Year 6: Autumn Term: Mayan civilisation: Inspiration, drought and destruction! What can we learn from the Maya people?

INTENTIONS:To improve relationships so that there is a sense of a team and collaboration. To improve communication and imaginative language, specifically vocabulary and writing.To improve knowledge of the word through the wonderment of people and places.Standards:

AS WRITERSVocabularyWrite non-chronological reports.InstructionsRecountsWrite persuasively.Write arguments.Write stories, letters, scripts and fictional biographies inspired by reading across the curriculum.

MathsMeasure, compare, add and subtract: lengths (m/cm/mm); mass (kg/g); volume/capacity (l/ml).Measure and calculate the perimeter of composite rectilinear shapes in centimetres and metres.

AS SCIENTISTS AS HISTORIANS A non-European society that provides contrasts with British history – one study chosen from: early Islamic civilization, including a study of Baghdad c. AD 900; Mayan civilization c. AD 900; Benin (West Africa) c. AD 900-1300. https://artsandculture.google.com/project/british-museum-s-maya

To investigate and interpret the past: Study Alfred. P. Maudslay https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/zQJSwXKR4tiSLQ

Use sources of evidence to deduce information about the past. Select suitable sources of evidence, giving reasons for choices. Use sources of information to form testable hypotheses about the

past. Understand that no single source of evidence gives the full answer

to questions about the past. Refine lines of enquiry as appropriate. Study Tikal: Capital of Maya Civilization

To understand the wider world: Compare some of the times studied with those of the other areas of

interest around the world. Describe the social, ethnic, cultural or religious diversity of past

society. Describe the characteristic features of the past, including ideas,

beliefs, attitudes and experiences of men, women and children.

Understand chronology: Describe the main changes in a period of history (using terms such

as: social, religious, political, technological and cultural). Identify periods of rapid change in history and contrast them with

times of relatively little change. Understand the concepts of continuity and change over time,

representing them, along with evidence, on a time line. Use dates and terms accurately in describing events.

To communicate: Use appropriate historical vocabulary to communicate, including:

dates, time period, era, chronology, continuity, change, century, decade, legacy.

Use literacy, numeracy and computing skills to an exceptional standard in order to communicate information about the past.

Use original ways to present information and ideas.

Through COMPUTINGCommunicate:

Choose the most suitable applications and devices for the purposes of communication.

Use many of the advanced features in order to create high quality, professional or efficient communications

Connect: Give examples of the risks of online communities and

demonstrate knowledge of how to minimise risk and report problems.

Understand the effect of online comments and show responsibility and sensitivity when online.

Understand how simple networks are set up and used.

As ARTISTSSculpture -Mayan masks / monuments• Show life-like qualities and real-life proportions or, if more abstract, provoke different interpretations.• Use tools to carve and add shapes, texture and pattern.• Combine visual and tactile qualities.• Use frameworks (such as wire or moulds) to provide stability and form.Inspiration: Show how the work of those studied was influential in both society and to other artists.

Painting: Maya Woman, 1977, Eileen Monaghan WhitakerSketch (lightly) before painting to combine line and colour; create a colour palette based upon colours observed in the natural or built world; use the qualities of watercolour and acrylic paints to create visually interesting pieces; combine colours, tones and tints to enhance the mood of a piece; use brush techniques and the qualities of paint to create texture.

As GEOGRAPHERSLocational knowledge

identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)

As MUSICIANS

To compose: Use sound to create abstract effects: create repeated patterns with a range of instruments; create accompaniments for tunes; use drones as accompaniments; choose, order, combine and control sounds to create an effect.5/6 Create rhythmic patterns with an awareness of timbre and duration; thoughtfully select elements for a piece in order to gain a defined effect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUfTo2pZsPY

Through PSHE: Health and wellbeing

how to make informed choices (including recognising that choices can have positive, neutral and negative consequences) and to begin to understand the concept of a ‘balanced lifestyle’

Relationships

that differences and similarities between people arise from a number of factors, including family, cultural, ethnic, racial and religious diversity, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability (see ‘protected characteristics’ in the Equality Act 2010)

Living in the wider world: why and how rules and laws that protect themselves and others are made and enforced, why different rules

are needed in different situations and how to take part in making and changing rules to think about the lives of people living in other places, and people with different values and customs

SMSC: Spiritual: An expressive and/or creative impulse; an awareness and understanding of their own and others’

beliefs; An appreciation of the intangible – for example, beauty, truth, love, goodness, order – as well as for mystery, paradox and ambiguity

Moral: A desire to explore their own and others’ views; A commitment to personal values in areas which are considered right by some and wrong by others

Social: Understands how societies function and are organised in structures such as the family, the school and local and wider communities; Understands the notion of interdependence in an increasingly complex society.

Cultural: A sense of personal enrichment through encounter with cultural media and traditions from a range of cultures

Continuous provision: Map of the Americas – name and locate Guatemala, Belize, Northern El Salvador and western Honduras., Caribbean Sea.List and match cities such as Tikal - Capital of Maya Civilization,

Use of higher level vocabulary, how Mayan civilisation rose and fell, connect with modern day challenges including conflict and the environment.

Week 3/9/19 10/9/19 17/9/19 24/9/19 1/10/19 8/10/19 15/10/19 21/10/19 28/10/19 4/11/19 11/11/19 18/11/19 25/11/19 2/12/1

9 9/12/19 16/12/19

Event /books

Maya books – non fiction Assessment tasks

Writing Labelling maps, naming places, positional language

Annotations with vocabulary

Describe a Mayan city and its culture.

Write instructions for Pok-a-Tok

Explanation writing using sub headings, diagrams and accurate vocabulary

Invention on a page using Mayan writing.Concertina books

Biographical writing

Could our great cities one day fall into ruin and be reclaimed by the land? What can we learn from the Mayan civilisation? what recommendations would you make?

Science

Art Sculpture - Oasis carving for Stelae and Design and make funerary masks with Jade using tone, texture and materials.

Design TechnologyGeography

Geography – where in the world? Locate Americas, equator, tropics…

History Intro Mayan timeline – big picture.Questions

Locate and name Mayan cities.Know when they existe

What makes a Mayan city?Population increase – why? Impact on the

Leadership – structures of hierarchy and government.

Cultures –

Describe Pok-a-Tok. Retell the rules and arrange the sequence of the game, in order.

Contrast Mayan cities and explain their locality using physical geography vocabulary to add extra detail.

Inventions and discoveries

Calendars,AqueductAstronomyWriting – glyphs and counting

Significant explorer – Maudslay

Evidence to explain the past

d. What makes them Mayan

land due to population

way we the do and dress around here..Worship, rituals and ceremonies.

Calendar

SMSCOngoing and integral

Spiritual: An expressive and/or creative impulse; an awareness and understanding of their own and others’ beliefs; An appreciation of the intangible – for example, beauty, truth, love, goodness, order – as well as for mystery, paradox and ambiguity

Moral: A desire to explore their own and others’ views; A commitment to personal values in areas which are considered right by some and wrong by others

Social: Understands how societies function and are organised in structures such as the family, the school and local and wider communities; Understands the notion of interdependence in an increasingly complex society.

Cultural: A sense of personal enrichment through encounter with cultural media and traditions from a range of cultures

PSHEOngoing and integral

Rights and respecting – LeadershipHealth and wellbeing

how to make informed choices (including recognising that choices can have positive, neutral and negative consequences) and to begin to understand the concept of a ‘balanced lifestyle’

Relationships

that differences and similarities between people arise from a number of factors, including family, cultural, ethnic, racial and religious diversity, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability (see ‘protected characteristics’ in the Equality Act 2010)

Living in the wider world: why and how rules and laws that protect themselves

and others are made and enforced, why different rules are needed in different situations and how to take part in making and changing rules

to think about the lives of people living in other places, and people with different values and customs

WHAT?Non-European society that contrast with British history: Mayan

WHEN? Classical Period250 AD – 909 AD

THIS WAS…When great cities with temples rose from the rainforests. Hundreds of cities were built across Mesoamerica.

Some well-preserved ones are: Tikal, Calacamul, Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Mayapán and Palenque to name a few. AT THIS TIME…

There were many kings and queens during the Classical period between 250 AD and 900 ADEach city had a divine ruler who was thought to be connected to the gods. The Maya believed in many gods

and temples were constructed for their worship. The city of Palenque has excellent examples of Mayan culture, including: Temple of Inscriptions, Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Cross, Temple of the Jaguar, and

the Temple of the SkullAs scientists, the Mayans were more advanced than any other civilization in this time period and calculated the days in the year to added up to 365.2420 days. Modern science has calculated this to be 365.2422! The

number system they created, based on 20, enabled them to calculate sums into the millions and begin to understand the concept of zero. The calendar system they adopted from earlier Mesoamerican civilisations

was so advanced it enabled them to accurately predict the movement of stars and planets for the next 4,000,000 years!

EXPLORE…Cities and buildings

At the centre of a typical Mayan city would be a splendid palace for the king or queen; a plaza for

trading and markets; stepped pyramids were built as navigation aids; and temples were places of worship to their gods, that was the extent of the order as the

Significant explorersAlfred Percival Maudslay was a Victorian explorer in the 1880s who photographed and took casts of many of the wonderful monuments, sculptures and carvings from

cities like Chichén Itzá.

urban areas spread erratically outwards with houses connected to garden plots, canals and trees.

Aqueducts would supply water to the city. Palenque is a well-preserved city, reclaimed from the jungle.

John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood were Victorian explorers.

John Lloyd Stephens was a qualified American lawyer and travel writer, and Fredrick Catherwood was an English architect and artist who had already drawn

structures from Egypt, Asia and Greece.

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

Archaeologist someone who wants to explain the past by asking questions and exploring remains of old civilizations or societies.

artefact an object found as evidence of life in an earlier time

ancestor a person who you are related to that is older than your grandparents

BC / BCE before Christ / before Common Era

AD anno domini – “in the year of the Lord”

prehistory The period of time before written records were made. Many believe that the Roman invasion of 43AD ended pre-history

extinct no longer living and with no relatives left at all, completely gone from our planet.

cause make something happeneffect a change as a result of an action or cause

consequence a result or outcome that isn’t good and can be unpleasant

explanation a statement or reason that makes something clear and justified.

Non-European society that contrast with British history: Mayan: VOCABULARY

Maya The name of the Mayan people.

Mesoamerican The region of middle America where the Maya and Aztecs lived, including: Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Southern Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica

Mayan The adjective to describe the culture of the Mayans, such as Mayan temple or Mayan beliefs.

k’uhul ajaw The spiritual leader of a Mayan kingdom. At around 700 AD there were thought to be over 60 kingdoms within the Mayan civilisation.

civilisation The society, culture, and way of life of a particular area. Some civilisations don’t exist anymore.

central plaza A central place for the Maya people to gather, trade and sell their goods. A bit like a market place

stepped pyramid

A magnificent building that uses steps, decreasing from the base upwards that eventually makes a geometric pyramid. Probably used as a landmark to aid navigation in the rainforest.

ball courtsThe ball game Pok-A-Tok was played in ball courts. They were shaped in the form of a letter I. Players had to get a rubber ball through a high stone hoop. It was played to appease the gods and bring success to the Maya people.

steleTall monuments made from sculpted stone that give us great clues to life in the past. They usually are connected to low circular stones that may have been altars. The best preserved one can be found at Calakmul, depicting their king: Yuknoom Took' K'awiil. They are thought to be ‘stone banners’ designed to glorify their leader!

temples A building devoted to the worship of gods

observatories Impressive stone buildings designed to help the Maya study the heavens.

gods The Maya worshiped many gods, including: Chac - the rainmaker; Ah Bolon Tzacab – god of farming and was thought to be offer royal power; Kinich Ahau or Ah K’in – god of the sun, thought to control drought and disease; Buluc Chabtan – god of war, was usually depicted with a black line down one side of his face.

ceremonial platforms

Made of limestone, these were used for ceremonies and religious rituals. They were decorated with glyphs and carvings.

palacesWhere the royalty of the Mayan kingdom lived. Palaces were huge with towers, courtyards and usually supplied with water through an aqueduct. Palenque palace is an excellent example of a royal home and centre for administration. Archaeologists think it may have been used as the centre for the government, too.

Pok-a-Tok

the ancient ball game played by the Maya. It is thought to have religious importance and that harvests depended on the playing and success of a game. The aim was to get a rubber ball through a stone hoop. You couldn’t use your hands or feet – just head, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and hips. Prisoners of war were forced to play the game with the losers being punished with death! The game could go on for an undetermined time. Players wore limited protection

glyphs The Maya invented their own writing system using symbols called glyphs to represent a word or sound. They had 700 glyphs in their writing system.

codicesBooks that the Maya created to explain rituals, astronomy and their calendar system. Sadly, only three acknowledged codices left in existence today. The Maya used drawings to explain ideas in these books. They are titled Dresden codex, Madrid codex and Paris codex. There is a fourth one, but that is controversial - The Grolier codex!

aqueduct A man-made channel for carrying water. The word originates from Latin: aqua = water + ducere = to lead.

rainforestA dense forest, rich in wildlife. Usually very hot and humid. Sometimes called a jungle. Tropical rainforests are warm and wet. Jaguars, Pumas, Howler Monkeys, lizards, Armadillos, Iguanas and Vampire Bats can all be found here in Guatemala’s rainforests.

crop rotationGrowing different crops on a field over many years so that the soil isn’t depleted of goodness, including nutrients and minerals. Sometimes fields are left to rest, this is called – fallow.

deforestation The removal of trees from a forest to change the use of land; fields may have replaced trees.

SEQUENCE PLANNERTODAYLocate Central America.Name, match and label modern countries of Central America.Describe the physical geography of Guatemala, South Eastern Mexico – Yucatan peninsulaDescribe Maya people today. Name and describe where they live.Describe the physical appearance of modern Maya people.

PASTLocate and match present countries with ancient locations.Tell others what they notice about the locations.Recall and retell vocabulary associated with the Mayan kingdoms. Define words using word maps.Memorise and locate city names using knowledge and word maps.Draw and describe the parts of a Mayan city and list the features they would see.Recall the structure and layout of a specific Mayan kingdom, such as Palenque.Illustrate and name gods that the Maya people believed in.Recall significant gods they worshipped.Retell the beliefs the Maya people had. Describe rituals and ceremonies that historians believed may have taken place.List the scientific, mathematical and writing achievements of the Mayans, such as the Mayan calendarDescribe Pok-a-Tok. Retell the rules and arrange the sequence of the game, in order.Name the possible causes for the decline of major Mayan cities. List and describe the conditions needed for cities to fall.

Compare glyphs and carvings from different kingdoms. Are the similarities and differences?

Explain what stelae tell us about the past. Use evidence to help with this.

Contrast Mayan cities and explain their locality using physical geography vocabulary to add extra detail.

Explain what life was like using evidence from monuments, carvings, lintels and friezes from pyramids.

Blood-letting and sacrifice were significant part of the Mayan beliefs. Summarise what they did and why they may have done that.

Compare significant Mayan gods and relate this to previous studies of ancient civilisations.

Explain how historians believe that a change in climate, population growth and over farming may have led to the slow decline of Mayan cities in the south. What evidence tells us this?

Sort, order and classify the rise and fall of Mayan cities. Explain how we think this happened.

Could our great cities one day fall into ruin and be reclaimed by the land? What can we learn from the Mayan civilisation? Relate this to our lives today – what recommendations would you make?

Assess the situation the Mayan people were faced with in Tikal. What caused the city to fall, what was the effect? Justify the consequence as a result of the cause.

Create a hypothesis for the fall of the southern Mayan cities. Select and discuss reasons why you think this.

The Mayan civilisation fell to its ruin quickly because of over farming the land. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

The British Museum acquired a crystal skull from Central America in 1897. Was this an artefact from the amazing Mayans, or a fake? Justify your findings.

Animals were important to the Maya. What evidence tells us this?

In 874 AD there was a terrible drought in China. Could this be connected to the droughts in Mesoamerica?

Acquire essential knowledge Apply essential Deepen essential

knowledge knowledge

HOW WELL DO YOU UNDERSTAND KNOWLEDGE about the Mayans?

Non-European society that contrast with British history: Mayan

Chronologically secure understanding of British, local and world history

Name, tell and describe significant periods of time in the Classical Period.List significant events of the Mayan civilisation and arrange them in order

Establish clear narratives about periods they study.

Describe the Mayan way of life, including the structure of their kingdoms, cities, culture, gods and beliefs.Explain how the past tells a story through archaeological evidence, sources and wonderful discoveries.

Observe connections, contrasts and trends over time.

Compare how things were similar and different between Mayan cities and kingdoms. Sort and classify the factors. historians believed that contributed towards the downfall of some Mayan cities.

Consider change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.

Define significant events that may have caused Mayan cities to become deserted. What brought this about?

Combine overview and depth studies to help understand the long arc of development.

Relate Mayan cities, buildings and beliefs to another history study. What do you notice? What is similar and different? Are their themes that are similar. What else was happening in the world at the same time? Compare what we know about Britain in 900 AD - Alfred becomes King of Wessex in 871 AD. Compare and contrast cities, buildings and beliefs.