World History / Interactive Map Adventures
Beyond the Pass
The shortest route is not always the wisest. Lead eight connected expeditions. Read terrain, manage provisions, negotiate at trading towns, and trace the movement of goods and ideas.
4 sessions · 8 contracts · Included with educator membership · Students use a teacher assignment link.
Beyond the Pass
Silk Roads · a fictional expedition, c. 750 CE
Select a character above to walk over, or explore with the keyboard.
Learning goals, level structure & teacher guide
Learning goal: Explain how physical geography shapes movement and how interconnected trade routes carry goods, knowledge, and beliefs.
Course connections: WH.G.1.2 · WH.E.1.1. These are supporting practice connections, not a claim of full standards coverage or mastery. The ancient settlement is a conceptual introduction; use specific historical cases to make the comparison explicit.
| Level | Practical missions | Written checkpoint |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hear three travelers; plan and complete delivery missions 1 and 2; manage route supplies. | Claim or decision, specific evidence, limitation or tradeoff, and transfer. |
| 2 | Hear three travelers; plan and complete delivery missions 3 and 4; manage route supplies. | Claim or decision, specific evidence, limitation or tradeoff, and transfer. |
| 3 | Hear three travelers; plan and complete delivery missions 5 and 6; manage route supplies. | Claim or decision, specific evidence, limitation or tradeoff, and transfer. |
| 4 | Hear three travelers; plan and complete delivery missions 7 and 8; manage route supplies. | Claim or decision, specific evidence, limitation or tradeoff, and transfer. |
Allow roughly 35–50 minutes per level including discussion and writing. Timing is a design estimate and needs classroom testing. A student can complete the mechanical actions faster; depth comes from evidence, comparison, and revision.
Review each checkpoint for factual accuracy, relevant evidence, explanation, and acknowledgment of limits. Word counts only prevent blank submissions. Neither completion nor a resource total is a grade. Have students download their portfolio for Google Classroom; this version does not submit or grade work automatically.
Progress saves in this browser when storage is available. Students can export and restore a campaign file on another device. On shared computers, export and then clear the local campaign. No names are requested. Characters use authored dialogue, not live AI. Movement uses W A S D, arrow keys, click-to-walk, or the location buttons.