CERCA Slides

Ancient Maya

As we celebrate Hispanic American Heritage Month, we turn our attention to the scientific and cultural achievements of the pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas. We invite you and your students to build historical thinking skills as we learn about and explore the civilization of the ancient Maya.

CERCA Slides by Grade

Grade 3: Chichén Itzá

How do ruins help us understand how the ancient Maya might have lived? (CCSS.RI.3.1-3.8; CCSS.W.3.2)

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 4: "Diego de Landa: Hero or Villain?" and "de Landa Alphabet"

Should Diego de Landa’s writings about ancient Maya culture and life be considered reliable historical sources? (CCSS.RI.4.1-4.8; CCSS.W.4.2)

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 5: The Mysterious End of a Rainforest Civilization

What clues does archaeology provide about the factors that led to the decline of ancient Maya cities? (CCSS.RI.5.2-5.8, CCSS.W.5.2-5.3)

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 6-8: At Home With The Environment

How did the Ancient Maya create a new environment through farming practices?(CCSS.RI.6.1-8.6; CCSS.W.6.2,7.2,8.2)

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 9-10: Why did the Maya civilization collapse?

How did climate change affect the civilization of the Ancient Maya? (CCSS.RI.9-10.6; CCSS.W.9-10.7)

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 11-12: Ancient City Ruins Warns Us About Our Urban Future

How are challenges facing contemporary societies—like climate change and water scarcity—similar to and different from those confronted by classical Maya civilizations? (CCSS.RI.11-12.5; CCSS.RH.11-12.7)

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Ancient Maya

CERCA Slides by Grade

Grade 3: Chichén Itzá

How do ruins help us understand how the ancient Maya might have lived? (CCSS.RI.3.1-3.8; CCSS.W.3.2)

Grade 4: "Diego de Landa: Hero or Villain?" and "de Landa Alphabet"

Should Diego de Landa’s writings about ancient Maya culture and life be considered reliable historical sources? (CCSS.RI.4.1-4.8; CCSS.W.4.2)

Grade 5: The Mysterious End of a Rainforest Civilization

What clues does archaeology provide about the factors that led to the decline of ancient Maya cities? (CCSS.RI.5.2-5.8, CCSS.W.5.2-5.3)

Grade 6-8: At Home With The Environment

How did the Ancient Maya create a new environment through farming practices?(CCSS.RI.6.1-8.6; CCSS.W.6.2,7.2,8.2)

Grade 9-10: Why did the Maya civilization collapse?

How did climate change affect the civilization of the Ancient Maya? (CCSS.RI.9-10.6; CCSS.W.9-10.7)

Grade 11-12: Ancient City Ruins Warns Us About Our Urban Future

How are challenges facing contemporary societies—like climate change and water scarcity—similar to and different from those confronted by classical Maya civilizations? (CCSS.RI.11-12.5; CCSS.RH.11-12.7)

Introduce ThinkCERCAinto Your Curriculum

Introduce ThinkCERCA
into Your Curriculum