Name: _________________

Date: _____________

These are two images of the Mayan Calendar. Write down your initial thoughts on what you
notice between these two pictures. Some things to consider: How are they designed? Is
there anything familiar in either of the images; what specifically? What sticks out to you?

Now read over what the book You Wouldnt Want to be a Mayan Soothsayer has to say
about the Mayan calendars. Looking back at the images, is there anything new that you can
notice in them? If so, why do you think that is? Make sure to be specific.

Since you have studied images of Mayan calendars and read all about them, it is time that
you make your own. Fashion the calendar after the Mayan examples. Include what days you
would celebrate festivals, religious holidays, and other events. How many months will your
calendar be? Will it follow a lunar system or a solar system? What will each month be
called, and how many days will be included in each month? Get creative with your
calendar. Make it on the computer or with construction paper. Have fun!

Name: ___________________

Date: ___________

Study and examine the image of a Mayan painting. Write your initial thoughts below. Make
sure to be thorough.

Now with a partner, look at the picture again and answer these questions together. We will
share our answers as a whole class and discuss everyones thoughts:
What sticks out to you?

What symbols do you recognize that are being used, if any?

What do you think is being represented in this image? Is it about a religious ceremony or
depicting something else?

What does the painting say about Mayan society as a whole?

What do you know of Mayan paintings that helped you decipher and deconstruct this
image?

Once we, as a class, have figured out what the image is depicting we can assign roles to each
student and act out the painting with different props that we think these roles would
include. (Some props might include: headdresses, staffs, holy books, masks, etc). Students
will write up a paragraph how they think their role contributes to what the painting is
showing over all. Additionally, the students will add how effective they think the message is
being portrayed.

Name: ________________

Date: _____________

Examine the image of the sculpture of the Twins, central characters to their myths, made
during the Mayan era. Write down your initial thoughts. What details do you notice about
the sculptures? What questions or ideas come to your mind from the picture?

Now that you have looked at the picture, read a myth from the book, The Honey Jar by
Rigoberta Menchu. Read the myth on page 54 titled, The Amazing Twins. After reading
about the twins, how does the representation of the twins in the picture seem different or
the same? Can you find other things in the image you did not see before?

Also, look at the table of contents in The Honey Jar, list some myths you think might
mention the twins, and look for some myths that you find interesting. Read at least two
other myths and summarize them below, and compare/contrast all of the myths you read.
Did some of the myths present their ideas better than others? Additionally, write your
thoughts about how you think Mayans might use art or music to represent these myths, like
they did in the picture.

Going off of what you said of possible ways that the Mayans may have represented or
honored these myths through art or music, create some type of art or music piece to tell the
story of one of the extra myths you read from The Honey Jar. Some examples: a painting like
the Mayans have created, a mask of a character, a sculpture, a song, or a poem, etc. Get
creative.

Common Core connection:

RL.5.7 Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning,
tone, or beauty of a text.
RI.5.5 Compare and contrast the overall structure of events, ideas, concepts, or
information in two or more texts.
W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
SL. 5.1c Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse
partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own
clearly. Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the
discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.
SL.5.2 Summarize a written test read aloud or information presented in diverse
media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
L.5.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
Pictures:

http://www.marcus-hoffman.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/mayan-calender.jpg
http://th08.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2011/040/a/c/mayan_calendar_by_drew3dhi6d3.jpg
http://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/HeroTwins-mayan-atlantis.jpg?itok=hf8RDky1
http://www.worldart.com.au/images/mayan-pottery1.jpg