UKS2 Topic Overview: the Maya

UKS2 Topic Overview: The Maya

Study the fascinating Maya in this vigorously researched topic. Discover where and when the Maya built their magnificent civilisation as you develop a range of skills across the curriculum. Investigate how they lived, their culture and their legacy. Compare their lives to your own as you bring your learning together.

Block / Key NC Objectives / Main creative outcomes
Block a
The Maya in Context
[3 sessions] / History and English
·  Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
·  They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
·  Undertake an in-depth study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history- The Maya civilisation.
·  Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role-play, improvisations and debates. / This block puts the development of the Maya civilisation into context within a world setting, and especially in contrast with contemporary developments in Britain. Compare the history and effects of invasion in both areas and the survival of the Maya and Anglo-Saxon culture.
Block B
Introduction to the Maya
[4 sessions] / Geography, English, Art and History
·  Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
·  Undertake an in-depth study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history - The Maya civilization.
·  Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
·  Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role-play, improvisations and debates.
·  Assessed the reliability of different sources of evidence.
·  Researched the location and environment where the Maya lived.
·  Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle.
·  Present human and physical features using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.
·  Use maps, and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied.
·  Create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas.
·  Improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]. / Find out when the Maya are first recognised by archaeologists and when this society is said to have come to an end, recognising that there are still living Maya people today. Examine the different types of evidence that tell us about the Maya. Explore the region of the Maya civilization in Mesoamerica and create a Maya corner in the classroom.
Block C
Writing
[3 sessions] / History and Art
·  Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
·  Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
·  Undertake an in-depth study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history- The Maya civilisation.
·  Gain an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.
·  Improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials.
·  Use a sketchbook. / This amazing civilisation created writing using logograms and hieroglyphs. Find out how the writing was used and write and draw words including your own name. Discover the Copan stairway and its hieroglyphs and marvel at the four main Maya codices. Finally design, paint and make a class or school Maya codex on ‘tree bark’.
Block D
Maths and the Calendar
[3 sessions] / History, Maths and DT
·  Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
·  Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
·  Undertake an in-depth study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history- The Maya civilisation.
·  Appreciate the beauty and power of mathematics
·  Develop their ability to solve a wider range of problems including increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic
·  Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.
·  Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products which are fit for purpose. / Discover the fascinating maths and calendar systems of the Maya. Learn about the Maya numerals, their maths system and the Dresden Codex. Represent Maya numbers; consider the Maya calendar and compare it to our own system. Make a Maya calendar, learn about The Long Count and Maya Tzolkin days and go on to draw birth month symbols and form them out of clay.
Block E
Cities and Architecture of the Maya
[3 sessions] / History, D&T and PE
·  Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
·  Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
·  Undertake an in-depth study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history- The Maya civilisation.
·  Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of functional products that are fit for purpose.
·  Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches and prototypes.
·  Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks accurately.
·  Select from and use a wider range of materials and components.
·  Evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria.
·  Play competitive games, modified where appropriate and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending.
·  Take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team. / Study the buildings of this very early civilisation and consolidate your knowledge as you make a range of buildings that you put together to make a class Maya city. Learn about the organisation of Maya cities, study different kinds of buildings, and investigate some aspects of daily life.
Block F
Trade
[4sessions] / History and Geography and D&T
·  Undertake an in-depth study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history- The Maya civilisation.
·  They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
·  They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.
·  They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
·  Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups.
·  Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design.
·  Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing], accurately.
·  Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle.
·  Describe and understand key aspects of human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water.
·  Present the human and physical features using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies. / How did the Maya transport goods and what did they trade? Discover their impressive expertise, the logistics and the daunting geography that they had to overcome. Find out how they knew about the wheel, but didn't use it. Take part in role-play trading games, make models and maps.
Block G
Religion
[5 sessions] / History, Computing and English
·  Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
·  Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
·  Undertake an in-depth study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history- The Maya civilisation.
·  They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
·  Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role-play, improvisations and debates.
·  Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information / Find out about the legends of the Maya people. Explore the famous creation story of the Hero Twins and the Lords of the Underworld. Use a variety of software on a range of digital devices to create a podcast of the Maya creation myth and a stop-motion animation. Replicate Maya ceremonies and celebrations and upload these to the class website.
Block H
Technology
[4 sessions] / History, Science, D&T, Maths and English
·  Undertake an in-depth study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history - The Maya civilisation.
·  Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.
·  Chn should plan different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, report and present findings from enquiries.
·  Give reasons, based on evidence from comparative and fair tests, for the particular uses of everyday materials, including metals, wood and plastic.
·  Compare and group together everyday materials on the basis of their properties, including their hardness, solubility, transparency, conductivity (electrical and thermal), and response to magnets.
·  Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design.
·  Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing], accurately.
·  Select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.
·  Give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings.
·  Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates. / The tool technology of the Maya was based on the incredibly hard minerals jadeite and obsidian. Learn about how the Maya made beautiful and functional objects and their weaving and pottery skills. Weave a fabric in the Maya style and make pots.
Block I
Everyday Life of the Maya
[4 sessions] / History, Art, Music and D&T
·  Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
·  Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
·  Undertake an in-depth study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history- The Maya civilization.
·  Gain an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.
·  Improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials.
·  Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts.
·  Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes.
·  Appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded.
·  Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks accurately.
·  Select from and use a wider range of materials and components. / Learn about the family orientated society of the Maya community in this creative and practical block. Find out about the childhood of the Maya and how skills were passed down from parents. Learn about the importance of music to the Maya and discover foods eaten by the Maya community. Research Maya clothing, headdresses and hairstyles and go on to discover the modern culture and struggles of the Maya people.
Block J
Farming
[4 sessions] / History, Geography and D&T
·  Undertake an in-depth study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history- The Maya civilization.
·  They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
·  Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.
·  Understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.
·  Prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques.
·  Describe and understand key aspects of human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water.
·  Present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.
·  Learned about Maya farming methods.
·  Made a model of a Maya rainforest clearing, terraces, or milpa.
Cooked traditional Maya food and hot chocolate. / Explore the methods of farming practised by the Maya and some of the foods they farmed, hunted and gathered. Try making and tasting a traditional Maya hot chocolate recipe. Finish off by creating a model illustrating how the Maya produced food and having a simple Maya meal.