Title of lesson: 6th Grade: Maya Civilization Stations

Your Name: Megan Joyce

Date: March 14, 2018

Length of lesson: 2-3 days

Context of Lesson: the days before the students used their textbooks to introduce both the Mayas and the Aztecs. The
chart compared where they live which students described their relative location within Central America. Students looked
at the food they ate, their technology, their religions, as well as other characteristics about both Native Mesoamerican
Groups.

Overview: To go further I depth about the Maya, students would be working in 6 assigned groups at stations using
different forms of text. Tables are pushed together in 5 “islands” each table would have a different “text” with one station
in the hallway. The texts involved would be articles, pictures, maps, and a video. Students will have about 13-15 minutes
per station and then rotate.

Central problem/ Essential question: What were the different elements of Mayan culture that have
impacted today’s society?

Objectives:

- Students will work in groups to learn about a different characteristic of the

Mayan Civilization

Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding: A challenge I anticipate will be that

some students will be disengaged/goofing off or will sit back and let the other group members do the
work for them.

Materials/Evidence/Sources:

- Packets
- Chromebooks- YouTube
- Pictures/ maps
- Articles

Instructional Sequence:

1. Go over the Warm up Question designed to make the students recall the day before as a review
for both Maya and the Aztec: List 3 similarities and/or differences between the Aztecs and the
Maya, and Explain Your Answers.

2. Transition – we were looking at 2 of the native groups in Mexico both the Maya and the Aztecs.
Today we are just going to be looking at different cultural elements of the Maya in groups at
different stations.

3. Pass out Packets and Explain Each Station

Station 1: fill out the top page of packets looking at different pictures of Maya architecture
making inferences and then justifying them with the paragraphs (pink strips of paper).
 Station 2: YouTube video on Chromebooks in the hallway filling out the second page.
Show how to access from CT’s Website.

Station 3: Fill out third page- read bullet pointed lists (Blue paper) about social structure
summarize them in the according social pyramid level.

Station 4: Religion, fourth page. Read the article (yellow paper) fill out the chart and then
discuss with your group about the priests most important and least important job.

Station 5: Maya beauty, look at images make inferences on what you think Mayan beauty
was based on the images (bust and photographs) then raise hand and get the article from
me (purple paper)- all members of the group must have the same inferences written down
before group gets the article

Station 6: Look at different major Mayan cities using the article (gold paper) to answer
questions on back page. And use map of the Yucatan Peninsula to answer the bottom two
questions.

4. Display assigned groups. Put up online stopwatch for 13 minutes (add 2 extra minutes after 13
minutes is ending if most groups need more time) rotate when time is up.

5. At the end go over answers as a class

6. Conclude by talking about how there are different elements to Mayan culture, very different to
what we have today, but what they did thousands of years ago, greatly impacted what we have
today.

Assessment: Quick write a Mayan Journal, from any perspective (priest, noble, or commoner/farmer)
addressing different aspects of their every-day lives like: religion, their house, major cities what they
might have looked like(beauty)

Attach all handouts, texts, images, lecture notes, etc.

 Packet
 Station Articles
 Images (pictures/maps)
 Video Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W9zFwBQb6c&t=313s