🌍 Map the Rift (30–35 min)
Objective
Practice geography and cultural diffusion by mapping the origins and connections of Champions and Artifacts.
Materials
- Large world map (wall, floor, or digital projection)
- Time Rift cards (Champions, Artifacts)
- Markers, sticky notes, or pins
- Optional: string or yarn for extension activity
Setup (3–4 min)
- Display the world map.
- Hand out cards to students.
- Provide markers or sticky notes for placement.
Activity
1. Placement Phase (7–8 min)
- Students place their card at its point of origin (e.g., Musashi → Japan, Viking longboat → Scandinavia).
- Teacher circulates to check accuracy and prompt quick discussion.
2. Connection Phase (10–12 min)
- Students draw arrows or lines to show:
- Trade routes (Silk Road, Mediterranean Sea lanes)
- Cultural influence (Greek philosophy → Enlightenment thinkers)
- Migration or conquest (Mongol expansion, Viking raids)
- Students explain why they drew each connection.
3. Class Discussion (7–8 min)
- Review a few key connections as a group.
- Highlight surprising cross-cultural links (e.g., Islamic scholars preserving Greek texts that later influenced Europe).
Extension (Optional, 5–7 min)
- Use string or yarn to physically connect cards across time and space.
- Prompts:
- “How did ideas from Ancient Greece influence the Enlightenment?”
- “What technologies spread along the Silk Road?”
- Students walk the map to trace diffusion of ideas, goods, and people.
Assessment
Formative Options
- Observe placement accuracy and reasoning during map activity.
- Quick checklist: Did students identify origins correctly? Did they justify connections?
Summative Options
- Exit Slip: Write one connection they mapped and explain its historical significance.
- Short Reflection: 1–2 paragraphs on how geography shaped cultural diffusion in their example.
⏱ Total Time: ~30–35 minutes (extension pushes closer to 40).
🌍 Map the Rift Worksheet
🎴 Step 1: Card Placement
- Card Name: __________________________
- Card Type: Champion / Artifact
- Point of Origin (Region/Culture): __________________________
- Reason for Placement: _______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
➡️ Step 2: Connections
Draw arrows or lines on the map to show:
- Trade Route Connection: __________________________
- Cultural Influence Connection: __________________________
- Migration/Conquest Connection: __________________________
Explanation of one connection: _____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
💬 Step 3: Class Discussion Notes
- One surprising connection I noticed: ___________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
- How geography shaped this connection: ________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
✍️ Reflection
- One thing I learned about cultural diffusion: _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
- One question I still have: ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
🌟 Extension (Optional)
- New Connection with String/Yarn: __________________________
- Prompt Answer (e.g., “What technologies spread along the Silk Road?”): _______
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
