Mary Meyer

Course: World History

Class Length: 50 minutes
Grade Level: High School
Shoebox Museum: Civilizations of the Middle Ages

Historical Question:
How do historians decide what artifacts or information is significant enough to preserve?

Objective(s): Students will be able to…

● Summarize the major characteristics of civilizations from 300 CE to 1500 CE.
● Analyze choices historians make about significance.
● Act as historians and create a museum exhibit.

State Objectives:
● WHG 4.1.2 Intensifying Trade Networks and Contacts - compare and contrast the
development, interdependence, specialization, and importance of interregional
land-based and sea-based trading systems both within and between societies.
● WHG 4.2.1 Growth of Islam and Dar al-Islam - explain the significance of Islam in an
interconnected Afro-Eurasia.
● WHG 4.2.2 Unification of Eurasia under the Mongols - analyze the significance of
Mongol rule in Afro-Eurasia and the impact of the Mongol Empire’s disintegration
● WHG 4.2.3 Spheres of Interaction and Influence in the Americas - compare and contrast
the diverse characteristics and interactions of peoples in the Americas.

Contextualization:
To introduce the lesson, we will briefly discuss our own experiences with museums and share
what elements we have seen in museums (images, clothing, plaques, etc). The teacher will talk
about the elements on the board and show images of museum exhibits to students. Then we
will talk about how we are going to make our own exhibits to showcase civilizations we have just
studied over the past unit.

Activities:
1. Contextualize the lesson with powerpoint on museums (5 min).
2. Brief powerpoint of expectations for assignment (5 min).
3. Students pick civilizations and begin sketching out ideas (30 min).
4. Wrap up and check-in before dismissal (10 min).

Assessment:
Student sign-up will be collected before students start sketching, and student sketches will be
turned in at the end of the project.

Closure:
Final reminders of expectations for the project, including bringing in shoeboxes.
Resources:
Teacher Introduction

READ:​ For the next month, you will be acting as museum historians. You will research one of

the societies we’ve been learning about and build a shoebox-sized museum exhibit, which you

will then present to your peers. This is going to take us all the way to Winter Break, and there

will be multiple Check-Ins to keep you guys on track. I will be available the entire time to

answer questions and I will be giving you feedback on every step of the process.

You have twenty options for societies to research, so we may have one or two students

doing the same society. Your options are the Sassanid Empire, the Islamic Caliphates, the Gupta

Empire, the Mongol Empire, Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire,

the Aztec, Mayan Empire, the Moche, Cahokia, the Inca Empire, the Ak, Ghana, the Holy

Roman Empire, France, England, Spain, and Portugal.

While you consider which interaction you wish to do and how you want to design your

exhibits, keep in mind the museum exhibits we’ve seen on field trips. You can use your textbook

and any documents I’ve given you in class, but your textbook cannot be one of the four sources

you cite in your research. You will be able to use computers in the library or in class for your

research as well.
 Society Sign Up Sheet

Middle 1. Sassanid:
Eastern 2. Islamic Caliphates:
Societies

Asian Societies 3. Gupta:

4. Mongol:
5. Tang:
6. Song:

Mediterranean 7. Roman:
Societies 8. Byzantine:

American 9. Aztec:
Societies 10. Maya:
11. Moche:
12. Cahokia:
13. Inca:

African 14. Aksum:

Societies 15. Ghana:

European 16. Holy Roman Empire:

Societies 17. France:
18. England:
19. Spain:
20. Portugal:
 Name:_________________________

Date:_____________

Expanding Interactions 300-1500 CE

Museum Exhibit Project

Over the next few weeks, you will be acting as historians designing an exhibit. Your task is to
create a shoebox-sized exhibit about societies that we have talked about in class. You will need
to research your society, using at least ​four ​trusted academic sources ​other than your textbook​.
Your choices are: the Sassanid Empire, the Islamic Caliphates, the Gupta Empire, the Mongol
Empire, Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire,
Teotihuacan, Mayan Empire, the Moche, Cahokia, the Inca Empire, the Ak, Ghana, the Bantu,
the Holy Roman Empire, France, England, Spain, and Portugal.

You will need to fill out three worksheets over the course of this project. You have a guided
Research Worksheet, an Exhibit Planning Worksheet, and a Speech Planning Worksheet. In this
packet, you also have the rubrics that I will be grading you on. Please keep them and turn them
in when you present.

At the end of this project, just before Winter Break, you will present your exhibits to your
classmates. You are each expected to fill out one peer feedback form at this time. You will be
assigned a peer to give feedback to before presentations begin.

I will be available for the duration of the project via class time or email for any questions you
have regarding this project.

Please note: You will need a shoebox or box of a similar size for this project.
You have until the day before construction to bring in a shoebox.

If you bring your box in earlier than the due date, you will get 5 points extra credit to add
to your lowest test score.

If you are able to bring more than one, please do! Each additional box is worth 1 point
extra credit to add to your lowest test score.
 Name:_________________________

Date:_____________

Expanding Interactions 300-1500 CE

Research Worksheet

Fill out this worksheet as you do your research. Make sure each question is answered. Write
down your sources as you find them. Historians must always show what sources they used when
they research! Use the given format for citing your sources. You must have at least ​four ​trusted
academic sources, other than your class textbook.

Society: ____________________

P​olitical
Organization

E​conomic
Organization/
Relationships

R​eligion

S​ocial Structure

I​nnovations

A​rt/​A​rchitecture

N​atural
Surroundings
1. Draw or find a map of where your society was in the world. If you use a map from the
internet, you must cite it. It does not count as one of your sources.

2. What lasting effect did your society have on the known world? (Write in complete
sentences.)

​ ity: Publisher, Year.)

8. What sources did you use? ​(Last Name, First Name. ​Title. C

1.
2.
3.
4.
Other Sources:
 Name:_________________________

Date:_____________

Expanding Interactions 300-1500 CE

Plan Your Exhibit
Below, sketch out a design for your exhibit. Consult the rubric for what content you need to
include.