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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It’s a Big, Big World

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine the role of the explorers. In this explorers and conquistadors, students create word puzzles (Wordles) regarding the time period in history. Students conduct research regarding a particular explorer and create foldables...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spanish Colonials Encounter Quechan Culture

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers use primary sources from the de Anza expedition of the 1770's to research colonial encounters with the Quechan people from Yuma Crossing, Arizona.
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Meso-America

For Teachers 5th
Students will identify and locate Central and South America and their countries and features, as well as Meso-American civilizations. Students will compare civilizations and discuss voyages of relevant explorers.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Aztecs - Mighty Warriors of Mexico

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Upper elementary learners identify the Aztecs as the builders of a great city and rich civilization in what is now Mexico. They locate the Aztec Empire and its capital on a map and place the Aztecs in the chronology of American history....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Eagle Has Landed: Aztecs Find a Home

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the Aztec civilization and locate it on a map. They explain the legend of the city of Tenochtitan and investigate the symbolism of the Mexican flag.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conquering North America

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students create a study guide on colonization of North America. In this American Colonization lesson, students complete a chart of explorers and their conquests. Students complete a crossword puzzle using explorer facts. Students read...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Eagle Has Landed: Aztecs Find a Home

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Pupils examine the Aztec civilization in what is now Mexico. Using a map, they locate the empire and explain the legend of the founding of Tenochtitlan. They explore the symbols on various Mexican flags and what they meant to the Aztec...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Explorers

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students search interactive sites to discover the history of exploration. They inspect an explorers' timeline and read about them. They participate in a Viking quest game and a multimedia recreation of Marco Polo's explorations.
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Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

Maya, Aztec, and Inca Civilizations

For Teachers 5th Standards
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spanish Influence in the U.S.

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders research the role of the first Spanish conquistadors who explored the now United States. Using the internet, they gather information on different explorers and write a paper about why he is important in American history. ...
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Mexico: A Look At Its Culture and Geography

For Teachers 1st
Students canvass the Mexican geography, culture, dress, language, crafts, and traditions in this unit of eight lessons. The Mexican Independance Day is compared to our own and the contributions of the Mayan, Azetec, and Spanish are...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Peru History

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students gain an understanding of Peru's history. They analyze how specific ideas and beliefs have had an effect on a particular period of time and they trace the route of the Spanish Conquistadors on a map of Peru.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Effects of the Spanish Conquest

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders read and research the effects of the Spanish Conquistadors on the New World. Then they break into small groups and play a game of Jeopardy, using the facts that they have learned.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

LESSON PLANS

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders encounter how the native and Spanish cultures influenced art on Colonial New Mexico. They experience some of the games, art and tools of colonial New Mexico. Students strive to increase new vocabulary. They also access how...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Maya

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students demonstrate an understanding of the Mayan Culture. This is done by developing and answering questions about cultural traditions. They also label geographical regions on a map to incorporate Geography.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Hispanic World

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Go on an electronic field trip. Discover Spanish-speaking countries through Internet exploration. Students participate in a whole group discussion to general knowledge about the location, cultural background, independence and current...
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Worksheet
Yummy Math

Happy 14th B’ak’tun, the start of the next Great Mayan cycle

For Students 5th - 9th Standards
The ancient Mayans had a complex calendar and number system with a rich history. In fact, the date 12/21/2012 was the center of much controversy as to whether or not it was the end of time. It wasn't the end of time, but it was the end...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

A Study of Panama

For Students 4th - 5th
In this instructional activity on Panama, students read an introduction about Panama, then read about its history, The Panama Canal, the Kuna Indians and the Endangered Species of Panama. After each selection, students answer a set of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Artifacts: Bringing the Past Back to Life -- the Mexican Case

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine and discuss the meanings of the various symbols in Tenochtitlan. In groups, they complete a part of the model of the city and discuss the importance of finding artifacts. Individually, they choose an a two-dimensional...
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Inca Artifacts and Civilization Lesson Plans

For Teachers 5th - 6th
By learning about Inca artifacts and this ancient civilization students can delve into history, geography, and much more.
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Website
PBS

Pbs: Conquistadors: Francisco De Orellana

For Students 9th - 10th
This site has information on the search for El Dorado and the exploration of Amazonia by Francisco de Orellana. He travelled to the mouth of the Amazon River. The site has plenty of images, maps and video too.
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Graphic
Other

American Journeys: Map of the Spanish Entrada Into North America [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Map showing the routes taken by fourteen Spanish explorers in the Americas between 1509 and 1543.
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Website
PBS

Pbs the West: Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of this Spanish explorer who was born in 1490. Click on "route" for a map of his travels, and click on "account" for a translation of his published account of his experiences.
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Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: Early Spanish Map of Peru, 1774

For Students 9th - 10th
A facsimile of an early Spanish map of Peru and northwest South America, from the Paris (1774) edition of Zarate. The map is in French, and the map coverage extends from Panama to the Paria River delta (Orinoco) of Venezuela in the north...