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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mayan History

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine Mayan contributions to the world. For this Mesoamerican culture lesson, students view a slideshow about the Maya and then peruse books about the accomplishments of the culture. Students create charts that highlight Mayan...
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Graphic
Science Museum of Minnesota

Science Museum of Mn: The Puuc Hills: Uxmal

For Students 9th - 10th
Numerous photographs of the ancient Mayan city of Uxmal.
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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.
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Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Archaeological Research at Cotzumalhuapa, Guatemala

For Students 9th - 10th
Research at Cotzumalhuapa indicates that it was a major urban center that encompassed Bilbao El Baul, and El Castillo. Some discussion of colonial period use of site.
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Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Salvage of Hieroglyphic Stairway in Dos Pilas (2002)

For Students 9th - 10th
Comprehensive discussion of what the discovery of stairway steps adds to history of the site and the culture. Writings on steps give new insights to Myan politics, trade, war, and the collapse of the civilization.
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Primary
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: The Glyphic Corpus From Ek' Balam (2002)

For Students 9th - 10th
Offers translations of hieroglyphs, and therefore history, of the Mayan dynasties and rulers at Ek' Balum in Yucatan, Mexico.
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Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: The Piedras Negras Project (2000)

For Students 9th - 10th
Many details of the excavation processes at Piedras Negras allow researchers to write a probable history of the Mayan peoples who lived at this site until the time of its collapse.
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Handout
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Ceramics at Piedras Negras, Guatemala (2001)

For Students 9th - 10th
Researcher relates phases in ceramic ware to political and social events in the history of Mayan people at Piedras Negras.
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Handout
Other

Archaelogical Sites: Palenque

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource presents an overview of the Mayan city of Palenque, including a biographical sketch on some of the rulers.
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Website
Archaeological Institute of America

Archaeology: Diving With the Dead

For Students 9th - 10th
Follow a team of divers as they explore the famous cenotes of the Yucatan peninsula. These cenotes hold secrets of Mayan culture still waiting to be told.
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Website
Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies

Famsi: Architectural Transformation in Quexil Petenxil (2003)

For Students 9th - 10th
Archaeological research and inferences are made through an architectural lens, offering a nine century history of the Quexil-Peterixil Basin.
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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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Website
Other

Ambergris Caye History: Maya History on Ambergris Caye, Belize

For Students 9th - 10th
This site tells of the importance of Ambergris Caye to the Mayan people for trade and protection. It tells of the structure of city-states and the way the hierarchy of leadership was arranged.
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Handout
Other

Houghton Mifflin: Mayan Mathematics

For Students 4th - 8th
This site explains the mathematical system of the Mayans. It gives the represenation they used for numbers and how they did addition and subtraction.
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Primary
Other

Maya Stories

For Students 9th - 10th
This site has a collection of Maya stories and myths which can be used as primary sources.
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Website
Other

Personal: Rubbings of the Maya Sculpture

For Students 9th - 10th
This personal site provides a large collection of rubbings taken from Mayan stelae, etc. Great primary source.
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Graphic
Other

Villanova University: Chichen Itza

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Villanova University contains many pictures of the Mayan City of Chichen Itza. Click on each thumbnail to enlarge.
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: Unmasking the Maya: Story of Sna Jtz'ibajom

For Students 9th - 10th
This Smithsonian website looks at the Maya of today in the Chiapas region of Mexico with a brief overview of their history.
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Website
United Nations

Unesco: The Prehispanic Town of Uxmal

For Students 9th - 10th
Brief historical description of the Mayan city of Uxmal with photos and conservation requirements.
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Article
Scholastic

Scholastic: Junior Scholastic: Jungle of Secrets

For Students 3rd - 5th
Check out this site to discover more about the Ancient Maya culture. An article and video are provided. [2:19]
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Website
Other

Mayan Kids

For Students 3rd - 5th
Explore the history, beliefs, people, and culture of the ancient Maya in this enchanting website. It includes games, clip art, and a glossary of terms.
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Website
American Indian Heritage Foundation

Mayan Civilization

For Students 9th - 10th
This site describes the geography and landscape of the areas once inhabited by the Mayas. There is also information on Mayan writing, literature, culture, political organization, Mayan art, and other information on the Mayan Civilization.
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Website
Other

Maya World Studies Center: Maya

For Students 9th - 10th
A site which gives some information on Mayan history and culture including discussion about the calendar.
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Website
Other

The Maya Calendar: A Converter

For Students 9th - 10th
Gives the Mayan days and months. In addition, a Java Applet is included which will convert any date (Gregorian calendar) to its corresponding Mayan date.