Lesson Plans and Worksheets
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- 04-06-12
Mesoamerica Lesson Plans
Find teacher approved Mesoamerica lesson plan ideas and activities
Students examine the role of women in Mesoamerica. In this women's studies lesson plan, students watch segments of the Discovery video "Mesoamerica: The History of Central America". Students conduct further research pertaining to specific Mayan women. Students write essays based on their findings.
Students create a map of Mesoamerica using construction paper, clay or by drawing it. In this World Geography instructional activity, students determine the location of Mesoamerica, make a map, then present their map to their class.
Students research the life of a powerful woman of the Maya Empire. They analyze the role of women in Maya society and compare them to powerful women of today in an essay.
Students study the relationship between peoples of ancient Africa and ancient MesoAmerica. They relate in written or oral form the African presence in the ancient Americas. They create their own Colossal Head of Olmec and display the final products around the school with paragraph descriptions.
Students examine the effects of Africa on MesoAmerica.
Ninth graders indicate how people arrived at the Americas and how climate and geography played a role in where they settled. They describe and compare the major advances made by the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec cultures in reference to Agriculture, Religion, Government, and Social Classes. Students state why (or theories why) the three cultures declined.
Fifth graders distinguish between the Middle Ages and Meso American images. In this sorting lesson, 5th graders view pictures of the Middle Ages or MesoAmerica and sort them into the correct group. Students use higher level thinking skills to distinguish between the pictures.
Students examine and discuss Mexican theology, mysticism, and the gods, rituals, and symbolism having to do with Mesoamerica. They create drawings of various Mesoamerican gods and goddesses, write essays, and read a skit entitled, Time Machine.
Students create brochures and postcards that might have been created by and for travelers to ancient Mayan cities. They read and discuss the Times article, 'In Maya Ruins, Scholars See Evidence of Urban Sprawl.'
Students list different forms of communication, assess importance of writing, read and discuss article "String, and Knot, Theory of Inca Writing", research system of writing, and create "How It Works" posters.
