Science
Maths
English
Look at the Maya number system
Mayan calendar - Time
Horrible Histories-Class Book: The Angry Aztecs including the Mayans -Who
exactly were they?
Independent Research: using Internet/secondary sources*
Can you believe it? Find out about the strange habits and daily life of the
Mayan people.
Podcasting opportunities: make a radio broadcast highlighting an amusing
part from everyday Mayan life
Drama: Green Screen-Back in time sketch? (Link to PPA?)
Narrative story writing: Secret Cities/Hidden Kingdoms
Myths & Legends: The Chocolate Tree – A Mayan folktale
Cartoon Strip?
Explanation: How is chocolate made?
Information text: Create a leaflet for tourist visiting Chichen Itza?
Instructions: learn how to sacrifice humans at the temple, or alternatively
look at the Mayan cure for tooth ache or medicine for their aches and pains!
Music
Create a celebratory song for a Mayan festival where musicians play
drums, flutes and rattles
Listening to sounds of the Rainforest
Identifying instruments from central/south America
History
*What do we already know about the Mayan Civilisation?
What do we want to find out?
Who were the Mayans? Where did they come from? Where did
they go?
Timeline of major events
Pyramids, temples and royal palaces
Look at artefacts used at that time & identify their purpose
What happened to the Mayans?
Next door neighbours – the Aztecs
Science Unit – see scheme of work
Melting investigation using chocolate/reversible & irreversible
changes
Star gazing-Astronomy
Facts & figures about blood and the heart and how it works in the
human body
Geography
Chocolate-Fair Trade
Maps to show cocoa growing areas
Locate Mayan civilisation on maps and how it relates to the world
today
Mayan Cities/Hidden Kingdoms rediscovered, e.g. Frederick
Catherwood
Research the areas the Mayans inhabited, i.e. Belize, Guatemala and
Honduras
Trade-what was used for currency? What was grown/eaten/traded?
Tropical rainforest
Computing
Rising Stars Unit: 5.3 We are Artists (Summary: Fusing geometry & art)
Rising Stars Unit: 5.6 We are Architects (Summary: Creating a virtual space)
PPA Cover: Developing touch typing skills/Develop skills linked to
computing units
PE
RE
RE unit – see scheme of work
Ceremonies & gory religious sacrifices-Mayan style!
Gods & goddesses from ancient times. Who were they and what
did they represent to the Mayan people?
Play Mayan/Aztec inspired games, e.g. Pok-a-tok
Create a war dance for Mayan warriors (3 parts)
Creative Curriculum
Overview
Subject Links
Art
Mask masking-‘Day of the Dead’? Gods or goddesses from ancient
civilisations, e.g. Mayan, Aztec, Inca
Use jade or gold to embellish masks/artefacts
Make Mayan ‘stele’ for a display using Mayan hieroglyphs to
decorate them/Stone or plaster carving?
Design own body tattoo
Make a huge feather headdress or ornamental piece of jewellery
Create a temple wall covered with images of Mayan kings and fierce
gods or decorated pottery
Stunning
Start!
Ancient
WorldThe Mayans
PSHE/Citizenship
PSHE unit – see scheme of work
Education & Punishment in ancient civilisations, e.g. Mayan,
Aztec, Inca
Slaves & sacrifices!
Learn about the Mayan social, political, economic & belief systems
Fabulous
Finish!
French/Other Languages
French-see scheme of work
Code breaking- write using Mayan script using hieroglyphs
Learning some Spanish words
Translate Mayan-English
Stunning Start & Fabulous Finish ideas:
SS: Watch Horrible Histories – The Angry Aztecs?
FF: Mayan Day – including: activities involving chocolate, making tortillas/Mexican
food, war dance performance, dressing up, games & sports
DT
Making tortillas/cornbread other Mexican style food using maize
Design and make jewellery based on ancient Mayan patterns
Design and make the Aztec game, e.g. Patoulli
Architecture-Build a Mayan temple/pyramid
Create an alternative chocolate drink/recipe
Papermaking