Focus: This unit (Unit 2 for schools using the CKHG series in Sequence grade-level order) begins by placing three ancient Mesoamerican civilizations in geographical context. Students explore ruins of ancient Maya temples and pyramids as they learn about Maya culture, including their knowledge of astronomy and mathematics. Students learn about the warrior culture of the Aztecs and the city of Tenochtitlan, and about the Inca’s complex network of roads and the city of Machu Picchu. Students also learn about the Spanish conquistadors and the demise of the Aztec and Inca, and the mystery of the disappearance of the Maya.
Number of Lessons: 10
Lesson Time: 45 minutes each daily. Each lesson may be divided into shorter segments.
Additional Search Terms: social studies • geography • map skills • nonfiction • informational text • primary source documents • codex • archaeology
CKHG Grade Levels: CKHG units are correlated to topics at the grade levels specified in the Core Knowledge Sequence, which allows students in schools following the Sequence to build knowledge grade by grade. In other settings, individual CKHG units may be used as supplemental resources. In general, the content and presentation in the CKHG units for Grades 3-5 are appropriate for young readers from the upper elementary grades through middle school.
