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.

• Year 8
• HASS
• 3 activities
• 25 min–35 min

Learning Objectives

1. Map the primary Viking trade routes across Europe and into Asia and the North Atlantic.
2. Identify and classify the key commodities traded by Vikings, such as furs, timber, iron, and slaves, and their origins.
3. Analyze the exchange of cultural ideas, technologies, and religious practices facilitated by Viking trade networks.
4. Evaluate the economic and social impact of Viking trade on both Scandinavian societies and the regions with which they traded.

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.

Prepare & details

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.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

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

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.

Prepare & details

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.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

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

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.

Prepare & details

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.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

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

Teaching This Topic

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.

What to Expect

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.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

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

What to Teach Instead

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.

Common Misconception

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

What to Teach Instead

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.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Collaborative Investigation, 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.

Discussion Prompt

During the Gallery Walk: Ship Burials, 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 observed during the gallery walk.

Exit Ticket

After the Simulation: Navigating the North Sea, students write a short paragraph explaining how Viking trade impacted either a specific region (e.g., England, Kievan Rus') or Viking society itself, mentioning at least one specific good or cultural element exchanged.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to design a hybrid vessel combining Viking longship features with modern materials, explaining how it would improve trade efficiency.
• Scaffolding for struggling learners: Provide pre-labeled diagrams of longship parts and ask them to match features to their functions before the simulation.
• Deeper exploration: Invite students to research and present on how Viking shipbuilding techniques influenced later European ships, citing specific examples.

Key Vocabulary

Longship	A type of warship and cargo ship developed and used by the Vikings. Its design allowed for both open-sea voyages and river navigation, crucial for trade.
Dirham	A silver coin used as currency in the Islamic Caliphates, which became a significant medium of exchange found in Viking hoards, indicating extensive trade eastward.
Skald	A practitioner of the ancient Norse art of poetry. Skalds often chronicled the deeds of chieftains and the journeys of traders, providing historical insights.
Varangians	A name used by Greeks and East Slavs for Norsemen who traded and raided from their base in modern-day Ukraine and Russia, establishing routes to Byzantium and the Caliphate.