2. VR Silk Road Field Trip
This lesson plan is offered for both 2-D (desktops, laptops, or tablets) and for VR Headsets/ VR-enabled devices.
Lesson Plan Includes:
Scaffolded Instructions
Assessments
Handouts
Extension Activities
Glossary
State Standards Alignment
This lesson begins with a short, engaging video called “5 Reasons Marco Matters.” His is a story of success, adventure, wealth, status, and the hero’s journey. As they watch the video, students will complete a graphic organizer that asks them to list evidence from the video that answers the question, “Did Marco Polo really make it to China and work in the service of Kublai Khan for 17 years?”
The next step in this lesson is for the students to watch 5 short field trip videos on the important ancient Silk Road cities that the unit focuses on. The cities are Venice, Tabriz, Kashgar, Samarkand, and Dadu (modern-day Beijing). The field trips are beautifully animated 5 minute tours, led by Denis’ avatar, and feature geography, resources, and cultural information for each location. Plus, a hidden clue lies in each city!
Objectives:
• Students will look for evidence in Denis’ introductory video, “5 Reasons Marco Matters” and will compile this evidence in a graphic organizer to help them decide if Marco really did accomplish the journey to the Far East and back.
• Students will discover, explore, and compare and contrast the 5 ancient trading centers of the Silk Road through a Scavenger Hunt, consolidating learning about the geography, people, resources, and culture of each city by viewing short 3D field trip videos.
2-D Lesson Plan
Students will complete Scavenger Hunt Notes as they watch the field trips for each city, ensuring student participation and attention. This can be graded at the teacher’s discretion.
The assessment for this project is an exit slip asking the question “Which city would you have preferred to live in during Marco Polo’s time, and list 3 reasons why?”
Class time required: 1-2 class periods+
Graphic Organizers
DID MARCO POLO REALLY REACH the FAR EAST and SPEND 17 YEARS IN KUBLAI KHAN’S SERVICE?
Scavenger Hunt Notes
VR-Enabled Classroom
Teachers will set up a VR classroom experience with 5 stations, one for each of 5 trading cities. Students, grouped into rotating teams, will watch short VR field trip videos on the important ancient Silk Road cities that the unit focuses on. Each field trip is followed by VR scenes with objects to explore and discover with the VR headset and monitor. Students in their teams will participate in a Treasure Hunt!
With each student in the team assigned a role, groups will search for items on a page called VR Treasure Hunt List, working together to discover 3-5 (or more) items in each city, as class time permits. Students will rotate among the 5 city-stations, and with each each rotation, a different student will wear the VR headset, ensuring that everyone gets some time in the VR world. (The other students in that team will monitor the scenes and help with the treasure hunt, keep time, record objects, and guard the headset-wearer’s space.)
The assessment for this project is an exit slip asking the question “Which city would you have preferred to live in during Marco Polo’s time, and list 3 reasons why?”
