Guatemala Teacher Resources

The Mayans still exist, and their presence is felt everywhere—just ask the people of Guatemala. The Central American country is home to many ruins from the ancient civilization, and its people still speak many of the Mayan's original...

Students investigate the Cold War and why it was fought in Guatemala. In this Cold War lesson, students analyze documents from the CIA and textbooks then discuss. Students work in pairs to answer questions and fill out graphic organizers.

With 90 percent of its land area covered in forests, Suriname, a country in South America, contains the largest percentage of forests throughout the world. Here is an activity that brings classmates together to learn about the...

Students read "Soccer Until Dusk". As a class, they discuss the various settings and actions in the poem and discuss the life in Guatemala and compare it with the United States. To end the lesson plan, they complete a journal...

Fifth graders explore what types of projects the Peace Corp is doing to help Guatemala.

Students view pictures of and discuss geometric shapes included in kites from Guatemala. They discuss the repetition of shapes and how that creates a motif. Students draw three concentric arches across their paper. They create a design...

High schoolers research the Mayan number and calendar system. They translate a variety of math problems from base-10 Arabic numbers into a base-20 Mayan representation. They discuss current challenges faced by the people in today's...

Welcome to the Spanish-speaking world! Show your learners which countries declare Spanish as their primary language. Included are maps and flags for each Hispanophone country.

Students are introduced to Guatemala and to the tradition of giant kites. They decorate the kite sail and construct the kite. Students identifies possible causal factors contributing to given historical events.

A rich series of activities introduces learners to the concept of culture by closely examining the behaviors, practices, and art of three distinct peoples: the Highland Maya of Guatemala, the Hmong of China and Southeast...

The Road to Peace introduces learners to the concept of transitional justice, a process where nations examine the causes of conflict, identify abuses, and use this information to develop a plan to transition to a society that upholds...

Students explore, examine and study about and respond to the issues of child labor workers in Guatemala by reading and discussing the article, "Bush to Press Free Trade in a Place Where Young Children Still Cut the Cane." They write an...

In Guatemala, around AD 600-900, a vase was created. This vase is the inspiration for a lesson plan that incorporates expressive language skills, writing skills, and social studies. Children analyze the images on the vase and then choose...

Students compare the traditional Mayan clothing to their everyday clothing. For this multicultural appreciation lesson, students look at images of traditional Mayan clothing and discuss its importance.

Scholars join a field expedition team to unearth a plethora of treasures from Central America. Artifacts listed in alphabetical order come with an informational blurb and a picture designed for participants to color. Activity pages...

Part of studying Spanish is learning about the customs, food, and traditions of other countries. Use the links provided (and some of your own) to study Venezuela, Uruguay, Guatemala, and Peru. Elementary learners will get a glimpse of...

Students research about life in Guatemala and compare/contrast some ways of life there with where they live. They demonstrate their assessment of traditional worry dolls by decorating wooden clothespins as detailed, colorful replicas.

Invertebrates play a prominent role in many myths across cultures. From Greece to Guatemala, see if you can identify the invertebrate of importance. Ten multiple-choice questions test your knowledge of mythology from around the world.

A 10-lesson unit explores the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. Over the course of two weeks, scholars read nonfiction excerpts, discuss their findings, and complete activities. An assessment equipped with multiple choice and matching...

Students explore Green Construction. In this lesson based on the experiences of Peace Corps volunteers, students gain insight into alternative construction in Guatemala. They examine the pros and cons of using alternative building...

Was it all about the bananas—or the fear of a communist threat? Young historians use a history lab to examine documents from the American-led 1954 Guatemalan coup. Using graphics, government documents, and speeches, they examine the...

Students examine what goes into hero worship and establishing unlikely friendships. They probe the deeper meanings in "'Magic' Pablo" through small group dialog and use a variety of ways to process the story's meaning. They see the...

Students delve into questions about how best to use one's time-in one culture or another. They explore the kinds of choices students will make about their use of time and consider the statement: "We are shaped by the values of the...

Students describes ways in which the arts serve as expressions of culture. They explain how some forms of cultural communication contributes to societal cohesion and/or division. Students detect and analyze explicit and implicit messages...