This week in class we began working on our Silk Road projects. This is the first long-term project we have had in history so far this year. I am excited to learn about the Silk Road and learn additional research skills. I am doing the story option, so I am also glad I will get to be creative with this project.

We started off by figuring out how to use both Esri and Google Earth as the options for the platforms that we will utilize to make our final projects. I prefer Google Earth since it is more intuitive for me to navigate. There are many different types of views of the Earth which can be helpful in different situations. I like how Google Earth has the street view to let the viewer see what places actually look like from the ground. The different map options also let the viewer choose what will be on the globe such as borders, roads, landmarks, etc.

Then, we looked at the Adobe Spark page for the directions of the assignment. There is information about what types of goods were traded from which area and a few videos with additional information. The pictures in the Adobe Spark page are interesting. They show how the Silk Road covered many different landscapes and geographic forms. The Adobe Spark was helpful as an introduction to the project.

Next, we collected sources to use in our projects. So far I have four sources about the Silk Road. I may look for one or two more sources for even more information. I enjoyed learning about how to use Noodle Tools in the library. It is very helpful and convenient that Noodle Tools makes source citations. That way we do not have to be stressed about whether or not a source is cited correctly. Also, Noodle Tools is very specific about what type of source is being cited. Gale eBooks can be sent as sources directly into Noodle Tools to be cited, which is an added bonus.

Overall the Silk Road seems interesting to learn about. From what I have read so far, the Silk Road had an enormous impact on global trade. Things that were invented in China became used in Europe, and things from Europe made their way to China and other parts of Asia. This begs the question of how our world got to be the way it is. Clearly the Silk Road was very influential in the spread of ideas and cultures, and I wonder what else may have had an equal effect on the world. Even though I have never heard about the Silk Road before this, it has been there all along. There are probably other things I have yet to hear about that have contributed just as much to the development of our world. Everything seems to build on everything else that already exists, resulting in the complex and sophisticated world we live in today.

This will be a great learning experience for me, and I will be happy when I can look back on my finished story with pride.