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✍️ "Analyze the Impact of Trade on the Rise and Fall of West African Empires"
Prompt: Describe how trade routes and key resources like gold and salt contributed to the growth of the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai empires. Then, examine how shifts in trade dynamics and external pressures contributed to their decline.

Trade in gold and salt was the backbone of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai’s rise. Ghana taxed trans-Saharan traders, while Mali, under Mansa Musa, expanded wealth and Islamic influence. Songhai controlled key trade cities like Gao and Timbuktu, continuing the trade-based prosperity.

However, as global trade shifted toward the Atlantic and internal conflicts grew, these empires weakened. The Moroccan invasion of Songhai in 1591 and the decline of trans-Saharan trade routes led to their eventual fall.

✍️ "Colonial Disruption vs. Indigenous Stability: A Historical Comparison"
Prompt: Discuss how the stability and governance of West African empires like Mali and Songhai were altered by European intervention during the slave trade and the Scramble for Africa. Reflect on how this disruption echoes in modern West African political and economic structures.

Mali and Songhai thrived with strong governance and rich trade networks, fostering stability and education centers like Timbuktu. European colonization disrupted this by exploiting the region during the slave trade and imposing new borders during the Scramble for Africa.

This broke down traditional systems, leading to long-term political and economic challenges still visible in modern West Africa, such as instability and divided societies.

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DALL·E 2024-10-15 14.36.06 - A detailed visual representation of Ancient West Africa, featuring key elements such as the iconic mud-brick architecture of cities like Timbuktu and 

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HSS 7.4.1 Explore the interconnections of geography, trade, and the growth of the Ghana and Mali empires through our PBL resources. Study how the Niger River and the surrounding vegetation zones influenced the trade of gold, salt, food, and slaves.

What's Included:

Six Creative Project Formats: Choose from a Comic Strip, Poster, Infographic, Video, Report, or Podcast.

Each format is adaptable to different learning environments-classroom, home, or hybrid-and caters to diverse learning styles.

Flexible Customization: Tailor the experience to fit your teaching style and classroom needs. Options are easily adjustable; for example, exclude the Video project if video production has not been covered yet.

Comprehensive Instructional Support: Includes detailed instructions, a content-aligned rubric, and additional resources to guide student projects, ensuring a rich learning experience.

Engagement and Reflection: Encourages students to engage deeply with the material and reflect on what they have learned about historical impacts through their project creation and discussions. Perfect for nurturing creativity and critical thinking, this choice board is a versatile tool for engaging students in historical inquiry and creative expression, adaptable to any educational setting.

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HSS 7.4.1 The Niger River, and the Rise of the Ghana and Mali PBL Choice Board

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HSS 7.4.1 Explore the interconnections of geography, trade, and the growth of the Ghana and Mali empires through our PBL resources. Study how the Niger River and the surrounding vegetation zones influenced the trade of gold, salt, food, and slaves.What's Included:Six Creative Project Formats: Choose...

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Project Based Learning (PBL) Presentation Choice Boards

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Project Based Learning (PBL) Presentation Choice Boards

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What’s Included:

Six Creative Project Formats: Choose from a Comic Strip, Poster, Infographic, Video, Report, or Podcast. Each format is adaptable to different learning environments—classroom, home, or hybrid—and caters to diverse learning styles.

Flexible Customization: Tailor the experience to fit your teaching style and classroom needs. Options are easily adjustable; for example, exclude the Video project if video production has not been covered yet.

Comprehensive Instructional Support: Includes detailed instructions, a content-aligned rubric, and additional resources to guide student projects, ensuring a rich learning experience.

Engagement and Reflection: Encourages students to engage deeply with the material and reflect on what they have learned about historical impacts through their project creation and discussions. Perfect for nurturing creativity and critical thinking, this choice board is a versatile tool for engaging students in historical inquiry and creative expression, adaptable to any educational setting.

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Family, Labor, & Commerce in West Africa

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Family, Labor, & Commerce in West Africa

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HSS 7.4.2 Family, Labor, and Commerce in West Africa PBL Choice Board

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HSS 7.4.2, Analyze the importance of family, labor specialization, and regional commerce in the development of West African states and cities. Our PBL resources offer insights into how these elements shaped societies in historical West Africa.What's Included:Six Creative Project Formats: Choose from...

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Medieval West Africa Unit Bundle: 7th Grade Choice Boards | TPT

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West Africa: Geography, Trade & Empire Mini Bundle- 7th Grade Choice Boards

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West Africa: Islam & Intellectual Growth – Mini Bundle | 7th Grade Choice Boards

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LEGACY OF WEST AFRICA

Includes: HSS 7.4.4 - 7.4.5

Explore the lasting legacy of West African civilizations through Arabic scholarship and powerful oral traditions with two flexible, project-based choice boards.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Legacy of West Africa Mini Bundle highlights the intellectual and cultural memory preserved through Arabic records and rich oral traditions. These two standards-based choice boards help students explore how language, learning, and storytelling passed knowledge across generations and continue to influence cultural identity.

✅ Includes:

HSS 7.4.4: Arabic language in governance, trade, and education

HSS 7.4.5: Importance of oral and written traditions in preserving culture

Each choice board:

Designed to take 3 days

Features high-interest, creative tasks and reflection prompts

Delivered in printable and editable formats

Suggestions for Use:

Use with a primary source analysis of griot narratives or Arabic texts

Great for cross-curricular connections with ELA on oral storytelling

Assign as individual, pair, or group projects

Ideal for closing out your West Africa unit with a cultural focus

See all history bundles and individual boards on my Padlet catalog:

[https://padlet.com/kakoven/history-pbl-choice-boards-7th-grade-bundles-cto393w7aju0xd7a]

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Legacy of West Africa: Scholarship & Oral Tradition | 7th Grade Choice-Boards

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LEGACY OF WEST AFRICAIncludes: HSS 7.4.4 - 7.4.5Explore the lasting legacy of West African civilizations through Arabic scholarship and powerful oral traditions with two flexible, project-based choice boards.PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONThe Legacy of West Africa Mini Bundle highlights the intellectual and cul...

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How did oral traditions shape the preservation of African history compared to written records?

Oral traditions preserved African history through storytelling, often by griots. Though not written, they maintained rich cultural narratives. Western bias underestimated them, but they were vital for historical memory.

What role did Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage play in shaping global perceptions of West Africa?

Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage displayed Mali’s immense wealth, especially with his gold spending in Alexandria. It sparked global interest in West Africa, portraying it as a land of riches and power.

In what ways did Islam integrate with traditional African beliefs in West and East Africa?

Islam blended with local African beliefs, especially among elites. Traditional practices, like gender roles and rituals, often remained, making Islam more culturally compatible and widely accepted.

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COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS* 1. It is difficult to study medieval Africa because people on the continent at the time preserved their history using what alternative to writing? 2. Mansa Musa was a king of Mali during which century? 3. The Hajj is the yearly Islamic practice of making a pilgrimage to where?

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HSS 7.4.3 The Impact of Trans-Saharan Trade on West Africa PBL Choice Board

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HSS 7.4.3, Study the impact of the trans-Saharan caravan trade on the religious and cultural characteristics of West Africa. Our projects illustrate how Islamic beliefs, ethics, and law were integrated into West African societies through trade.What's Included:Six Creative Project Formats: Choose fro...

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HSS 7.4.4, Trace the growth of the Arabic language in government, trade, and Islamic scholarship in West Africa. Engage with our PBL activities to understand how the Arabic language shaped governance and cultural exchanges in the region.

What's Included:

Six Creative Project Formats: Choose from a Comic Strip, Poster, Infographic, Video, Report, or Podcast.

Each format is adaptable to different learning environments-classroom, home, or hybrid-and caters to diverse learning styles.

Flexible Customization: Tailor the experience to fit your teaching style and classroom needs. Options are easily adjustable; for example, exclude the Video project if video production has not been covered yet.

Comprehensive Instructional Support: Includes detailed instructions, a content-aligned rubric, and additional resources to guide student projects, ensuring a rich learning experience.

Engagement and Reflection: Encourages students to engage deeply with the material and reflect on what they have learned about historical impacts through their project creation and discussions. Perfect for nurturing creativity and critical thinking, this choice board is a versatile tool for engaging students in historical inquiry and creative expression, adaptable to any educational setting.

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HSS 7.4.4 The Influence of Arabic in West Africa PBL Choice Board

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HSS 7.4.4, Trace the growth of the Arabic language in government, trade, and Islamic scholarship in West Africa. Engage with our PBL activities to understand how the Arabic language shaped governance and cultural exchanges in the region.What's Included:Six Creative Project Formats: Choose from a Com...

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HSS 7.4.5 Voices of the Past: The Role of Written and Oral Traditions in African History and Culture PBL Choice Board

Explore the role of written and oral traditions in the transmission of African history and culture. Our projects highlight how these traditions have preserved historical narratives and cultural identities across generations.

What's Included:

Six Creative Project Formats: Choose from a Comic Strip, Poster, Infographic, Video, Report, or Podcast.

Each format is adaptable to different learning environments-classroom, home, or hybrid-and caters to diverse learning styles.

Flexible Customization: Tailor the experience to fit your teaching style and classroom needs. Options are easily adjustable; for example, exclude the Video project if video production has not been covered yet.

Comprehensive Instructional Support: Includes detailed instructions, a content-aligned rubric, and additional resources to guide student projects, ensuring a rich learning experience.

Engagement and Reflection: Encourages students to engage deeply with the material and reflect on what they have learned about historical impacts through their project creation and discussions. Perfect for nurturing creativity and critical thinking, this choice board is a versatile tool for engaging students in historical inquiry and creative expression, adaptable to any educational setting.

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HSS 7.4.5 Written and Oral Traditions in African History PBL Choice Board

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HSS 7.4.5 Voices of the Past: The Role of Written and Oral Traditions in African History and Culture PBL Choice BoardExplore the role of written and oral traditions in the transmission of African history and culture. Our projects highlight how these traditions have preserved historical narratives an...

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HSS 7.4.1 Puzzle Pack: The Niger River, Trade, and the Rise of Empires

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Engage students with this HSS 7.4.1 puzzle pack on the Niger River, trade, and the rise of West African empires! Includes a reading passage, vocabulary list, crossword, word search, maze, flashcards, and answer keys.The Niger River, Trade, and the Rise of Empires - HSS 7.4.1 Puzzle PackStep into t…

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HSS 7.4.1 Trivia Game: The Niger River, Trade, and the Rise of Empires

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HSS 7.4.1 Bundle: The Niger River, Trade, and the Rise of Empires

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HSS 7.4.2 Puzzle Pack: Family, Work, and Trade in West African States

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HSS 7.4.2 Trivia Game: Family, Work, and Trade in West African States

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Engage students with this HSS 7.4.2 bundle on family, work, and trade in West African states! Includes a puzzle pack, trivia game, and choice board exploring kinship, craftsmanship, and trans-Saharan trade. Perfect for centers, enrichment, sub plans, or test prep!
Family, Work, and Trade in West African States Bundle - Puzzle Pack * Trivia Game * Choice Board Students will explore how families, artisans, and traders helped shape the growth of West African societies. Through interactive puzzles, engaging trivia, and creative project-based learning, learners will investigate how kinship groups organized labor, how farming and ironworking supported communities, and how trans-Saharan trade connected West Africa to the wider world through the exchange of gold and salt.
This comprehensive bundle combines reading comprehension, vocabulary building, and project-based exploration to help students understand how family, work, and trade formed the foundation of life in early African civilizations. Perfect for enrichment, centers, sub plans, or test prep, this resource makes history interactive, engaging, and meaningful!
✅ What's Included

Puzzle Pack: Reading passage, vocabulary list, crossword, word search, maze, flashcards, and answer keys

Trivia Game: 20 questions, printable flashcards, mixed-format quiz, and full answer keys

Choice Board: Six creative project options with step-by-step directions, suggested topics, and three-level rubrics

PDF + Google Slides Versions: Ready for both print and digital use

✨ Why Teachers Love It

Standards-aligned, no-prep, and flexible for any classroom setting

Builds vocabulary, reinforces content, and supports student-led learning

Makes history engaging, collaborative, and accessible for all learners

📌 Standards-Aligned Focus
HSS 7.4.2 - Describe the role of family and lineage in West African villages and the growth of cities, the importance of family farming, herding, ironworking, and the trans-Saharan trade in salt and gold.
✅ Perfect For
✔️ African Civilizations & Economic Systems Review
✔️ Social Studies Test Prep
✔️ Sub Plans & Centers
✔️ Enrichment & Differentiation
✔️ Small Groups & Independent Projects

Keywords: HSS 7.4.2 * 7th grade history * West Africa * family structure * kinship * artisans * trade * gold and salt trade * farming * herding * African civilizations * puzzle pack * trivia game * choice board * interactive history * world history * project-based learning * no-prep bundle
Hashtags:
#HSS742 #7thGradeHistory #WestAfrica #AfricanEmpires #FamilyAndTrade #GoldSaltTrade #Kinship #PuzzlePack #TriviaGame #ChoiceBoard #InteractiveLearning #WorldHistory #MiddleSchoolHistory #NoPrepLessons

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HSS 7.4.2 Bundle: Family, Work, and Trade in West African States

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Engage students with this HSS 7.4.2 bundle on family, work, and trade in West African states! Includes a puzzle pack, trivia game, and choice board exploring kinship, craftsmanship, and trans-Saharan trade. Perfect for centers, enrichment, sub plans, or test prep! Family, Work, and Trade in West ...

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HSS 7.4.3 Puzzle Pack: Caravan Trade and the Spread of Islam in West Africa

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HSS 7.4.3 Puzzle Pack: Caravan Trade and the Spread of Islam in West Africa

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HSS 7.4.3 Bundle: Caravan Trade and the Spread of Islam in West Africa

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HSS 7.4.4 Puzzle Pack: Arabic, Language of Power & Learning in West Africa

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HSS 7.4.4 Trivia Game: Arabic, The Language of Power and Learning in West Africa

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HSS 7.4.5 Puzzle Pack: Keeping the Past Alive, African Written & Oral Traditions

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Engage students with this HSS 7.4.5 puzzle pack on African written and oral traditions! Includes a reading passage, vocabulary list, crossword, word search, maze, flashcards, and answer keys. Perfect for centers, enrichment, sub plans, or test prep!Keeping the Past Alive: African Written and Oral T…

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HSS 7.4.5 Trivia Game: Keeping the Past Alive, African Written & Oral Traditions

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HSS 7.4.5 Bundle: Keeping the Past Alive, African Written & Oral Traditions

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Engage students with this HSS 7.4.5 bundle on African written and oral traditions! Includes a puzzle pack, trivia game, and choice board exploring storytelling, griots, proverbs, and cultural preservation. Perfect for centers, enrichment, sub plans, or test prep! Keeping the Past Alive: African Wri…