today, we will learn about trade networks in Ancient West Africa, what motivated certain groups to engage in trade in the region, and how trade promoted cultural diffusion.

2. Do Now: Q3SA pg.39 The Gold Turtle Salt Shaker
Signal: Stand once you have completed both sentence stems. Share: The student with the shortest hair reads sentence stems first; partner will respond using a bounce stem from the card. Repeat process, allowing student with the longest hair to read his/her completed stems and partner to respond. Go back to your seat when both people have shared. Assess: 2-3 pairs will share out.
As some of you may agree, gold is a valuable natural resource and is used in many different ways. Hundreds of years ago in Africa, however, salt was considered extremely valuable and was traded for gold.  As a matter of fact, salt was actually worth more than gold to some groups.
Under what circumstances do you think certain groups would value salt over gold?
Today, we will learn about trade networks in Ancient West Africa, what motivated certain groups to engage in trade in the region, and how trade promoted cultural diffusion.

3. Objectives
6.1A Trace characteristics of various contemporary societies in regions that resulted from historical events or factors such as invasion, conquests, colonization, immigration, and trade. 6.2B Evaluate the social, political, economic, and cultural contributions of individuals and groups from various societies, past and present. 6.4C Explain ways in which human migration influences the character of places and regions.

4. HOT Question
How did trade in Ancient West Africa lead to increased migration and cultural diffusion of products, ideas, and cultural characteristics?
Today’s Big Idea
Trade networks encourage migration and cultural diffusion.
Scarcity affects the value and price of goods and services.

5. Since ancient times, trade has had a huge impact on the continent of Africa. The trans-Saharan trade routes existed centuries before Europeans ventured into the interior of the continent. 

6. Scarcity: something being in short supply
Scarcity—which is defined as a state of something being in short supply—greatly motivated trade throughout the region.
For example, Africans had gold but needed salt. Others had salt and needed and/or wanted gold. As a result, trade routes—salt for gold in this instance—were established.

7. Overall Response
How did Mansa Musa’s travels lead to or promote cultural diffusion and migration?
Mansa Musa’s travels promoted cultural diffusion and migration by… 
Cultural Diffusion
the spreading out of culture, culture traits, or a cultural pattern from a central point
Migration
the movement of people from one place to another with the intentions of settling temporarily or permanently in the new location. 
Cultural diffusion is defined as the spreading out of culture, culture traits, or a cultural pattern from a central point.  Migration is the movement of people from one place to another with the intentions of settling temporarily or permanently in the new location. 
Turn and Talk
How did Mansa Musa’s travels lead to or promote cultural diffusion and migration? 
Guide students towards the idea that Mansa Musa’s travels helped spread products, religion, architecture, etc.

8. HISD Social Studies Curriculum Social Studies Grade 6
watch a video based on Mansa Musa, the 14th century African king of the Mali Empire of West Africa
We are going to watch a video based on Mansa Musa, the 14th century African king of the Mali Empire of West Africa, who was said to have accumulated a fortune that possibly made him one of the wealthiest people who ever lived.  As you watch the video, I would like you to individually take notes using the Video Analysis Graphic Organizer.
HISD Social Studies Curriculum Social Studies Grade 6

9. Checkpoint What is cultural diffusion? What is migration?
How does migration lead to cultural diffusion?
How did Mansa Musa’s travels lead to or promote cultural diffusion and migration?

10. Guided Practice – 15 min Purposeful Reading Preview questions
Document Analysis: Text and Map
Answer Questions
you will carefully analyze each document and respond to the question that follows. . 
After the document is read, I would like you to highlight the sentence that you think is most important to know and understand.
Based on the document, what was the Ancient Kingdom of Ghana’s role in the gold-salt trade?  How did this increase the kingdom’s power? (Ghana controlled the trade routes and commercial activities in its region.  Having such control over trade allowed the ancient kingdom to hold a great amount of power.)

11. Checkpoint
What was the kingdom of Ghana’s role in the gold-salt trade?
Why might there be evidence of cultural diffusion in Timbuktu?
What do the Kingdoms of Mali and Ghana have in common?

12. OR Character Collage Mansa Musa Ghana Empire A
A graphic representation of the Mansa Mansa Musa or Ghana Empire
5 vivid images
5 words/quick phrases that represent historical figure/Kingdom
A slogan (Ex. Mansa Musa: A Man of Culture and Wealth)
B or C
3-4 vivid images
3-4 words/quick phrases that represent Mansa Musa or Ghana Empire D
A graphic representation of the Mansa Musa or Ghana Empire
2 or less vivid images
2 or less words/quick phrases that represent historical figure/Kingdom
Mansa Musa OR
Ghana Empire
Character Collage
Your character collage MUST include the following elements:
A graphic representation of the historical figure/Kingdom
A mixture of vivid images and words/quick phrases that represent historical figure/Kingdom
A representative slogan (Ex. Mansa Musa: A Man of Culture and Wealth)
Ancient Historical Figures/Ancient Kingdoms—Mansa Musa, The Kingdom of Ancient Ghana

13. Exit Ticket