Monday, November 18
- Reviewed Inspiration Questions assessment. Questions were presented that students answered using only their notes in their Inspiration visual map to answer. Not a test per say, but an assessment and delivered in a test-like manner.
- Reviewed "The Maya Quest: Where We've Been, Where We're Going" Review of the Standards, skills and content we have covered thus far. See the last two screen shots below in this post.
- Used TCI textbook to begin Task 1 on the Maya Artifact and Codex Project. Each class has assumed a role for study based on the social pyramid structure of the Mayans. Each class is composed of teams of 4-5 students who will research an artifact representing a specific aspect of their social role. To begin, teams share a Google doc and responsibility to record answers to 6 background questions regarding how the Maya lived. We began to look for the answers using their TCI textbook. On Monday, most teams were able to begin to answer "What did they do? What was their work?"
- For the purposes of identifying the Maya Artifact and Codex Project Google doc, refer to the images below. For information regarding each student's doc, refer to their Google Doc of the same name.
Tuesday, November 19
- Introduction to primary and secondary sources.
- Continued work from Monday on Task 1. Most classes were able to answer the question regarding Maya appearance. Information was gathered from: http://www.mayankids.com/mmkpeople/mkbeauty.htm . Miss B also read from the book: "Your Travel Guide to Ancient Mayan Civilization," by Nancy Day.
- Students also paused to look up images for the information presented such as: sloped foreheads, jade implants in teeth, headdresses, clothing, etc.
Wed, November 20
- Continued work Maya Artifact and Codex Google Doc Task 1, gathering background information. Students completed the "Maya appearance" question.
- We summarized by discussing the following: How "weird" are the Maya ideas about appearance? Do we have similar ideas today regarding our appearance? How are we the same? Different?
- We discussed the long lasting consequences that can result when one culture makes assumptions and misjudges another culture, in this case, based on appearance.
- Also viewed the Deer Dance - first 31/2 minutes of the following video as seen below. This film features a traditional Mayan dance performance live at the Moon Palace in Cancun, Mexico.
Thursday, November 21
- Students began to work on the question regarding the Maya diet. Students first predicted what they thought the Maya ate and then Miss B shared information from the book: "Your Travel Guide to Ancient Mayan Civilization," by Nancy Day. Students recorded the list of foods, pausing to look up additional information and images of some of the food items.
- Students also viewed an informative and fun video from the award winning British series, Horrible Histories. The video regards the Aztec, but there are many similarities in the information, the topic was timely with our research and provided a bit of a giggle. Can also be viewed on YouTube.
Friday, November 22
- Students completed recording their list of what the Maya ate. Students then referred back to their predictions and highlighted foods they predicted correctly.
- We summarized by discussing their predictions versus the actual list of foods. We noted that many of the foods they predicted were foods they were familiar with today that the Maya did not have access to like wheat, cow meat and milk. Rather they ate what was geographically available to them and that Maize and beans were their staples because they grew well in their area and could be easily preserved by drying. Subsequently the maize and beans could be stored as a ready supply of food when other foods were out of season.
- Spent the last 10 minutes of class making plans for a mini Thanksgiving Feast for Wednesday, November 27 during class time. Students volunteered to bring treats. Students will also participate in a short T-Day history game and video.