Developed originally for grades 7-12, the three bilingual Mexican American studies curriculum units on the pre-Hispanic cultures of the Olmecs, Mayas, and Aztecs present information for the teacher and for the student, a glossary, worksheets, an answer key, a test, and a bibliography in Spanish and English. The cross section of materials are…

This teacher's guide is for educators in classrooms, outdoor education, youth groups, scouting, and after-school programs to teach about the Aztec Ruins National Monument (New Mexico). The teaching materials in the guide support the New Mexico educational standards in science, social studies, language arts, mathematics, and art. Since the guide's…

This paper provides a general overview of Aztec education as it existed when the Spanish arrived in 1519. A brief history traces the rise of the Aztecs from lower-class squatters and mercenaries in the Valley of Mexico to the rulers of a loosely structured "empire" consisting of some 15 million people. Aztec society was highly…

The curriculum presented here contains three units designed to help Mexican-American migrant students understand and value the richness of their culture, experiences, and family. Unit 1, "My Roots," examines the different components of a culture, and presents aspects of the Aztec civilization and culture. Activities include hearing a…

This unit is guided by the question "How is history constructed?" In this unit, middle to secondary school students explore a variety of accounts of the clash of cultures that occurred between the Spanish and the Aztecs. Students examine a variety of primary sources and analyze the various perspectives presented. The six activities…

Describes an art project for seventh-grade students in which they choose motifs based on Incan, Aztec, and Mayan Indian materials to incorporate into two-dimensional designs. Explains that the activity objective is to create a unified, balanced and pleasing composition using a minimum of three motifs. (CMK)

The verb in Classical Aztec is slowly moving from the end of the sentence to the beginning due to the attraction of sentence initial modal particles to the verb. Not only the function but also the position of elements should be examined to account for word-order change. (SCC)

The Aztec calendar had a different god representing each month of the year. This color-by-number book illustrates each god and gives its name and the month it represents in Spanish. Each part of the god is numbered from 1 to 20 with a color corresponding to each number. (NQ)

Unit I for grade six deals with the American Indian in a cross cultural approach. Pupils use case studies to examine the Aztecs, who were later conquered by the Spanish, and the Iroquois, who came into contact with the French and English, as total cultures and draw comparisons between the two. The main part of each resource unit is set up in a…

Applies palimpsest as model for recognizing Chicano cultural diversity. Promotes interdisciplinary approach to Chicano studies. Examines Aztlan (Aztec homeland) as historical place and nationalist symbol obscuring Chicano identity and Mesoamerican diversity. Encourages use of palimpsest as conceptual tool for Chicano studies, cultural identity,…

Recounts the experiences of starting a new school designed, built, staffed, and programmed around the following beliefs: all students can be successful learners; all can learn at significantly high levels; research should inform the instructional process; and curriculum content must reflect high expectations for students, though instructional time…

Investigates how Nezahualcoyotl, a fifteenth-century Aztec poet, used writing as a healing force in his later adult years. Concludes that the poetry served as a therapeutic resource for him to resolve a crisis of despair. (RS)

An interdisciplinary pilot program for gifted elementary students focused on the Aztec and Mayan cultures of Mexico. National Geographic supported the project through materials. The project featured independent study and culminated in a trip to Mexico City. (CL)

A study investigated the effects of instruction in indigenous Mexican culture on Chicana and Chicano adolescents' reading preferences. Subjects, 81 Mexican-American students in a Southwestern middle school, were administered a culture interest inventory as a pre- and post-test for identifying reading preferences. Students participated in 4 days of…