Pre-Columbia America: A Look Back In Time
Aztec, Inca, Maya
A WebQuest for 6th Grade Social Studies
Designed by Stephanie Crop
crop1079@pacificu.edu
Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits | Teacher Page
Introduction
Congratulations Channel 4 News Team--your award winning team has just been offered an opportunity of a lifetime! Together you will travel back in time and research various aspects about Mesoamerica and the ancient civilizations that occupied the land. I am hoping through your exploration that you will be able to travel home and inform your viewers of the factual details about the cities and trade, the spectacular architecture, the innovative farming techniques and beautiful textiles and art of the ancient Mesoamerica civilizations. So pack your bags and enjoy your ride trip back in time!
The Task
As this winning news team, you and your team of reporters have traveled back in time and been given a special assignment to research a various aspect of the civilizations of Pre-Columbia America. Each reporter will be allowed to work with a partner of their choice to research their assigned topic. Once you and your partner have completed your online research through the selected sources, each reporter will then write their news report to be edited by the news channel producer, Miss Crop. Along with this news report each student reporter will illustrate a poster that visually represents the information in their news report. The team will then be given time to put together and rehearse a news broadcast that will be video recorded and presented in class to their peers.
The Process
PART ONE
1. Recieve your assigned topic and questions from Miss Crop, the News Channel Producer.
2. Make sure you have read through and understand the introduction and the task for the webquest.
3. Review the list of questions, provided by your Producer to be answered throughout your research. *Each student must individually answer and complete the questions on the worksheet provided.
Student Worksheets:
Trade/Cities, Pryamids/Architecture,
Farming Techniques, Textiles/Art
4. Thoroughly examine the following websites in helping you with your research.
Reporters researching trade & cities visit:
http://library.thinkquest.org/16325/y-eco.html
http://lsa.colorado.edu/~lsa/texts/Aztecs.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_in_Maya_civilization
Reporters researching pryamids & architecture visit:
http://www.courses.psu.edu/anth/anth008_cmg149/pyr.html
http://www.courses.psu.edu/anth/anth008_cmg149/atsp.html
http://www.geocities.com/architecture_aztec_america/america_inca_2.htm?200621
Reporters researching farming techniques visit:
http://library.thinkquest.org/16325/y-farm.html
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/extension/local/Howard/files/mg/schfloa.htm (*read last 2 paragraphs)
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/geography/terracefarming.htm
http://incas.mrdonn.org/farming.html
Reporters researching textiles & art:
Inca Textiles
http://incas.perucultural.org.pe/english/histec8.htm
View Pictures - http://exchanges.state.gov/culprop/peru/textile/sect2.htm
Mayan Art
http://www.lost-civilizations.net/mayan-art.html
http://mayas.mrdonn.org/dailylife.html
View Pictures - http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/mayan-art.html
PART TWO (Writing Block)
5. Once you have completed your research and answered the assigned questions, each of you will use your research to write a brief news report. This report is to be edited by the news Producer and will be delivered by you with your news team to the network viewers.
6. When your news report is completed, you must illustrate a poster depicting the information you are delivering in your news report to be used during the broadcast.
PART THREE
1. As a group you will deliver your news reports to each other rehearsing for the evening broadcast. Other reporters on your news team are instructed to offer positive feedback in order for your team to deliver the best broadcast possible
PART FOUR
1. At the conclusion of the unit on Mesoamerica, new teams will deliver your live news broadcast.
The following is to be turned in to Miss Crop, Producer of News Channel 4:
*Research/Question worksheet with answers
*Rough and final drafts of news report
*Illustrated poster
Evaluation
Your grade for this project will be figured using the following rubric:
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Traits
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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Online Research/ Computer Use
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Student was not able to use a computer to access and complete the activities outlined in the webquest.
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With assistance the student was able to use a computer to access and complete the activities outlined in the webquest.
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Student was able to use a computer to access and complete the activities outlined in the webquest.
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Cooperative Partner/Group Work
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Student exhibited poor behavior in working with partner. Student was distracting to peers, made fun of them or and did not stay on task.
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Student exhibited satisfactory behavior in working with partner. Student was to some extent distracting to peers and was given 1 to 2 reminders to stay on task
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Student exhibited excellent behavior in working with partner. Student worked well with peers and stayed focused and on task.
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Written News Report
"Writing"
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Ideas
Organization
Conventions
Sentence Fluency
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The writing lacks a central purpose or idea
The writing lacks order.
Numerous errors in usage spelling, punctuation, etc. make the text difficult to read
The writing is difficult to follow or to read aloud.
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The reader can understand the main ideas, although they may be overly broad or simplistic. Supporting detail is often limited.
An attempt had been made to organize the writing, but the structure is underdeveloped.
The writing demonstrates limited control of conventions.
The writing tends to be mechanical rather than flowing. Awkward sentences may make the reader slow down or reread.
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Writing is clear, focused and interesting. Main ideas stand out and are developed.
The order moves the reader through the text and is easy to follow.
The writing demonstrates strong control of conventions (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, paragraph breaks, grammar).
The writing has an easy flow and rhythm. Sentences are carefully crafted, with strong varied structure.
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Visual Aid
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Poster does not meet required elements:
No Title
None or little to no color is used to illustrate topic
Final draft is not neat or attractive and looks like it was completed in a rush with many erasures.
Picture/Scene visually depicts topic of written news article.
Late (2 days or more)
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Poster meets some of the required elements:
Partial Title (2 t o 3 words)
Some colors are used to illustrate topic
Final draft is fairly neat with 1 or 2 erasures, and depicts a clear scene.
Picture/Scene visually depicts topic of written news article.
Late (1 day)
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Poster meets all required elements:
Full Title (4 to 5 words)
A variety of colors are used to illustrate topic and show the it’s relevance
Final draft is neat, clean of erasures, depicts a clear and vivid scene and looks like the illustrator took time to complete.
Picture/Scene visually depicts topic of written news article.
On Time
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News Broadcast
"Speaking"
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Ideas
Organization
Delivery
Language
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The content lacks a central purpose or idea.
The speech lacks order
Lack of clarity. Distracting errors.
The language is extremely limited or misused.
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The audience can understand the main ideas, although they may be overly broad or simplistic.
An attempt has been made to organize, but the structure is underdeveloped or inconsistent.
The speaker demonstrates limited control of technique.
The language is ordinary, lacking variety and clarity.
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Content is clear, focused, and well-suited to the audience. Main ideas stand out and are developed.
The order supports the audience’s understanding and is easy to follow.
The speaker demonstrates skillful control of technique (eye contact, pronunciation, changes in rate/volume/tone, fluent delivery).
The language is original with a variety of carefully selected words.
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Conclusion
Through your online research and written news report you should have developed a deeper understanding of the ancient civilizations that occupied Mesoamerica and gained more confidence in delivering information in front of your peers.
Permission
This webquest was created as a tool to share with other educators in helping them teach a unit on Mesoamerica and the Aztec, Inca and Maya civilizations. Please feel free to use it as a resource with your students.
Credits & References
http://library.thinkquest.org/16325/y-eco.html
http://lsa.colorado.edu/~lsa/texts/Aztecs.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_in_Maya_civilization
http://www.courses.psu.edu/anth/anth008_cmg149/pyr.html
http://www.courses.psu.edu/anth/anth008_cmg149/atsp.html
http://www.geocities.com/architecture_aztec_america/america_inca_2.htm?200621
http://library.thinkquest.org/16325/y-farm.html
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/extension/local/Howard/files/mg/schfloa.htm
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/geography/terracefarming.htm
http://incas.mrdonn.org/farming.html
http://incas.perucultural.org.pe/english/histec8.htm
http://exchanges.state.gov/culprop/peru/textile/sect2.htm
http://www.lost-civilizations.net/mayan-art.html
http://mayas.mrdonn.org/dailylife.html
http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/mayan-art.html
http://webexhibits.org/calendars/i/aztec2.gif
Last updated on August 15, 1999. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page
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