Today's lesson focused on trade in the Kingdoms of Africa. Mercer read material about the salt from the Sahara desert. He learned that salt was one of the major trade goods of ancient West Africa, where little, very little, naturally occurring mineral deposits could be found. The most common exchange was salt for gold dust that came from the mines of southern West Africa. Mercer learned that salt was such a precious commodity that it was quite literally worth its weight in gold in some parts of West Africa. Mercer spent time completing activities, naming countries in Africa and their capitals. Mercer was on task.