How are the Three Civilizations Similar and Different?

Nuwedi (Hello from the tribal people of Kuna in the country of Panama.)

On Friday we have our quiz on the ancient America civlizations. Yesterday you completed a review sheet to help you study. Today we are going to create a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the three different civilizations.

DO NOW: With your group, go through the vocabulary section of the review sheet.

CLASSWORK: Compare the three different civilization (Maya, Aztec, Inca) to study for our quiz!

HOMEWORK: Study for Quiz TOMORROW!

What Achievements are the Ancient American Civilizations Known For?

Hello! (In Belize, the official language is English.)

We have been learning about some amazing civilizations that lived in the Americas many hundred years ago. Today we are going to look at some incredible inventions and achievements that these civilizations had.

DO NOW: Take out your homework from last night. Go through the answers to #1, 2, &3.

CLASSWORK: Use the website https://sites.google.com/a/prairieschool.com/americas-achievements/ to complete 3.6 Achievements in eBackpack.

HOMEWORK: Finish classwork, if not done in class.

How Did the Inca Set Up Their Government?

Rimaykullayki! (Hello! In the ancient Inca language of Quechua still spoken in Bolivia, Equador, and Peru today!)

We have been focusing a lot on the Aztecs and Maya. Today we are going to look more into the Inca group and learn what made them so unique.

DO NOW: Think back to your Americas Map. How do you think the Incas were able to hold onto such a huge empire which stretched through different climates and the Andes Mountains?

Use the map on the board to help you too.

CLASSWORK: Create an Interactive Inca Society. 

HOMEWORK: Complete Inca Government Homework in eBackpack. Read the pages and answer the 7 questions at the end.

How Did War Influence the Aztec Culture?

Niltze! (Hello from the ancient Aztec language of Nahuatl. This language is still spoken in El Salvador.

We spent last week talking about the civilization of the Maya. Today we are going to talk about another civilization found in Mexico, the Aztecs. The Aztecs are actually very similar to the Maya. There are only a few key differences, which we are going to discuss today. All of these differences are caused by one thing: WAR.

DO NOW: Answer the following questions individually

1. Why were priests important to the Mayas and Aztecs?

2. What is maize?

3. What is a cordillera?

4. How does geography affect people’s lives in the Americas?

CLASSWORK: 3.4 Aztec Warfare in eBackpack

HOMEWORK: none

What Did Ancient Mayans and Aztecs Believe?

Mábuiga (Hello! in the native language of Garifuna. This language is spoken in many Central American countries like Honduras and Belize.)

We have started learning about the ancient civilizations of the Americas. Yesterday we learned a little bit about each of the ancient civilizations. Today we are going to look at a very important aspect of Mayan and Aztec culture, their religion. Religion determined everything that the Mayans and Aztecs did (much like in India.)

DO NOW: Look at the picture on your desk. Have the recorder write down for the group what you think is happening in this picture. What can you learn about the culture in this picture? What can you learn about the geography in this picture? You should have at least 5 things.

CLASSWORK: 3.3 Maya Religion in eBackpack. We will also be reading a book “Rain Player.”

HOMEWORK: Finish Diary Entry, if not done in class.

How Does Geography of the Americas Affect People's Lives?

Como Estas? (How are you? In Spanish)

Yesterday we created our maps of the Americas. As we can see, there are a lot of different environments in this area. We have already learned the geography greatly affects people’s lives and culture. Today we are going to discuss how the different climates and geographies affect the different ancient nations of the Americas.

DO NOW: Answer the following questions individually. Use your map that you created yesterday to help you.

1. What country is the Amazon Basin in?

2. How do you think someone living in Peru is different than Haiti?

3. How do you think someone living in Guatemala is different than Chile?

CLASSWORK: Complete 3.2 People and Geography in eBackpack.

HOMEWORK: Finish the All About Me in the classwork

What are the Key Geographical Features of the Americas?

Hola! (Hello! In Spanish)

Today we begin our next adventure in Social Studies class. We will be exploring the area of Latin America. This region extends from Mexico, to the bottom of South America, as well as the islands in the Caribbean. There are many different cultures, languages, and traditions in the Americas. However, before we begin our exploration of this amazing area, we first need to create a map to show us where we will be travelling to.

DO NOW: As a group, decide which jobs each of your group members will have. There needs to be a Captain, Recorder, Presenter, and Materials Manager. If you only have 3 people, someone has to have 2 jobs. Write your jobs on the sign with your names.

CLASSWORK: Mrs. Moore will pass out 3.1 Map of the Americas.

Use the direction and websites below to complete the map. 

Use Website - http://onlinemaps.blogspot.com/2012/04/physical-map-of-latin-america.html

Outline and label in Blue:

Gulf of Mexico                          Caribbean Sea                  Amazon River

Pacific Ocean                                                   Atlantic Ocean

Color and Label in Brown:

Sierra Madre                            Andes Mountains              Guiana Highlands

Brazilian Highlands

Color and Label in Green:

Pampas                   Amazon Basin (DARK GREEN)              
 Yucatan Peninsula (DARK GREEN)         

ALL ISLANDS IN THE CARIBBEAN (Color in only. Don't label)
Valley of Mexico (use this website http://sites.miis.edu/reflectionsof2014pbfellows/files/2014/07/map3.gif )

Color and Label in Yellow:

Atacama Desert

Volcanoes (Draw a RED Triangle. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LABEL THE NAMES!!!!! )

http://www.travelinggeologist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Map_mexico_volcanoes-725x400.gif 

http://www.mdpi.com/geosciences/geosciences-03-00262/article_deploy/html/images/geosciences-03-00262-g001-1024.png 

Write Country’s Name in Black: 

Use Website - http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/02/89902-004-E917533B.gif

Mexico                  Belize                     Guatemala                    El Salvador

Costa Rica             Panama                  Cuba                            Honduras

 Nicaragua              Bahamas                  Haiti                 Dominican Republic

 Venezuela              Guyana                    Suriname                    Colombia

 Ecuador                 Peru                        Chile                            Argentina

 Uruguay                Paraguay                 Brazil                          Bolivia

HOMEWORK: In the Flashcards app, create vocabulary flashcards for the following words. YOUR DEFINITION MUST BE FROM THE TEXTBOOK GLOSSARY. IT WILL NOT COUNT IF IT IS A GOOGLE DEFINITION OR YOUR OWN DEFINITION.

The vocabulary words are: 

Maize

Masonry
Empire
Causeway
Quechua

Cordillera

Altiplano
Observatory

What was Life Like in the Spanish Colonies?

Laphi! (Hello! From Bolivia in the indigenous Aymara language.)

Last Friday we learned about how the Spanish took over the Americas from Mexico to South America. Today we are going to learn what life was like for the people that lived in these Spanish colonies.

DO NOW: Answer the following questions independently

1. How did the Mayan civilization end differently from the Inca and Aztec civlization ending?

2. How were the Spanish Conquistadors able to defeat the ancient civilizations?

3. List 2 reasons that Native Americans died during this time.

ALSO... Make sure that you have the app PIC COLLAGE loaded on your iPad. We will be using it today!

CLASSWORK: 3.9 Colony Life in the Assignments folder.

HOMEWORK: In the gFlash+ app, create vocabulary flashcards for the following words. YOUR DEFINITION MUST BE FROM THE TEXTBOOK GLOSSARY IN THE HOMEWORK FOLDER. IT WILL NOT COUNT IF IT IS A GOOGLE DEFINITION OR YOUR OWN DEFINITION.

The vocabulary words are: 

Mestizos

Haciendas

Viceroy

Creoles

Missions

How did the Conquistadors Defeat the Aztec and Inca?

Weh di go aan? (What’s Up? In Belizian Creole.)

We have learned about many amazing civilizations over the past two weeks.  The Maya and the Aztecs, though very similar, had some key differences that defined their civilizations. The Incas lived in the Andes and created a government designed to keep control of its empire. Today we are going to look at how the civilizations came to and end. Some ended peacefully, but others did not.

DO NOW: Answer the following questions independently

1. What is a causeway? What was it used for?

2. What is an observatory?

3. What is masonry? What was it used for?

4. List 3 ways that warfare affected Aztec culture and society.

CLASSWORK: Complete 3.8 Conquistadors in the Assignments folder.

HOMEWORK:  Finish classwork, if not done in class.

How were the Mayan People Divided Into Classes?

Ba'ax ka wa'alik “BAH-ah shko-WAH ah-LEEK” (Hello in the ancient Mayan Language.)

Today we begin talking about one of the ancient civilization that existed in the Americas: The Mayas. The Mayas had a great civilization that created many amazing things. Even though they disappeared by the time Europeans travelled to the “new world,” they left behind a lasting legacy that still impacts the culture of the area today.

DO NOW: Read the story provided on your table. After you read the story, answer the following questions:

1. What are different jobs that people had in Maya life?

2. Which groups of people do you think had it the worst? Why?

CLASSWORK: 3.3 Maya Social Structure. Then complete a foldable for the different social classes.

HOMEWORK: Mayan Daily LIfe Homework Sheet in the Homework folder. Re-read the story that you read in class. Add 2 new facts about each social class that you learned from the story.