HASS · Year 8

Active learning ideas

Viking Trade Networks

Active learning lets students interact with Viking ship technology using hands-on methods. This approach connects abstract engineering concepts to tangible outcomes, making the Viking Age’s maritime dominance clear through direct experience.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9H8K02

• 25–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Anatomy of a Longship

Students work in groups to label a diagram of a longship, researching the purpose of the keel, the sail, and the shallow draft. They then present why their assigned feature was a 'game changer' for exploration.

Construct a map illustrating the vastness of the Viking trading networks.

Facilitation Tip

During the Collaborative Investigation, assign each group a specific ship part to research and present, ensuring all students engage with the clinker-built method and rivets.

What to look for

Provide students with a blank map of Europe and the North Atlantic. Ask them to draw and label at least five major Viking trade routes, indicating the direction of travel and at least two types of goods exchanged along each route.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Simulation Game
• 30 min · Pairs

Simulation Game: Navigating the North Sea

Using a sun compass and a 'sunstone' (calcite crystal), students simulate how Vikings found their way without modern tools. They must solve navigation challenges based on weather and sun position.

Differentiate between the types of goods traded by Vikings across different regions.

Facilitation Tip

In the Simulation activity, set clear time limits and weather variables to challenge students’ problem-solving without overwhelming them.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Beyond material goods, what were the most significant non-material exchanges that occurred along Viking trade routes?' Facilitate a class discussion where students cite examples of cultural, technological, or religious diffusion.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 25 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Ship Burials

Students view images of the Oseberg and Gokstad ship burials. They use 'I See, I Think, I Wonder' prompts to discuss what these elaborate burials tell us about the status of ships in Viking culture.

Evaluate the cultural impact of Viking trade on both Norse and foreign societies.

Facilitation Tip

For the Gallery Walk, have students rotate in small groups and complete a graphic organizer for each ship burial to focus their observations.

What to look for

Students write a short paragraph explaining how Viking trade impacted either a specific region (e.g., England, Kievan Rus') or Viking society itself. They should mention at least one specific good or cultural element exchanged.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by grounding engineering concepts in real-world problems the Vikings faced. Avoid getting bogged down in technical jargon; instead, emphasize how each design choice solved a navigational or trade challenge. Research shows students retain concepts better when they see immediate, practical applications of abstract ideas.

Students will explain how longship features enabled Viking trade and expansion. They’ll trace routes, identify ship types, and describe cultural exchanges, showing they grasp the relationship between technology and societal impact.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Collaborative Investigation, watch for students assuming all Viking ships were identical in shape and purpose.

  In the Collaborative Investigation, provide labeled images of different ship types (longship, knarr, faering) and ask groups to compare their designs, noting how each was suited for specific tasks.

• During the Simulation: Navigating the North Sea, watch for students believing Vikings relied solely on magnetic compasses.

  During the Simulation, ask students to use a sun compass or shadow stick to navigate, then discuss how Vikings actually used natural signs like bird flight patterns and wave currents.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Simulation Game
• Gallery Walk