THIS IS A MUST-DOWNLOAD FOR ANY TEACHER LOOKING TO TEACH AN ENGAGING UNIT ON THE AMERICAS. WITH IN-DEPTH SLIDES ON THE OLMEC, MAYA, INCA, AND AZTECS, THIS UNIT INCLUDES BUILT-IN GAMES, ACTIVITIES, AND GUIDED NOTES AND GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS FOR STUDENTS TO FOLLOW ALONG . ENJOY!
 
This download includes all 5 parts of the unit described below
 
***Free graphic organizers included (guided notes for all 5 parts in MS WORD and PDF, and compare/contrast graphic organizer for Maya/Inca/Aztec lessons)***
 
PART 1 - Intro (20 slides), including: outline, standards, warm-ups, maps, worksheets, geography, links to YouTube videos, word sorts with answers, key terms with definitions, map sorting activity, S.W.A.T. review game, mini-quiz and much more...
 
PART 2 - Olmec (15 slides), including: background on cultural regions of North, Central and South America, Olmec background as first dominant civilization of Mesoamerica, Olmec 'colossal heads', jade jewelry, jade carvings, writing system, influence on later Mesoamerican civilizations, maps, ball-game, bloodletting and more...
 
PART 3 - Maya (25 slides), including: artifact guessing game, maps, class structure, original cartoon, head-flattening, tooth filing, significance of blue, links to videos, warfare, writing system, counting system, details on blood-letting and sacrifices, polytheism, connections to Apocalypto and Avatar and much more...
 
PART 4 - Inca (25 slides), including: artifact guessing game, maps, class structure, connections to Emperor's New Groove, The Spanish and Francisco Pizarro, Pizarro historical stick figure assignment, links to YouTube videos, punishments for criminals, Machu Picchu, terrace farming, polytheism, aqueducts, chasqui runners, warfare, reasons for their decline and much more...
 
PART 5 - Aztec (25 slides), including: artifact guessing game, maps, class structure, sacrifices, chinampas, warfare, examples of writing and pictures, agriculture, food lists, details on artifacts, links to YouTube, Hernan Cortes, Malinche, Montezuma, writing prompts and much more...