LOS AZTECAS, INCAS Y MAYAS

-A lesson in heritage (una leccin de herencia)

Problematic Scenario/Essential Question: Be an anthropologist! Does the culture of specific Hispanic groups today reflect the interactions of European explorers and the early people of the Americas? Do any other cultures/peoples influence the Hispanic culture of today?

**Ser un antroplogo. Refleja la cultura Hispana de hoy las interacciones de los exploradores europeos y los grupos indgenas de las Amricas?
Side Note: In my district, elementary Spanish instruction is done in the language. Research shows that immersion is the best possible way to make brain connections, and most closely mimics the way we learn our native language. This is my struggle as I teach Spanish. Some deeper and bigger ideas need to be gained by the students in 5th grade, but it becomes nearly impossible in Spanish. I have decided for this particular lesson to do the bulk of the learning about the Mayas, Incas and Aztecs in Spanish, but then do a research portion in groups about how the melding of the Spanish and the indigenous peoples influenced the Hispanic populations of today. Purpose Statement: The purpose of this lesson is to help students to understand the identities of the indigenous cultures of Latin America

(Aztec, Inca & Maya) and to connect what they know about Spanish speaking countries today, the indigenous people, and the Spanish explorers. Students will then take those connections and analyze how the current Hispanic culture is influenced by all of those distinct cultures. They will also research and discover any other cultures that influence Hispanic culture today (Italian, French, countries of Africa). Time/Duration of Lesson: Four weeks (four hours), with twice a week lessons of thirty minutes. Materials: Information on Aztecs, Incas and Mayas; storybooks from different Hispanic countries (that show indigenous influence and/or African/European influence)-kids can research themselves in the media center; speakers from different countries we are studying (Peru, Guatemala, Argentina, Mexico, etc.); mobile computer lab; articles and non-fiction books about culture of Hispanic countries; notebooks. Background Information: Students will have studied the indigenous groups in their homeroom social studies class, and will have already learned about the Spanish explorers and Spanish speaking countries (Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America). They will learn some new vocabulary when learning about Mayas, Incas and Aztecs (in Spanish), but most are cognates and easily understood. Lesson Plan: 1) Review the Spanish explorers Corts and Pizarro and what indigenous peoples they conquered (Aztecs and Incas). Begin by learning about Aztecs.

2) Using notebooks, write what they already know about Aztecs. Share and teacher writes ideas on board in Spanish. 3) Pass information (guided writing) on Aztecs and fill out together, pasting in notebooks. Los aztecas viven en Mxico. Su emperador

es Moctezuma. La comida tpica de los aztecas es el maz, la tortilla, la papa, los frijoles y el chocolate. Los aztecas tienen muchas profesiones, como doctores, maestros, soldados, religiosos y arquitectos. Construyen muchas calles y puentes. Los aztecas tienen muchos dioses, templos y pirmides en su religin. Los aztecas practican los sacrificios humanos. Fundan la ciudad de Mxico (Tenochtitln). La bandera mexicana representa el origen de la capital. Corts conquista a los aztecas en 1521. Algunas contribuciones de los aztecas son las calles y el chocolate. (Book: The Sad Night:The Story of an Aztec Victory and a Spanish Loss )
Include the Mexican flag to color and discuss as the origin of Mexico City due to premonition of Aztecs. Draw symbols that represent Aztecs in the notebooks, like chocolate, roads, pyramids, corn, human sacrifice, soldiers, and the flag of Mexico. 4) Next do the same for the Incas.Los incas viven en Per, Ecuador

y Bolivia. Los incas tienen muchas profesiones, como doctores, granjeros y artistas de cermica y metales. Los doctores hacen la ciruga de la cabeza. Construyen calles y acueductos. La comida tpica de los incas es el maz, la tortilla, los frijoles y la papa. La llama es un animal importante para los incas. Dos ciudades importantes de los incas son Machu Picchu y Cuzco. Viven en las montaas donde hace fro. Francisco Pizarro conquista a los incas en 1532. Algunas contribuciones de los incas son las llamas, la ciruga, y el acueducto.

5) Do the same for the Mayas. Los mayas viven en Mxico,

Guatemala y Honduras. Los mayas tienen muchas profesiones, como arquitectos y astrlogos. La comida tpica de los mayas es el maz, la tortilla, los frijoles, el chocolate y la papa. Las ciudades importantes de los mayas son Chichn Itz, Copn y Tikal. Algunas contribuciones de los mayas son el calendario, el sistema de nmeros y el alfabeto. No son conquistados. Desaparecen y es un misterio interesante.
6) Finally, discuss what we know about Hispanics today and their culture (wonder and brainstorm in notebooks). Do some researching on the mobile lab (Mexico, Peru, Guatemala specifically). What aspects of Mexican culture came from the Aztecs? (flag, Day of the Dead, Mexico city, etc.) What aspects of Peruvian culture came from the Incas? (clothing, llamas, language, food, etc.). What aspects of Guatemalan culture come from the Mayans? (clothing, adoption, etc.) What aspects of culture came from Spain? (dance, language, Catholic religion) What other countries have influenced Hispanic culture? (Discuss Cumbia dancing that we do, and its influence from slave culture and Africa.) What about Argentina? How is it different? (Mostly European influence, and a lot of Italian.) 7) Bring in speakers from these countries to talk of their origins and their experience in their country (Argentina, adopted kids from Guatemala, Mexico, etc.) See if you can find people who have visited these countries on vacation or missions to present their opinions and share pictures and artifacts!

LOS AZTECAS
Los aztecas viven en ________________. Su emperador es ___________________. La comida tpica de los aztecas es el ________ la _______, la ______, los ______________ y el ____________________. Los aztecas tienen muchas profesiones, como _____________, ______________, _____________, _____________, __________. Construyen muchas ___________ y __________. Los aztecas tienen muchos ________, ________ y ______________ en su religin y practican los _______________________.

 Fundan la ciudad de Mxico (_______________). La _______________ mexicana representa el origen de la capital. ______________ conquista a los aztecas en 1521. Algunos contribuciones de los aztecas son las _________________ y el _________________.

LOS INCAS
Los incas viven en _______, Ecuador y Bolivia. Los incas tienen muchas profesiones, como ________________, ______________ y _______________ de cermica y metales. Los doctores hacen la __________ de la cabeza. Construyen _________ y ______________. La comida tpica de los incas es el _______, la __________, los _________ y la _________. La ______ es un animal importante para los incas. Dos ciudades importantes de los incas son ______________________ y ______________.

 Viven en las montaas donde hace ______. _____________ conquista a los incas en 1532. Algunos contribuciones de los incas son las __________, la ____________, y el ________________.

LOS MAYAS
Los mayas viven en ___________, Mxico y Bolivia. Los incas tienen muchas profesiones, como ________________ y ______________. La comida tpica de los mayas es el ________ la _______, los ______, el ______________ y la ____________________. Dos ciudades importantes de los incas son ______________________ y ______________.

Algunas contribuciones de los mayas son el _________________, el _________________ y un ___________________________________.

Los mayas ______________________________.

ASSESSMENT For an assessment, students will form groups of three and choose a country of focus (Mexico, Peru or Guatemala). They will create a project Powerpoint, poster, brochure, etc.to explain the culture of that country, and what influenced that culture. For example, a poster on Mexico could include the flag and its history, the Aztecs and the Spaniards (including Hernn Corts), Catholic religion blending with Aztec religion and the holiday Day of the Dead, food including corn and tortillas, but also beef from Spaniards, etc. Mostly visuals are acceptable, with words in Spanish. Full sentences not required, but a depiction of the blending of the cultures is important. I will show an example using Colombia and Argentina, and their cultural influences.

RUBRIC FOR FINAL PROJECT

Current Hispanic Culture and its historical influences

_____ Includes name of country. _____ Includes indigenous influence in at least two areas of culture. _____ Includes Spanish or other influences in at least two areas of culture. _____ Includes visuals. _____ Written in Spanish. _____ Shows evidence of creativity. _____ Includes group work rubric. Name of Student:________________________ Not Yet Developing Achieving Extending

Cmo fue mi experiencia en

GRUPO?
Nombre del miembro del grupo:________________ Cumplimos nuestro proyecto. S NO Cumplimos una parte

**Mostramos respeto a cada miembro del grupo. S Mucho Un poco NO

**Cada miembro en el grupo hizo su parte. S Mucho Un poco NO

**Hay un miembro del grupo que hizo un trabajo fabuloso? Quin?____________________

**Tenan problemas en el grupo? (Escrbanlos en el otro lado del papel.)