Jay Busby
I. Standard Addressed: Culture and Cultural Diversity. Performance Expectation- A analyze and explain the ways groups, societies, and cultures address human needs and concerns;
II. Learning Outcomes: Students will learn about various aspects of the Incan, Mayan, and Aztec culture. These aspects include; the history of each civilization, how each society was structured, how each culture aquired food, how the societies were governed, and what role religion played. Students will also become familiar with the downfall of each civilization after European contact.
III. Evaluation: Students will be evaluated by the quality of their group presentations and a section on the test pertaining to Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs.
IV. Curriculum: This lesson would fit into a World History Class. It could also work in an Anthropology or Cultural Geography class as well.
V. Instruction: Each student will be given a handout of the Internet article "Inca Empire dazzled, then died." After all students have read the handout, a brief discussion about the Incan Empire will follow. The class will then be divided into three groups. Each group will be assigned one of the following cultures; Aztec, Mayans, Incas.
Each group will conduct an in-depth study of their assigned culture. Group members should focus on and divide work along the following lines for each culture; History, geography of region, politcal system, social structure, economic system, religion and spirituality, and the fall of each civilization.
Day 2-Each group will present their findings to the class orally and with visual aids such as maps of the regions, charts, or building diagrams. The teacher will draw up a chart on the board comparing and contrasting the three civilizations. Conduct a final discussion focusing on the fall of the three cultures as it relates to contact with Europeans.
VI. Discussion Questions: 1. What was the signficance of architecture to these cultures? Where do some of these structures exist today?
2. What were some of the reasons these Empires fell so easily to the Conquistadors? What other factors, besides the Conquistadors, contributed to the downfall of each of these civilizations?
3. How did the demise of these cultures bring about a new chapter in the Americas?
4. Although these cultures were ulitimately wiped out, how did they leave their mark on World History?
