The Growth of Ghana: Geography & Trade

Students examine how the Niger River, the Sahara Desert, and control of the gold–salt trade turned Ghana into one of West Africa’s earliest and wealthiest empires.

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Framework Mapping

Alignment

Click a phase below to see how this lesson expresses each framework.

ADTL

ADTL Expression

Students are oriented into the design challenge...

AVID

WICOR Expression

Students record observations and capture evidence...

Cognia

Cognia Expression

Learners make active choices and track progress...

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Warm-Up: What Shapes a Civilization?

10 XP · Knowledge
Warm-Up XP Breakdown
SP (Skill Points)0
CP (Challenge Points)10
This quick-write rewards clear thinking and prediction about how geography influences civilizations.

Quick-write + partner-share to activate prior knowledge about how geography influences civilizations.

Before diving into Ghana, connect what you already know about rivers, deserts, and trade routes to the rise of powerful empires.

Student Inputs
Three Geographic Features
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Prediction
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Your combined warm-up response will appear here.
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Activity 1: Mapping West African Trade Routes

20 XP · Knowledge
Activity 1 XP Breakdown
SP (Skill Points)10
CP (Challenge Points)10
Skill Points reward accurate map details. Challenge Points reward clear written explanation of geographic advantages.

Students create a labeled map showing how Ghana’s location between gold and salt regions allowed it to tax trade.

Student Instructions
  • Sketch West Africa including the Niger River and Sahara Desert.
  • Label salt mines (north), gold regions (south), and Ghana in the middle.
  • Draw arrows for salt moving south and gold moving north.
  • Use the builder to write a 4-sentence explanation of Ghana's advantage.
4-Sentence Explanation Builder
S1 – Ghana’s Location
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S2 – Movement of Goods
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S3 – Trade Taxes
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S4 – Resulting Power
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Paragraph Builder – Ghana’s Advantage

This card combines your four sentences into one paragraph.

Color-Coded Paragraph View
Your color-coded paragraph will appear here.
Editable Paragraph
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Activity 2: Ghana – “Gatekeepers of Trade” Analysis

20 XP · Skills
Activity 2 XP Breakdown
SP (Skill Points)10
CP (Challenge Points)10
SP rewards organization/evidence; CP rewards concept weaving across rulers, traders, and images.

Short written analysis connecting Ghana’s taxation system to stability and protection.

Student Info
Student Name
Student Email
Class Period
Introduction
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Benefit for Rulers
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Benefit for Traders
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Connection to Images
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Conclusion
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Your combined analysis will appear here.
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