World Builders · Issue 09 Lesson 2 Total XP · 50

Mansa Musa: Power, Pilgrimage & Prosperity

Students explore how Mansa Musa expanded the Mali Empire, used wealth and religion to shape his reputation, and turned cities like Timbuktu into centers of trade and learning across the Islamic world.

Activities, Instructions & XP

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Resources Hub

· Resource Hub
Resources
Use the videos and slides to preview, review, and clarify key ideas about Mansa Musa’s wealth, the hajj, and Mali’s global influence.

Watch the lesson video, then open the second video and slide deck from the accordions. Use the World Builders text on the right for close reading.

Lesson Video Open in YouTube ↗
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Watch inside the accordion, or open in a new tab.
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World Builders Issue 09 African Kingdoms Cover
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Framework Mapping

Click a phase/pill to see how Lesson 2 is expressed through each framework.

ADTL MAPPING
How Lesson 2 Lives in the ADTL
Lesson 2 moves students from observation into explanation, then into structured analysis and synthesis.
Orientation
AVID MAPPING
How Lesson 2 Lives in AVID (WICOR)
Students write from evidence, inquire through prompts, collaborate, and read closely to strengthen claims.
W · Writing
COGNIA MAPPING
How Lesson 2 Lives in Cognia
Engagement, evidence of learning, and reflection support continuous improvement and next-step teaching moves.
Engagement

Warm-Up: First Impressions of Mansa Musa

10 XP · Knowledge
Warm-Up XP Breakdown
SP (Skill Points)0
CP (Challenge Points)10
This warm-up focuses on close observation and prediction. All 10 XP are awarded as Challenge Points to encourage students to share ideas freely before reading the full text.

Quick-write and partner-share to activate prior knowledge about wealth, power, and religious journeys like the hajj.

Before reading about Mansa Musa, students use images and the cover of the issue to predict why this ruler became famous around the world for his power, gold, and pilgrimage.

Student Inputs
Three Details You Notice
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Prediction About His Reputation
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Your combined warm-up response will appear here after you click Generate.
World Builders Issue 09 African Kingdoms Cover
Click Here To Access This Text

Activity 1: Tracing Mansa Musa’s Hajj

20 XP · Knowledge
Activity 1 XP Breakdown
SP (Skill Points)10
CP (Challenge Points)10
Students track the route of Mansa Musa’s hajj and explain its effects on Mali’s fame and wealth. Skill Points reward accuracy and clarity; Challenge Points reward completing all four sentences describing the journey and impact.

Students use the text to explain how Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage spread news of Mali’s wealth and power.

Mansa Musa’s hajj to Mecca was more than a religious trip—it turned him into a legend. By drafting a short explanation, students see how travel, religion, and gold changed how the world viewed Mali.

Student Instructions
  • Re-read the Mansa Musa pages of Issue 09 and note details about where he traveled, who went with him, and what he carried.
  • Use the sentence builder to draft a 4-sentence explanation that tells: who he was, what the journey looked like, how people reacted, and what changed for Mali afterward.
  • Make sure your final paragraph explains why this one journey made Mansa Musa famous far beyond West Africa.
4-Sentence Explanation Builder

Draft each sentence in the accordions below. Then use the Generate pill to combine them into one paragraph.

Sentence 1 – Setting the Scene
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Sentence 2 – The Journey
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Sentence 3 – Reactions & Wealth
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Sentence 4 – Lasting Impact
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Paragraph Builder – Mansa Musa’s Journey

This card combines your four sentences into one paragraph. You can revise the paragraph and send changes back to the individual sentence accordions.

Color-Coded Paragraph View
Your color-coded paragraph will appear here.
Editable Paragraph

When you click Generate on the sentence builder, this paragraph will update. When you click Revise, the sentences inside the accordions will update to match your edited paragraph (based on the first four sentences).

Activity 2: Why Mansa Musa Mattered to the World

20 XP · Skills
Activity 2 XP Breakdown
SP (Skill Points)10
CP (Challenge Points)10
Students craft a structured response explaining how Mansa Musa used wealth and religion to shape Mali’s power. Skill Points reward clear organization and evidence; Challenge Points reward completing all five parts of the explanation.

Short written analysis connecting Mansa Musa’s rule, his hajj, and the rise of cities like Timbuktu as centers of trade and learning.

Mansa Musa did not rule with gold alone. By combining wealth, religious devotion, and smart decisions about trade and education, he helped Mali become famous across Africa and the Mediterranean world.

Student Instructions
  • Re-read the section that explains what Mansa Musa did with his wealth, why he made the hajj, and how he supported cities like Timbuktu.
  • Use the accordions below to plan a 5-part response (intro, rulers, traders/cities, images, conclusion).
  • When you are ready, press Generate to combine your ideas into a single paragraph.
Introduction
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Benefit for Mali’s Rulers
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Benefit for Traders or Cities
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Connection to Images
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Conclusion
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Your combined mini-analysis will appear here, with each part color-coded.
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