Josh Smith
Vocabulary Assignment
SST309-03
GLCE and Verb
Knowledge (K)
Students will know that
triangular trade includes
the people (native
Africans) and resources
(cotton, textiles,
weapons, gold, spices)
that were traded
between Africa, America,
and Europe, and when
this trade occurred.
Students will also know
that Africans were forced
Unit Planning Guide/Template Vocabulary Lesson
5-U2.2.1 Describe Triangular Trade including:
 The trade routes
 The people and goods that were traded
 The Middle Passage
 Its impact on life in Africa
Understand (U)
DO:
Demonstration of
Learning (DOL)
Students will understand
that America, Africa, and
Europe were connected
economically through the
slave market, and that
this trade had
devastating effects on the
natives of Africa.
Students will design a
short graphic novel or
comic book from the
perspective of either an
enslaved African,
American plantation
owner, or European
trader.
Or
Create a detailed map
illustrating where the
triangle trade operated
from, including countries
Vocabulary
I Can
Triangle Trade
Trade Routes
Middle Passage
I can describe the effects
of the triangle trade in
the three regions in
which it operated.
2
to endure unfair
treatment such as being
chained together, beaten,
and murdered on the
journey to America, and
the affects this trade had
on the lives of people in
Africa.
or regions, what
resources were traded,
and how goods were
moved.
Or
Create a 3-d pyramid
foldable with each side
showing what goods or
services were traded
between the regions.
4..Assessment ideas: a. How will you know they’ve learned it?
Students will be asked to design a poster that depicts the triangle trade, write a story, or create a pyramid
foldable that explains what the triangle trade entailed.
b. How will you grade it?
Students will be graded on a checklist of goods that were traded (must mention them in the story) and the
effects the trade had on the regions.
5. Sequence of Instruction (including Vocabulary): What will you do? What will they do?
Lessons: How will you take
Instructional strategies/Social
Resources needed: What materials
them where they need to go?
constructs: How will they work?
and resources will they need?
(Step-by-Step plan)
(AND what will YOU do?)
(Page #s read, graphic organizers, books,
posters, realia, etc…)
Pre-test/Anticipatory set: Students
Instructional strategies/Social
 Resources needed: Students
will clear a space in the middle of the
constructs: Students will first work
will need to watch clips from
room, then partner up with a friend. The together to get into position in the
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slave
teacher will line up pairs of students
“cargo-hold” of the slave ship. They will
ry/
back to back and have students hold
then view a video clip and trade book,
 Books: “Through African Eyes”,
onto the wrists of their partners, the
and discuss what they have learned. The
“Lest We Forget”
teacher will then move students into
students will then listen to a chapter
 Poster board and construction
place as they would have been in the
from “Through African Eyes” and
paper for maps and foldables
cargo area of a slave ship.
discuss what happened to native
 Glue, scissors, markers, or
Africans during the trade, and how they
colored pencils
Lessons: Teacher will begin the lesson
would feel if that happened to their own
 Lined paper for story writng
by introducing the three vocabulary
family or friends.
terms; Triangle Trade, Middle Passage,
Unit/Vocabulary Plan Example
SST309
Laninga, Section 00
3
and Trade Route. The class will discuss,
as a whole, their prior understanding of
trade and economic activity. The teacher
will then introduce realia of the goods
that were traded in the triangle trade,
including, cotton, textiles, gold ( a spray
painted rock will work if the teacher is
short on gold nuggets), or other
manufactured goods from the time
period. The teacher will then read to the
class a chapter from “Through African
Eyes”, entitled “Guns, Slaves, and More
Guns”, in order to broaden the students
understanding of what the slave trade
meant to the Africans. The teacher will
also show selected video clips from the
PBS documentary Slavery and the
Making of America. The pop-up trade
book Lest We Forget will also be used in
a whole class setting.
Guided Practice:
A. Students will play the “Fly
Swatter” game of the triangle
trade. The three regions will be
drawn on the chalkboard, and as
the teacher says a good or
product, the student will have to
be the first to swat the correct
region it is travelling to.
B. Students will break into small
groups of 3 or 4 and create a
short skit demonstrating their
understanding of the triangle
trade.
Independent Practice:
Unit/Vocabulary Plan Example
Guided Practice:
A. Students will be broken into two
teams to play the flyswatter
game.
B. Students will be broken down
into small groups in order to
create a short skit that shows
their knowledge of the triangle
trade.
Independent Practice:
SST309
Laninga, Section 00
4
Students will create a poster or foldable
that describes and illustrates what
goods were traded between the regions
or create a story that depicts what
happened to native Africans captured in
the slave trade.
Students will independently create
foldables or maps illustrating how the
triangle trade worked, or create a story
telling what happened to African slaves.
6. Resource Attachments, labeled A, B, C, D, …
Resource A: Teaching Script
Middle Passage
Teacher Talk: Ask students to clear a space in the middle of the classroom. Now ask them to partner up with a friend and hold each
others wrists, while standing back to back. Next line up the students into very cramped quarters and ask them how long they think
they could stay like that? Students will respond with how long they think they would be able to. Next have the students count off by
4. Every fourth student will then be asked to play dead, acting as the 20% of slaves that died on the middle passage(this should work
for Step 4 of Marzano). Now ask the students how long they think they could stay in their positions with dead people in their close
quarters. Finally ask students how long they think they could last in these close quarters with one meal a day and without any of
their friends or family and with no ability to move about? Next have students return the classroom to normal and sit at their desks,
read a passage from “Through African Eyes” about slaves being captured, and then show a clip from
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/ about the middle passage.
Step 2. Restate
Ask students to do a quick write (1-2 minutes) on what they think the Middle Passage entailed and what it meant, in their
vocabulary book.
Step 3. Non-linguistic Representation
Students will be asked to individually draw a picture of what slaves endured during the voyage to America from Africa or create
comic books in groups of two or three.
Step 4. Activities
Students will be placed as they would in a slave ships cargo-hold.
Unit/Vocabulary Plan Example
SST309
Laninga, Section 00
5
Step 5. Student Discussion
Students will once again be broken up into small groups, which will include students who did not do the same activities, to discuss
what they have learned and know about the triangle trade.
Step 6. Games
Students will stay in their last discussion group and create revised skits to act out in front of the class to demonstrate their
knowledge of the middle passage.
Trade Route
Teacher Talk: Ask students about their pre-existing knowledge of the words trade and route. This should be part of their knowledge
base at this time, but if not start with some rudimentary questions about what trade is (getting something in return for something
else) and route (the way something travels to another place). Then discuss how items they use everyday travel from one region to
get to another. Then explain the historical context of the particular trade route that was known as the triangle trade, and use a
poster that explains what goods travelled along this route and how they travelled.
Step 2. Restate
Ask students to write their definition of a trade route into their vocabulary books.
Step 3. Non-linguistic Representation
Ask students to draw a picture of how a good they enjoy travels to them from its place of origin (e.g. oranges, Nike shoes, toys).
Step 4. Activities
Break students up into three groups, Places, Goods, and Transportaion. Spread the Places out in the room and have several of the
Goods at each Place. Also have a smaller number of Transportation students at each Place. The teacher will call out a good to be
moved (around natural barriers in the classroom) and the Transportation student will walk the Goods student to the appropriate
Place student that the Teacher has called out.
Step 5. Student Discussion
Students will do a Think, Pair, Share with a partner to help fill out their understanding of the term.
Step 6. Games
Students can play computer games such as Oregon Trail to help them understand trade routes, or replay the activity from Step 4.
Triangle Trade
Unit/Vocabulary Plan Example
SST309
Laninga, Section 00
6
Teacher Talk: The Teacher will start by reading a chapter from “Through African Eyes” called The Triangular Tempest, which
explains how outside forces helped create the slave trade in Africa. Ask students how they believe it came about, and why it was
such a profitable scheme? Next use a Nystrom Atlas of World History poster that shows what goods were traded between the
regions involved. Ask students if they can think of any other triangular trade routes. Ask the students why the items needed to be
traded (e.g. no manufacturing, poor farming conditions, lack of a captive workforce)?
Step 2. Restate
Have the students write their own definition of triangular trade in their vocabulary books.
Step 3. Non-linguistic Representation
Have the students create a poster or drawing that includes where, what, and how the triangular trade worked.
Step 4. Activities
Break students up into three groups, representing African, American, and European traders. Give each group a specified amount of
play money and representations of goods that the other groups need, then have the groups engage in trade with one another, and
try to indirectly get what they need from the other groups, as it would have happened in the triangular trade.
Step 5. Student Discussions
After the activity in Step 4, have the students go back to their seats and have them share their previously designed posters with
another student, who was not in the same trade group.
Step 6. Games
Students can play I Have, You Has with goods and the regions from which they came. Or the class can split into groups and have
several teams compete in a Jeopardy style game, with questions about which goods were traded.
7. Citation Page (See Purdue Owl for Help)
PBS Documentary “Slavery and the Making of America” http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/
Marzano, R. and Pickering, D. (2005), Building Academic Vocabulary: Teacher’s Manual. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development
Thomas, Velma. (1997), Lest We Forget. Crown Publishers. New York, NY.
Clark, Leon. (1988), Through African Eyes. The Apex Press. New York, NY.
Unit/Vocabulary Plan Example
SST309
Laninga, Section 00
7
Unit/Vocabulary Plan Example
SST309
Laninga, Section 00