Unit Plan
Partnership for Educating Colorado Students

Mayan Mathematics and Architecture

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Take young scholars on a trip through history with this unit on the mathematics and architecture of the Mayan civilization. Starting with a introduction to their base twenty number system and the symbols they used, this eight-lesson unit...
PPT
Curated OER

Pre-Columbian Civilizations in the Americas

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Before you begin a unit on Christopher Columbus and the European explorers, take your class through the Mayan, Aztec, and Incan Civilizations in this vivid and interesting presentation. With photographs of golden artifacts and ancient...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Come On Over To Maya Place

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders analyze the Mayan culture. For this Mayan culture lesson, 5th graders study the Mayan culture noting similarities and differences between the Mayan culture and their own. Students examine hieroglyphic writing and the Mayan...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ofelia Romero The Maya Culture and Civilization

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate the Mayan culture, number system, alphabet, hieroglyphics, history, civilization, artistry, and sports in this series of lessons.
Worksheet
Curated OER

North America Puzzle Answer Sheet

For Students 7th - 9th
In this geography instructional activity, students name the capitals of various countries found in North America. They also identify the various weather patterns across the continent and specific bodies of water. There are 21...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Selling of the Taj Mahal or Osaka Castle

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders work in groups and act as a real estate company who is trying to sell a billionaire a historical landmark to house his art collection and must make a presentation convincing him to buy their historical site.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Selling of the Taj Mahal or Osaka Castle

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students practice their marketing skills. In this historical sites instructional activity, students select and research historical sites in the world that they market and attempt to sell to a businessman.
Website
Other

Wesleyan University: Unaahil B'aak: The Temples of Palenque Home

For Students 9th - 10th
Wesleyan University presents the introduction to the site "Unaahil B'aak: The Temples of Palenque". Here the Mayan ruins which are the Palenque archeological site are introduced.
Website
Other

Wesleyan University: Unaahil B'aak: The Temples of Palenque Glyphs

For Students 9th - 10th
Wesleyan University presents the information on glyphs from the Mayan ruins at Palenque from the on-line exhibit "Unaahil B'aak: The Temples of Palenque".
Website
Other

Wesleyan University: Unaahil B'aak: The Temples of Palenque History

For Students 9th - 10th
Wesleyan University presents the history of the Maya as part of the on-line exhibit "Unaahil B'aak: The Temples of Palenque".
Website
Other

Wesleyan University: Unaahil B'aak: The Temples of Palenque Structures

For Students 9th - 10th
Wesleyan University presents the information on the structures of the Mayan ruins at Palenque from the on-line exhibit "Unaahil B'aak: The Temples of Palenque".
Website
Other

Wesleyan University: Unaahil B'aak: The Temples of Palenque Rituals

For Students 9th - 10th
Wesleyan University presents the information on the rituals of the Mayans at Palenque from the on-line exhibit "Unaahil B'aak: The Temples of Palenque".
Graphic
Science Museum of Minnesota

The Temples of Tikal

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides various pictures of the numerous temples in the Mayan city of Tikal.
Lesson Plan
Yale University

Yale the Maya Culture of Mesoamerica

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This lesson plan unit on Mayan culture focuses on Mayan art. It can be adapted to various grades and features classroom activities, student resources, a bibliography, and the like.
Primary
Other

Mesoweb: The Temple of the Inscriptions Tablets

For Students 9th - 10th
Wonderful PDF files of various tablets found at the Temple of the Inscriptions in the ancient Maya city-state of Palenque.
Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Cancuen Regional Archaeological Project (2000)

For Students 9th - 10th
Preliminary study indicates temple pyramids were built when natural mountains were not present in the geography of the area. Text is available in Spanish.
Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Porta Incensario Restoration at Palenque, Chiapas (1998)

For Students 9th - 10th
Discussion of procedures used to restore six porta incensarios recovered from the Temple of the Cross. Step by step process is revealed and pictures of before and after restoration are included.
Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Investigations in Candelaria Caves and La Lima (2003)

For Students 9th - 10th
Ceramics indicate trade rouses in this well-studied cave. Good insight into ritual practices and materials used in worship.
Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Temple 22 Facade Reconstruction Project (2001)

For Students 9th - 10th
Preliminary research indicates that structure was a sacred mountain used as a political center. Discussion of sculpture meanings is included.
Website
Other

College of the Siskiyous: Chichen Itza

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a very good site that delivers very relevant information pertaining to the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza and its many different areas such as The Nunnery and The Iglesia.
Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Recording New Inscription of Palenque (1995)

For Students 9th - 10th
Research reports includes an enormous amount of photographs and drawings of stucco hieroglyphs from various temples.
Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Identifying Individual Hands in (Palenque) Monuments

For Students 9th - 10th
Study attempts to identify individual artists who created temple hieroglyphs and questions why some monuments indicate more artists at work than others.
Handout
The History Cat

The History Cat: Mayan Religion: Gods and Sacrifice

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the religious practices followed by the Maya, including human sacrifice, a ritual that horrified the Spanish explorers.
Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Maya Architecture

For Students 9th - 10th
This article covers Mayan urban design, types of structures and building processes.