Summary
In this lesson, students investigate how trade spreads religion by examining Mansa Musa’s cultural impact on West Africa. Through images, a video, and an article, they analyze his empire and contributions. As an extension, students explore the annual re-plastering of the Grand Mosque to see how his legacy endures today. This is a multimodality lesson, which means it includes face-to-face, online, and hybrid versions of the lesson. The attachments also include a downloadable Common Cartridge file, which can be imported into a Learning Management System (LMS) such as Canvas or eKadence. The cartridge includes interactive student activities and teacher's notes.
Essential Question(s)
How does trade contribute to the spread of religion?
Snapshot
Engage
Students make observations and form questions about an image of Mansa Musa.
Explore
Students complete an identity chart about Mansa Musa while viewing a short video.
Explain
Students add to their identity chart while reading about Mansa Musa.
Extend
Students analyze Mansa Musa’s continued impact by viewing a video about the Grand Mosque in Timbuktu.
Evaluate
Students respond to a reflection question about Mansa Musa’s legacy.
Instructional Formats
The term "Multimodality" refers to the ability of a lesson to be offered in more than one modality (i.e. face-to-face, online, blended). This lesson has been designed to be offered in multiple formats, while still meeting the same standards and learning objectives. Though fundamentally the same lesson, you will notice that the different modalities may require the lesson to be approached differently. Select the modality that you are interested in to be taken to the section of the course designed for that form of instruction.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
Identity Chart handout (attached; one per student)
Mansa Musa of Mali handout (attached; one per student)
Engage
10 Minute(s)
Use the attached Lesson Slides to guide the lesson. Begin with slide 3 and introduce the I Notice, I Wonder strategy to students. Provide time for students to individually study the image of Mansa Musa. Invite students to talk with a partner about something they notice in the image and something they wonder. Then, have several volunteers share their thoughts.
Move through slides 4–5 to review the essential question and learning objectives with students.
Explore
15 Minute(s)
Pass out the attached Mansa Musa Identity handout to each student. Display slide 6 and Introduce the Identity Chart strategy. Tell students they will watch a short video about an African leader. As they watch, they should add details about the leader to the handout. Move to slide 7 and play the Mansa Musa video.
After the video, provide time for students to add details to their handout, then have students compare what they wrote down with another student.
Explain
20 Minute(s)
Display slide 8 and pass out the attached Mansa Musa of Mali handout to each student. Introduce the Stop and Jot strategy and tell students to summarize each part of the handout in the provided boxes.
After providing time to read through the handout, move to slide 9. Invite students to add more details to the Mansa Musa Identity handout. Have students compare what they have written down with a partner. Then, have a brief class discussion by asking several students to share what notes they took about Mansa Musa.
Extend
10 Minute(s)
Display slide 10 and tell students to think of how Mansa Musa’s legacy is still apparent today while viewing a video about a mosque in Mali. Move to slide 11 and play the video.
Display slide 12 and use the I Think, We Think strategy to have students reflect on the video. Have students take out a piece of notebook paper. Provide time for students to write their response to the question on slide 12, how is Mansa Musa’s legacy still seen today? After a few minutes, move to slide 13. Have students partner up to compare what they have written and combine their responses into one. Ask several volunteers to share their response.
Evaluate
10 Minute(s)
Display slide 14 and have students summarize their learning by writing a short reflection to the lesson’s essential question on the slide: How did trade and Mansa Musa's reign contribute to the spread of Islam in West Africa? Students can write their response on notebook paper or the back of a handout. Encourage students to use the notes they have taken during the lesson.
Collect student responses to review student understanding of the lesson content.
Resources
K20 Center. (n.d.) Identity chart. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/2729
K20 Center. (n.d.) I notice, I wonder. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/180
K20 Center. (n.d.). I think, we think. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/141
K20 Center. (n.d.). Padlet. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/1077
K20 Center. (n.d.) Stop and jot. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/168
PBS. (2020). The great mosque is replastered. [Video]. https://www.pbs.org/video/great-mosque-replastered-ickx10/BS
Ted-Ed. (2015, May 18). Mansa Musa, one of the wealthiest people who ever lived - Jessica Smith [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/O3YJMaL55TM