Discovering Latin American Civilizations
| Subject: |
Civilizations |
| Thematic Scenario: | Discovering Latin American Civilizations |
| Contexts\Outcomes: | Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship among the perspectives, practices, and products of the Pre-Columbian, Spanish Colonial, and Modern Mexican civilizations. |
| Learn from Selected Countries/Cultures: | Geographical background information Cultural background information Historical background information |
| Strategies: | Pair Activities: Pairs of students create a mythological creature or god specific to Latin American culture. Cooperative Learning: Students take a temple rubbings and analyze them. Students generate a Mayan dig box. Students display their Latin American tiles in an art gallery. Students depict hieroglyphics, including names and mottos, from Spanish culture. Student groups assemble time capsules representing a new civilization. Venn Diagrams: Students use a Venn diagram to compare/contrast Spanish civilization with their own. Concept Ladders: Students develop a concept ladder characterizing items found in a simulated archeological dig of Spanish cultures. Comparison Charts: Student groups chart comparative elements of legends. Students examine Mayan math and compare it with their math. Researching legends, civilizations, and cultures: Students view and discuss a PowerPoint representing Spanish civilizations. Students read and analyze legends from Spanish cultures. Students view and discuss a PowerPoint representing various Spanish cultures. Students listen to modern Latin American music. |
| Assessments: | Oral Presentation: Students write and illustrate, sing, or act out a legend. Students make Latin American tiles and explain orally. Students design an Aztec calendar using symbols and present an oral explanation of the calendar in Spanish. Written Project: Students take a gallery walk and give a written interpretation of a classmate’s tile. Student groups create civilization criteria guides. Culminating Project (Oral presentation with graphics as visual cues.): Student groups invent their own civilization. |
| Resources: | Internet resources/research Library resources/research Literature PowerPoints Photographs Simulated digs |