DISCOVERING THE ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS OF AMERICA
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Danaé
Clohan
Jordan
Middle School, Palo Alto, CA
Created
at the EWYL 2002 Institute
| dclohan@jordan.palo-alto.ca.us |
Subject Area of Focus: Native American/Mexican Culture, Ancient Civilizations
Multidisciplinary Subject Areas: History of Ancient Civilizations, Social Studies, Art, Language Arts, Math
Grade Level Range: Seventh Grade
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Abstract:
Students will research the empires of the Mayan and the Aztec civilizations
as if they were New World explorers. Students will create Web Pages
to present findings to their country's ruler upon returning home.
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World History and Geography: Medieval and Early Modern Times
Standard 7.7:
Students compare and contrast the geographic, political, economic, religious,
and social structures of the Meso-American and Andean civilizations.
1. Study the locations,
land forms, and climates of Mexico, Central America, and South America
and their effects on Mayan, Aztec, and Incan economies, trade, and development
of urban societies.
2. Study the roles
of people in each society, including class structures, family life, war-fare,
slavery, and religious beliefs and practices.
3. Explain how and
where each empire arose and how the Aztec and Incan empires were defeated
by the Spanish.
4. Describe the
architecture, artistic and oral traditions in the three civilizations.
5. Describe the
Meso-American achievements in astronomy and mathematics, including the
development of the calendar and the Meso-American knowledge of seasonal
changes to the civilizations' agricultural systems.
Foreign Language Standards- Grades 5-8
•Understands traditional ideas and perspectives,
institutions, professions, literary and artistic expressions, and other
components of the target culture.
•Knows various age-appropriate cultural
activities practiced in the target culture (e.g., adolescents' games such
as card games, board games, and outdoor games; sports-related activities;
music; television).
•Knows cultural traditions and celebrations
that exist in the target culture and how these traditions and celebrations
compare with those of the native culture (e.g., holidays, birthdays, "coming
of age" celebrations, seasonal festivals, religious ceremonies, recreational
gatherings).
•Knows a variety of expressive forms of
the culture (e.g., music and dance; folk tales; the use of color; common
or everyday artwork such as designs typical of the culture's clothing,
pottery, ceramics, paintings, architectural structures) and how these expressive
forms compare with those of the native culture.
•Understands the general relationship
between cultural perspectives and practices (e.g., holidays, celebrations,
work habits, play) in the target and native cultures.
•Knows historical and cultural figures
from the target culture and their contributions.
•Knows chronological order and significance
of important historical events in the target culture.
•Knows the location(s) and major geographic
features of countries where the target language is/was used.
Literacy Standards:
LISTENING AND SPEAKING STRATEGIES: Students deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly and relate to the background and interests of the audience. They evaluate the content of oral communication.
Comprehension:
1.1. ask probing
questions designed to elicit information, including evidence to support
the listener's claims and conclusions.
1.2. determine the
speaker's attitude toward the subject.
1.3. respond to
persuasive messages with questions, challenges, or affirmations.
Organization and
Delivery of Oral Communication:
1.4. organize information
to achieve particular purposes and to appeal to the background and interests
of the audience.
1.5. arrange details,
reasons, descriptions, and examples effectively and persuasively in relation
to the audience.
1.6. use explicit
techniques for effective presentations, including voice modulation, inflection,
tempo, enunciation, and eye contact.
Analysis and Evaluation
of Oral and Media Communications:
1.7. provide constructive
feedback to speakers concerning the coherence and logic of a speech's content
and delivery, as well as its overall impact upon the listener(s).
1.8. analyze the
effect of images, text, and sound in electronic journalism on the viewer,
distinguishing the techniques used to achieve the effects in each instance
studied.
THINKING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS
•Inference-making - Infer from information
gathered, what the meaning of the symbol is, and it's relationship in Aztec/Maya
culture.
•Critical thinking - Critically assess
existing knowledge of the Aztec/Maya in relationship to points of authenticity
and accuracy.
•Creative production - Creatively organize
information gathered into a presentation format.
•Creative problem-solving - Creatively
transform traditional knowledge into technological forms which reinforce
traditional perspectives.
•Comparison and Contrast - Compare and
contrast other information about the Aztec/Maya with knowledge from authentic
sources.
•Teamwork - Share individual research
findings, create and complete an informative presentation.
Information Literacy Standards:
•Students analyze the geographic, political,
economic, and social structures of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations.
•Students use their knowledge of word
origins and word relationships, as well as historical and literary context
clues, both to determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to understand
the precise meaning of grade-level-appropriate words.
•Students connect and clarify main ideas,
identifying their relationship to other sources and related topics.
•Students clarify understanding of texts
by creating outlines, logical notes, summaries, or reports.
•Students choose the form of writing that
best suits the intended purpose.
•Students engage the interest of the reader/audience
and state a clear purpose.
•Students use organizational features
of electronic text (e.g., bulletin boards, databases, keyword searches,
e-mail addresses) to locate information.
•Students compose documents with appropriate
formatting by using word- processing skills and principles of design (e.g.,
margins, tabs, spacing, columns, page orientation.
•Students support the main idea or ideas
with facts, details, examples, and explanations from multiple authoritative
sources (e.g., speakers, periodicals, online information searches).
•Students deliver focused, coherent presentations
that convey ideas clearly and relate to the background and interests of
the audience. They evaluate the content of oral communication.
•Students develop the topic with facts,
details, examples, and explanations from multiple authoritative sources.
•Students make persuasive presentations
that provide a clear statement of the position; include relevant evidence;
offer a logical sequence of information; and engage the listener and foster
acceptance of the proposition or proposal.
•Students access
information efficiently and effectively.
•Students contribute
positively to the learning community and to society.
•Students practice
ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology.
•Students participate
effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.
Technology Standards:
1. Basic operations
and concepts.
•Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation
of technology systems.
•Students are proficient in the use of technology.
2. Social, ethical,
and human issues.
•Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information,
and software.
•Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support
lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.
3. Technology productivity
tools.
•Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity,
and promote creativity.
•Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced
models, preparing publications, and producing other creative works.
4. Technology communications
tools.
•Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact
with peers, experts, and other audiences.
•Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information
and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.
5. Technology research
tools.
•Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from
a variety of sources.
•Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
6. Technology problem-solving
and decision-making tools.
•Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed
decisions.
•Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving
problems in the real world.
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Students will:
•Explore and research cultures and customs
of Native American and Hispanic people.
•Develop an interest in other cultures,
specifically Hispanic and Native American.
•Use the power of the Internet for exploration
of Native American and Hispanic culture.
•Learn information about different aspects
of these cultures.
•Cooperatively work with teammates to
gather and share knowledge.
•Cooperatively work with teammates to
prepare an informative and interesting presentation of findings.
•Develop a respect and tolerance of people
from different cultures.
•Develop skills and confidence in basic
web page design.
•Listen, draw conclusions, and share responses
in subject-related group learning activities.
•Use effective nonverbal communication
skills.
•Make planned oral presentations.
•Write for a variety of purposes to describe,
to inform, to entertain, and to explain.
•Synthesize a large amount of Internet
information.
•Select the relevant information from
an extensive amount of material.
•Research specific areas to gain topic
expertise.
•Engage in subject-related discussion.
•Develop a greater sense of cultural understanding.
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How are the myths/folk tales of a civilization related to how the civilization runs itself?
What are the scientific/technological/artistic advances evident in these ancient civilizations?
What are the mathematical/scientific calculations behind the civilization's calendar?
How did the geography affect the farming, agriculture, hunting, and trade practices of the civilization?
How do religious beliefs and common cultural practices of the civilization compare and contrast to modern day?
What are the common ways that a civilization
manages the behavior of its people?
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•Student designed rubrics for project content,
project creation and design, and project presentation (See sample rubrics
below).
•Student journals with group KWL chart,
research notes, teacher questions, brainstorming, outlining, and storyboarding.
•Teacher and student observation using
a checklist of activities to be completed based on criteria created by
student and teachers.
•Completion of a student multimedia project
with peer evaluation.
•Presentation of project.
•Preparation of study guide and quiz based
on group project.
•Notes on peer projects.
•Quiz on peer projects.
•Student self assessment reflection.
•Student/teacher assessment using rubric.
Evaluation of the Overall
Effectiveness of the Project:
The overall project
will be successful if:
1. All students
participate equally in the creation and presentation of their projects.
• Group effectiveness - peer evaluation
2. The students
fulfill the given objectives of the project.
• Multimedia design - student designed rubric, peer and teacher evaluation
• Content thoroughness - student designed rubric, teacher evaluation
3. Project is completed
within the given time.
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Pre-Assessment:
•Students will begin
a KWL (What you Know, What you Want to Know, What you've
Learned)
chart.
•Students will complete
a technology survey indicating level of experience.
Formative
Assessment:
•Students and teacher
will evaluate and review research and projects based on the rubrics.
Summative
Assessment:
•Students will present their Final Project.
•Students will review Final Projects of
their peers.
•Students will take notes on other projects
and take a quiz on each.
•Students will complete their KWL chart.
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Real
World Applications:
•Students will enhance
their communication skills by working as a team member or as a individual.
•Cultural sensitivity
and understanding of different perspectives from individuals who are different
from them.
•Plan, produce,
and present a Web Page presentation using web page design software.
Student
Decision Making:
•Students will choose
their own partner and teacher will group pairs into teams of 4.
•Students will decide
on rolls or areas of focus within their team.
•Students will redesign
rubrics for assessing their research findings, web page presentation, and
oral presentation to their peers.
Meeting
Needs of All Students:
•Each student will
have access to a computer during allotted time within class.
•Students will have
access to computers outside class time in the school's library and computer
lab.
•Students with Internet
access at home will be able to work outside of school.
•Teacher will be
available during the school day to help/advise/tutor.
•Extention activities
are built in to the project.
Collaboration:
•Students will be
in groups of 4.
•Teacher will meet
with students individually and as a group throughout the project.
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•Students will learn to use the Internet
as a research tool.
•Students will learn to use graphic organizer
software.
•Students will learn to use web page design
software.
•Students will learn to use word processing
software to keep an e-journal with their notes and resource information.
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Timeline for Planning and Implementation:
Target Beginning Date: January 2003
Target Ending Date: February 2003
Lessons and Activities:
Week One:
•Introduce the Aztec and Mayan Civilizations
by creating a KWL, graphic organizing chart to brainstorm what the students
already know about this period in history.
•Introduce the WebQuest activity site,
so students can read the parts to the lesson, the letter in the Introduction,
the Task, and the Process.
•Discuss the WebQuest activity.
•Plan with the students the criteria to
be included in their final presentations. Make this available to all students.
•Teacher and students will create an assessment
rubric. Make the rubric available to all students as they work on their
projects.
•Discuss and plan student and teacher
assessments. Decide on checkpoints and dates for completion.
•Divide the students into groups, so that
they can brainstorm and plan in their small groups.
•Groups will be assigned to study either
the Aztec or the Mayan civilizations.
•Students will learn appropriate applications
(web page design, word processing, and graphic organizing software/programs).
Weeks Two and Three:
•The teacher will guide the students to
think about the following topics: folk tales/myths, daily life, calendar,
geographical location, economy, history, people, events, customs, traditions,
beliefs, family life, home and any others they find would be valuable information.
•Students will use word processing software
available to take notes and keep track of resources.
•Students will investigate a variety of
resources using books, CD Roms, and the Internet to locate, read and take
notes on the information needed, select and create pictures, and maps to
support their answers.
•Students will summarize their findings
in a creative presentation using web page design software that is available.
•Students will have other groups evaluate
their progress at least once before the final presentation is made.
•The teacher will monitor and check student
groups as they progress through the activity. The teacher should be a facilitator
by guiding the students and coaching them as needed.
•Students will check the criteria list
and assessment rubric before turning in their completed presentation.
Week Four:
•Final presentations should be shared
with classmates.
The allotted time depends on how much of the day will be devoted to the project. Larger blocks of time over a shorter period of time are suggested. Allow at least two to three hours of research time over a few days. Students should be expected to do some research at home using resources available at local libraries, books taken out from the school learning resource center and Internet access that might be available at home. The unit could be covered in three to four weeks.
Materials:
•Computer workstations with CD Rom drives,
Internet access and storage capabilities.
•At least one computer hooked up to a
large monitor for group brainstorming.
•Suggested Software: Inspiration, Netscape
Composer, ClarisWorks, Microsoft Word
•Globes, maps, 7th Grade Social Studies
Text
Management:
•The teacher will divide the students
into cooperative groups. Students should be able to work at tables in the
classroom, in the learning resource area, or at computer workstations in
the classroom or computer lab. The teacher will circulate among the groups
to help as needed.
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The purpose of this project is to engage students through discovery, collaboration, and by making choices in order to develop higher order thinking and enhance critical thinking skills. This project will also help to refine student research skills using the Internet, enabling students to access and utilize information beyond the classroom text. Students should be more self -directed in their learning process and understand the benefits of working in a group. After creating their presentations, the student should be experienced with using multimedia presentation software to present information in a design that is consistent and easy to follow.
Students will have studied the ancient and medieval civilizations of Rome, Islam, Africa, and China in their core Social Studies classes. This project is designed to build on the basic skills learned in studying ancient civilizations and apply them to a new area of study. Students will become knowledgeable in a specific area of research of the Aztec or Maya civilization. Students will be able to apply their knowledge in context when they present their projects to their peers as the Social Studies classes cover Meso-America. Each group of students will be an expert on either the Aztec or Mayan civilization.
Students will also create a digital video to accompany their projects. Their videos will be used to introduce their projects/web pages to 7th graders in other local schools.
Project Partners:
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