Did you know that there is an actual Mongol Derby? It’s the longest horse race in the world. My AP World History introductory Mongol lesson plan happened to fall on homecoming this year, which I freely admit is not optimal for student engagement. So, I decided to lean into the spirited theme of the day and design a series of challenges for a student Mongol Derby.
I ordered a Velcro archery set and inflatable hobby horses with a delivery date scheduled prior to the lesson and an “out for delivery” status...alas, the delivery did not arrive. The irony of this for a lesson that emphasizes the efficiency of the yam system was not lost on me. However, like the Mongols, we adapted! Therefore, there are a couple of versions for the first challenge in the slide deck based on what I could pilfer from my cupboards.
Here’s what we did:
Challenge 1: Archers Away - students used small Nerf balls to try to knock over an inflatable globe, but lost points if they knocked over the Buddha Squishmallow because the Mongols were religiously tolerant. Different rounds simulated different skills. I used my AP Psychology inversion goggles, but you can certainly modify based on available materials. My original plan was the Velcro archery set and students tossing the balls in a feint and while in motion.
Challenge 2: Khan You Answer? - a short Kahoot with Mongol trivia played in team mode
Challenge 3: Siege Warfare - to mimic use of catapults to attack cities - students had to toss tennis balls into the recycle bin
Challenge 4: Source-ry - students are introduced to HAPPY analysis with a document from Marco Polo. Matching modeled examples of sourcing analysis is meant to prepare students for their own sourcing activity in the next lesson.
Challenge 5: Pony express - Yam System - we ran short on time, but this is what I hoped to use the inflatable hobby horses for. Students were meant to relay a message with group members staged at stations around the school. We’ll be repurposing them later in the unit!
Any ideas for how I could improve this activity the next time around? I’d love to hear suggestions!
