Support for this project
This project relies upon the support of many individuals and organizations, all of whom are greatly appreciated. The 2013-2014 Council Scholars Program of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte, sponsored by Wells Fargo, Carolinas HealthCare System, BAE Systems, Novant Health, and UNC Charlotte helped fund the initial research and development of this project. Site visits in Belize in 2016 and 2017 were supported by the SchulMart Foundation and logistical support was generously provided by Helping Hands Intervention and Resource Center in Belmopan as well as Nine Belize in San Ignacio. Additional support to complete the project came from the Arts and Science Council, sponsored by the Cato Corporation.
MonkeyBay Wildlife Sanctuary, located near La Democracia, Belize, has been instrumental in gaining additional research opportunities to further this project during a Summer 2016 internship. Presentations made at the 2014 and 2016 Belize Archaeology & Anthropology Symposium have been useful in developing content for this project.
Special thanks are due to the many people in Belize and Guatemala who helped ensure the success of this project, especially Mr. Joe Awe. Thanks go to Jamal Andrewin-Bohn, Senior Environmental Educator, and Johanna Pacheco, Environmental Educator, from the Belize Zoo for allowing interviews about animals in their care for the Maya Science section of this project. Additional thanks are due to the many people in who helped refine the project as it developed, especially Ms. Emelie Martinez Palacio, Mr. Ricky Manzanero, Mr. Patrick Bradley and Mr. Josue Awe. Site visits and interviews with Wilfredo Novelo, Gissell Rodriguez, and Orson Laurrence were beneficial in developing the materials for Altun Ha and Lamanai. Special thanks to Mrs. Adela Henry and Mr. Carlos Henry for their assistance in initial trips to Belize and Guatemala.
About the author
Bruce Schulman is a middle school teacher from Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Tennessee. He has been teaching in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools since 1995 and has National Teacher Certification in science. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Mecklenburg (North Carolina) Historical Association and of the Oliver Springs (Tennessee) Historical Society. In addition to consulting for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission, Mr. Schulman has been the photo editor for a book on Mecklenburg County (NC) history published by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Historic Preservation Foundation.
Dedication
This is dedicated to my students and to students everywhere. Open hearts open minds.
Introduction for teachers
These sections consist of lesson materials for students related to the Maya: their land, their culture and their natural environment. The lessons contained herein are intended for secondary students in middle and high schools. This project is not intended as new research on the Maya. Instead, it is a compilation of available resources made accessible for today's youth. Research and data from disparate sources have been distilled into discrete units for helping students understand the Maya and their world. This project is intended to introduce students to the fascinating world of the Maya and help them develop interest in and respect for this vital, influential culture.
Lesson components can be used together as an entire unit, individually as needed, or as differentiated activities for groups within your classroom. Access to other resources is recommended to supplement this instructional unit, especially internet access. A list of resources accompanies each unit. These are resources which were used in developing this project. You are encouraged to use these resources as well to seek additional information on any of the topics presented herein. Additional, related resources are available on a companion website: https://sites.google.com/a/cms.k12.nc.us/mayan-heritage/
Some parts of this unit have been translated into Spanish. A Spanish section is at the end of this document. This allows for use in classes conducted in English and in Spanish as well as for classes learning English or Spanish. For language learning classes, using both versions side by side may be useful in incorporating informational text whilst learning vocabulary and grammar. In general, photos have been rendered in grayscale to allow for easy copying for students. Color photos tend to come out very dark and hard to read when copied on a black and white printer or copier. As most schools do not make student copies in color, grayscale will allow for better pictures for your students.