Trade & Exploration – Learning Hub

— Renaissance —

Trade & Exploration Through Inventions

This interactive digital activity places learners in the role of decision-makers on a 14th Century European trading voyage. With branching narrative, learners must investigate key Renaissance inventions and use what they learn to guide their crew through dangerous sea routes, challenging trade encounters, and moral dilemmas.

An immersive, choice-based historical activity

Gr 6 | Term 2 – Explorers from Europe find southern Africa: Inventions: gunpowder, magnetic compass, caravel

Historical Understanding

Identify and describe key inventions of the Renaissance that expanded trade and exploration, including the caravel, compass, printing press, and gunpowder.

Explain how these inventions enabled longer voyages and the establishment of new trade routes.

Understand the role of 14th-century European traders and the global impact of their voyages.

Critical Thinking & Decision-Making

Evaluate different navigation and trade strategies in historical context.

Make informed decisions using research gathered during the investigation phase.

Reflect on the ethical consequences of historical actions, including slavery and the use of force during trade.

Collaboration & Communication

Work cooperatively in small groups to investigate, plan, and execute a simulated trade mission.

Discuss and negotiate key decisions, such as when to use weapons, how to treat foreign communities, and when to push forward or turn back.

Systems Thinking

Track and manage variables such as crew morale, cargo capacity, ship condition, and team reputation.

Recognize how early economic decisions impact long-term outcomes in trade, diplomacy, and survival.

Reflection & Empathy

Reflect on the personal, moral, and practical challenges faced by people during the early age of exploration.

Listen to and engage with the perspectives of teammates and other player groups.

Consider the historical legacy of European expansion and its effects on global trade, culture, and colonialism.

Classroom Preperation

Divide learners into groups and have them log onto the activity using the link or by scanning the QR code.

Online Activity: Prologue

The learners will be introduced to the scenario and prompted to input their names, team names and divide investigation topics.

Chapter 1: Investigation

Learners will be guided though their chosen investigation path (ships, navigation, or safety) by interactions with sailors at the docks and information texts at the printing press. Their investigation will lead them to making a decision on what to use for their voyage – the traditional standard or the new invention. The correct choice will unlock the secret key.

Team Gate

After collecting their secret key, the learners will be directed to the TEAM GATE. Here, they will share their keys with their team members so that all team members can launch their voyage. From now, teams should sit together to be able to discuss options.

Chapter 2 – 8

Throughout the voyage, the learners will be presented with challenges to overcome, each prompting learners to discuss the options within their team so that the ‘expert’ in that area (the learner who investigated that topic) shares their knowledge.

The learner’s actions will affect the voyage outcomes, including their crew morale, their reputation and the cargo they are carrying. It is also possible for the crew to mutiny under bad leadership. In such cases, the learner will be directed to restart their voyage.

Ending

The ending of their voyage relies on the choices they make. If good leadership is shown, they will make it back to Europe. They will then be given a summary of their voyage outcomes. You can task learners to submit this screenshot to you via your LMS, Google Classroom or email.

Reflection & Extension

Upon completion, learners will unlock information about life in the 14 Century, as well as a list of discussion questions to prompt reflection and further thinking.

Learners will be offered the opportunity to replay either the entire activity, or just the voyage. It is recommended that, if they have time, they try replay the voyage and see how different decisions can affect the voyage outcome. This can deepen understanding and lead to richer reflection discussions. NB: ensure that they have taken a screenshot of their original results before replaying, as all progress will be overwritten.

The online activity provides instant feedback on choices, guiding learners and showing consequences to choices.

Time: 1 – 1.5 hrs (depending on length of discussions)

Requirements: Learners work in groups of 2 or 3. Each learner needs a device with internet connection.

Included: Fully guided activity; extra information; reflection and discussion questions; Teacher Information Pack

Download Teacher’s Guide

View Teacher’s Guide

Go to Online Module

Link

Follow the link to find the online activity, or copy and paste the link into Google Classroom for learners to access.

https://activity.akdesign.co.za/history/ren_trade/?utm_source=link&utm_campaign=website

QR Code

Click on the QR code below. This will open the QR code so that you can project it onto the board. The learners can scan the QR code and follow the link it produces to access the online activity.

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