Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Investigating Tarascan State at Erongaricuaro, Mexico

For Students 9th - 10th
Erongaricuaro site was compared to neighboring site of Uricho in the Tarascan State to determine social organization and social hierarchy. Copper is a marker of high status.
Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Olmec

For Students 9th - 10th
Wikipedia offers excellent information on the Olmec, a people living in south-central Mexico from 2300 BC to about 800 BC.
Website
PBS

Pbs Nova Online: Be an Archaeologist

For Students 9th - 10th
Ancient artifacts tell archaeologists a lot about the lives of prehistoric people. Sharpen your archaeological skills by reassembling broken pieces of a clay pot. See before and after photos of ruins, plus a film of a projected...
Website
PBS

Pbs Nova, Lost King of the Maya

For Students 9th - 10th
A site focused on the dynasty of the Mayan empire. Includes some great audio and video clips.
Article
Other

De Young Museum: Art of Mesoamerica (I Notice . . . I Wonder . . . )

For Students 9th - 10th
Using a green stone mask from the Olmec culture and a wall painting from Teotihuacan, both of prehispanic Mexico, as a point of departure, this pdf article presents examples for the historical analysis of art.
Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Aztec

For Students 9th - 10th
An encyclopedia article from Wikipedia on the Aztecs discusses the legend of how they first appeared, their culture, human sacrifice, and the end of the empire.
Website
The British Museum

British Museum: Explore World Cultures: Maya

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the art of the ancient Maya of central America and the Yucatan penincula in this overview and image gallery with individual artwork descriptions.
Unit Plan
C3 Teachers

C3 Teachers: Inquiries: Complex Societies

For Teachers 5th
A learning module on the complexities of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. It includes several supporting questions accompanied by formative tasks and source materials, followed by a summative performance task. Topics covered...
Graphic
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Metropolitan Museum of Art: Aztec Stone Sculpture

For Students 9th - 10th
The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides this informative page on Aztec stone sculpture. With information and pictures this in a nice resource for study.
Website
Other

Archaeological Legacy Institute: Archaeology Channel: Video Buffet

For Students 9th - 10th
This site has a large collection of free videos featuring various archaeology sites all over the world.
Lesson Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Bridging World History: Connections Across Land

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This unit chronicles the paths taken by various explorers for delivery of commodities and religion which led to the migration of people and an onslaught of disease. Particular attention is paid to The Silk Road, The Turquoise Road, and...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: The Aztecs Mighty Warriors of Mexico

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Unit plan to teach about the Aztec civilization. Includes websites, worksheets, activities, and extending the lesson.
Handout
Other

Ancient Scripts: Writing Systems

For Students 9th - 10th
History and definition of writing, plus extensive information on the types, families, and regions of written languages. For each language, you'll find information on when and where it was used, the people who used it, and what it looked...
Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Investigations at an Olmec Community

For Students 9th - 10th
Excellent pictures of domestic areas. Pollen analysis offers information on farming and socialization.
Handout
Mex Connect

Mexico Connect: Pre Classic Period of the Olmecs

For Students 9th - 10th
The Formative Period (1500 BCE-300 CE) of Mesoamerican culture is surveyed with an overview of the Olmec culture. Includes discussion of Olmec stone head sculpture, art, building, writing, and other achievements.
Lesson Plan
Science Museum of Minnesota

Science Museum of Minnesota: Maya Adventure

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This museum site brings you lessons having to do with Mayan culture.
Website
Other

Maya Ruins

For Students 9th - 10th
Based on a location map, this site gives you information and images of Mayan archaeological sites. There is also a time line of architectural styles that links to the sites of each style.
Graphic
Princeton University

Princeton University Art Museum: Sorcerers of the Fifth Heaven

For Students 9th - 10th
From the Princeton University Art Museum, this page looka at the a large postclassic Nahua ceramic effigy censer preserved in the museum collections. "Sorcerers of the Fifth Heaven" examines this effigy censer from all angles of it's...
Handout
Yale University

Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: The Aztecs: A Pre Columbian History

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This site contains several lesson plans, a teacher bibliography, a student reading list, and a large amount of background information on the Aztecs.
Handout
Mex Connect

Mexconnect: Periods of Civilization in Mesoamerica 300 900 Ad

For Students 9th - 10th
Details Teotihuacan, Cholula, and Monte Alban as the foremost Mayan centers. Be sure to see the timeline that places developments in Mesoamerica with developments in other parts of the world.
Website
Mex Connect

Mexconnect: The Maya Civilization and Cities: A Resource Page

For Students 9th - 10th
The Maya series of articles consists of a map, Maya civilization timeline, cities, numerals and calendar, historical conflicts, and trade and commerce. Articles are written by Luis Dumois, a student of Mayan civilization. Galleries of...
Handout
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Major Archaeological Sites: Pre Classic to Post Classic

For Students 9th - 10th
Chronological history with photographs from cultural periods at the Teotihuacan site. Note that site can be viewed in Spanish.
Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Archaeology of Early Formative Chalcatzingo

For Students 9th - 10th
Indications of centralized authority in building platform mounds which were most likely a public facility.
Handout
Other

Mc Clung Museum: Maya: Portraits of a People

For Students 9th - 10th
Gives a short but concise summary of the Mayan civilization along with a timeline and pictures. Can serve as a good introduction to the Mayans. Map of the region is also available.

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