A Clash of Worldviews: The Aztecs and the Spanish

Lesson Overviews
Critical Inquiry Question: How does the intercultural clash between the
Aztecs and the Spanish inform our understanding of worldview?
*Note: Activities in individual lessons may be subject to change
LESSON
TITLE &
OUTCOM
ES

DATE

Personal Introductions

Monday
March 7th

GUIDING
QUESTION
S
Who is
everyone?

LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

ASSESSMENT

Have students
NA
complete the Who
Am I sheet to
provide me with
something to study
when I get home.
Students will
create and
practice
energizers.

What is Worldview? Defining a Concept

Tuesday
March 8th

What are the

key elements
of a
worldview?

Students will
complete a
worksheet titled
What is a
worldview?
Students will
complete an
exercise where
they sort through
examples and
non-examples of
worldview
Students will also
be required to
generate their own
definitions and
non-examples by
explaining the
concept to an
alien.
Students will
reflect upon what
they think key
elements of their
own worldview
are.

Pre-AssessmentWhat is a
worldview?
Worksheet.
Formative
AssessmentStudents will identify
key elements of
worldview by
creating a
comprehensive
definition with their
table group.
MetacognitionStudents will record
key takeaways on
the graffiti wall.

Wednesday

March 9

th

Worldview Squared: Cubing the Concept

Short
LessonFlex

How is
worldview
present in
everyday life?
How did
worldview
change
during the
renaissance?

Because this is a
short lesson, the
class will begin
with a review of
the concept of
worldview from the
day before using
the mini white
boards.

Pre-AssessmentUsing the
whiteboards, ask a
series of guiding
questions to review
the key elements of
worldview from the
day before.

Formative
Next, each table
Assessment- As
will be given a
students cube their
different news
specific news
story and they will articles, have them
Cube it. Each
record their
side of the dice will responses on a
ask them a
worksheet. Provide
different question
descriptive feedback
regarding
for this lesson.
worldview that
pertains to the
Metacognitiongiven news story.
Have students
record any key
takeaways on the
graffiti wall.

Europe Rising: The Renaissance and the Age of Exploration

8.3.1, 8.3.4.3

Thursday
March 10th

How did the

renaissance
contribute to
the Age of
Exploration?
What were
some of the
political,
religious,
trade, and
technological
development
s of the
renaissance?

Students will work

their way through
a stations activity
that highlights
three major
changes that took
place in
technology,
political and
religious, and
geographical
understandings
during the
renaissance.
Information that
will be provided is
about the printing
press, the carack
and caravel ships,
the capture of
Granada, the role
of the wedding
between Isabella
and Ferdinand, the
need for new
trade, etc.

Formative
Students will
complete a
formative
passport-like
worksheet as
they work their
way through
each section. As
this lesson
serves as a tie to
the previous unit,
it will not be
assessed
summatively.
Metacognition
Students will
record something
that has stuck
with them on the
graffiti wall. This
will give me a
picture of where
the class is at in
terms of their
understanding.

Worldview and Geography: By Nature

Monday
March 14th

How is
worldview
shaped by
physical
geography?
Where was
the Aztec
civilization
located?
What were
some of the
physical
characteristic
s of the Aztec
civilization?
How is nature
reflected in
our
worldviews?

8.3.1, 8.3.4.1, 8.3.4.2

How does
nature affect
our lives?

Students will be shown a

variety of photographs of
nature including the
Ganges river and table
mountain. They will
come up with a
description of what they
are seeing. Likely, most
students will describe a
turbulent river or a
jagged mountain. Next,
the teacher will give the
students a write-up
explaining the cultural
significance of those
sights. Hindus believe
that the Ganges river is
the goddess Ganga.
Students will then be
asked what this tells
them about their own
worldview.
Students will conduct a
photographic analysis of
some of the geographical
elements and their
relationship to worldview.
Students will complete
the case study activities
on 228-230 of the Nelson
Text about the
geography of Spain and
Meso- America. An
Alberta map will be
added as well and they
will complete a Venn
diagram.

Pre-AssessmentClass discussion
relating to how
geographical
understandings can
influence worldview.
Photograph
activity to help
students interpret
the significance of
different sacred
geological featuresGanges River, Table
Mountain etc- this
will be a warmup
designed to highlight
that the western
worldview does not
frequently respond
to their environment
in
Formative- Venn
Diagram about the
similarities between the
Iberian and Aztec
physical geography.

Worldview and Language: Aztec Writing

8.3.1, 8.3.4.1, 8.3.4.2

Tuesday
March 15th

How was
Aztec
worldview
represented
in their
writing?
(Aztecs had
no written
language)
What is a
codex?

Students will
analyze photos of
key Aztec words
and they will draw
from them how it
informs their
understanding of
worldview.
Students will then
create their own
codex to tell a
story.
What does this
codex tell you
about your own
worldview?
How does it
differ from
some of the
Aztec codex

Pre-AssessmentClass discussion on
different forms of
writing from around
the world. How
many different ones
can you name?
FormativeStudent responses
to the questions
about their codex.
MetacognitiveGraffiti WallStudents will record
their key takeaways
from the lesson.

Worldview and Language: Aztec Poetry

8.3.1, 8.3.4.1, 8.3.4.2

Wednesday
March 16th

Does poetry
reflect
worldview?
(a:
sometimes)
Hint: What
sorts of
messages
can be
found in
poems?
Why was
poetry an
important
method of
communicatio
n for the
Aztecs?
How was the
Aztec
worldview
reflected in
their poetry?
What were
some of the
key
messages
held within
Aztec poetry?

4 different poems
will be distributed
between the 8
tables in the
classroom- 2 of
each poem.
Students will be
asked to identify a
key message that
is held within the
poem
What does that
poem tell us about
the worldview?
Students will then
be exposed to the
poem on page 167
of the Pearson text
and respond to
those questions.
Students can then
create their own
poem about
something that
means to them.
- They will then
exchange
poems with
someone else
and try to draw
some idea about
the worldview of
the other
student.

Pre-assessmentClass discussion
about how poetry
might be able to
reflect worldview.
Formative- Student
discussions and
anecdotal/
conversational
notes.
MetacognitiveKey takeaways from
the lesson on the
graffiti wall.

8.3.1, 8.3.4.1, 8.3.4.2

Aztec Society: Social Layers

Thursday
March 17th

What is the
power
dynamic in
your school?
In your city?
In Alberta? In
Canada?
How does the
power
dynamic of
the Aztecs
reflect their
worldview?
How is the
power
dynamic of
the Aztecs
similar or
different from
our own
worldview?

Students will
create a power
pyramid for their
school, and for
Canada and
explain what it tells
us about our own
worldview.

Students will then

do a jigsaw
activity. Students
will break into
groups to study
the role of the
emperor, the
nobles, the
commoners, the
merchants, the
farmers and the
artisans. They will
then return to their
original groups to
share what they
have learned.

Pre-Assessment:
Think-Pair-Share:
What does the term
power structure
mean?
Formative
Assessment
1. Aztec power
structure
pyramid.
2. Class discussion
MetacognitiveStudents will record
key takeaways from
the lesson on the
graffiti wall.

Worldview and Religion: Aztec Religious Practices

.1, 8.3.4.1, 8.3.4.2

Friday
March 18th

How was the

Aztec
worldview
affected by
their religious
practices?
How was
religious
understandin
g reflected in
Aztec daily
life?
Why was
religion so
important to
the Aztecs?

Class will begin

with a class
discussion about
how religious
practices impact
our own
worldviews.

Pre-assessmentclass discussion
about how religion
impacts our
worldview.
Formative
Assessment:
graphic organizer for
the different stations.

Students will then

complete a
stations activity to
show how religious Metacognition- key
understandings
takeaways on graffiti
were deeply
wall.
sacred to the
Aztecs
-Stations will be
human sacrifice,
calendar,
Tenochtitlan, and
gods. (taken from
pearson text p.
164).

Mid-Unit Performance Task

8.3.1, 8.3.4.1, 8.3.4.2, 8.3.4.3

Monday
March 21stIntroduce
and Plan
Tuesday
March 22ndWork
Wednesday
March 23rdcomplete
(Short
Lesson,
FLEX)
Thursday
March 24thPresent

How do
different
Spanish and
Aztec
artifacts
reflect their
worldview?
How could
meanings
behind
different
artifacts
indicate
similarities/
differences in
worldview?
How might
the Spanish
and the
Aztecs clash
based upon
these
artifacts?

Students will work in

groups of two to
complete this
exercise. They will
come up with two
artifacts, one
Spanish and one
Aztec that represent
a similar element of
worldview (iereligious). They will
then separate- one
partner will
complete/ represent
the Aztec artifact,
the other will do the
Spanish one. They
will explain the
worldview element
of their respective
artifacts. In the end,
they will come
together and provide
an explanation of
how the worldviews
are similar or
different based on
that artifact, or how
it might lead to a
clash. Students
are encouraged to
complete
additional
research.

Summative- This
task is summative.
What have they
learned so far? It is
challenging enough
that they are not
able to simply
google their
responses. A rubric
and checklist will be
provided to grade
students.

Spain on the Move: God, Glory, Gold- Pt 1: God

8.3.1, 8.3.4.3

Monday
April 4th

How did
religion
enable Spain
to explore?
What impact
did said
religion have
on Spains
worldview?
How did
different
religions
impact
Spains
worldview?

Students will begin

by refreshing their
understandings
from the
renaissance. What
led to the Age of
Exploration? What
specific
developments took
place during the
renaissance?
Explain that while we
touched on how religious
changes during the
renaissance led to the
Age of Exploration, we
are going to explore it
more in depth today

Think-pair-share:
how do different
religious practices
in Canada affect
our worldview?

Pre-AssessmentUse the individual

whiteboards to
review the causes of
the Age of
Exploration at the
end of the
renaissance.
Formative
AssessmentStudents will
complete a
worksheet titled
Christian Spain.
Students will
complete a chart
about the similarities
and differences
between Aztec and
Spanish religious
worldviews. This will
be provided for
descriptive
feedback.

*** Cautious ideaTalk to TA to find

out if some of the
refugee students
might be
Metacognitivecomfortable talking
Students will record
about the current
key takeaways from
religious wars.
the lesson on the
graffiti wall.

Spain on the Move: God, Glory, Gold- Pt. 2: Glory and Gold

Tuesday
April 5th

What role did

gold play in
Spains
desire to
expand?
What role did
glory play in
Spains
desire to
expand?

Table DiscussionStudents will discuss

among their table
groups whether they
believe that glory and
gold still have a role
within the modern
western worldview.
In what ways? Are
there any recent
examples of this?
What are different
perspectives relating
to this?

What is
expansionis
m?

Class discussion
on Expansionism
and Imperialism

What is
imperialism?

As a class we will
then watch the
video :

How does
gold and
glory
enhance our
understandin
g of their
worldview?

https://app.discoveryeducation.ca/lear
n/videos/E5AE688E-3F60-4114B4B4-B6C6BBDBB3E0?
hasLocalHost=false

What does the video

tell us about Spanish
expansion?
Students will read
pages 211 of the
textbook and create a
graphic organizer titled
God and Glory.
Points and
Counterpoints activityStudents will write a
paragraph in which
they explain whether
they believe gold or
glory was a bigger
driving factor for the
Spanish. They must
include 3 points and 1
counterpoint to

Pre-Assessment:
Hold a class
discussion to assess
what people can
recall about the
political and trade
reasons for the Age
of Exploration.
Formative
Assessment:
The completed
graphic organizers
will be collected for
descriptive
feedback.
The points and
counterpoint
arguments will be
collected for
descriptive
feedback.
Metacognitive:
Students will record
key takeaways on
the graffiti wall.

Reasons for Reaction: The Legend of Quetzalcoatl

.2, 8.3.4.1, 8.3.4.2

Wed April
6th

How does
this Aztec
Legend
reflect our
understandin
g of the
religious
influence
within the
Aztec
worldview?
What
assumptions
can we make
about the
potential
reaction to
contact with
the Spanish
and why?

Read the legend

of Quetzalcoatl to
the class. And
have a discussion
about some of the
key happenings
within the legend.
Who was
Quetzalcoatl?
What did he do?
Where did he go?
What year does
the legend state
he would return?
(a 1 reed year)
When did the
Spanish arrive? ( a
1 reed year)
Have students
respond to two
questions in their
notebooks: How
does this legend
affirm or challenge
our
understandings of
the role of religion
within the Aztec
worldview?
How do you think
the Aztecs will
react upon the
arrival of the
Spanish?

Pre-AssessmentWhat do we
remember about the
role of religion on
the Aztec
worldview?
Formative
Assessment- Class
discussion about the
meaning of the
legend and what it
tells us about
worldview
Student written
responses to
questions.
Metacognitive- Key
takeaways from the
lesson.

Spain Approaches: New Encounters

.3.2, 8.3.4.1, 8.3.4.2, 8.3.4.3, 8.3.4.3

Thursday
April 7th

Who was
Cortez?
What is a
conquistador
?
How do the
intentions of
Cortez and
his
conquistador
s reflect
Spanish
worldview?
How does the
story
Encounter
inform our
understandin
g of
worldview?
How does the
story
Encounter
exemplify a
clash of
worldviews?

Hook the lesson

by reading the
introduction of
Hernan Cortes:
The Conquest of
Mexico and the
Aztec Empire
Watch a video
about the Spanish
Conquistadors. As
students to focus
on what we can
take away about
their worldview.
Read the fictional
story Encounters
and have the
students work with
a partner to
answer questions
about it. For
example- why did
the boy think the
ships were great
winged birds?
Think-pair-share:
Ask students to
consider what they
already know
about Canadas
First Nations- what
parts of this story
could be reminded
them of those
groups?

Pre-AssessmentRecall what some

elements of Spains
expansionist
worldview were.
Formative
Assessment
Student worksheet
for the lesson.
Student partner
responses to the
encounters story.
Think-pair-share.
MetacognitiveStudents will record
their key takeaways
on the graffiti wall.

An Aztec Homecoming: Or So They Thought

.2, 8.3.4.1, 8.3.4.2,8.3.4.5

Friday April
8th

How did the

Aztecs react
with initial
contact to the
Spanish?
How did the
Spanish
initially react
to contact
with the
Aztecs?
What do
these
reactions tell
us about
worldview?

Have students
reflect upon a time
where they were in
an unfamiliar place
or around
unfamiliar people.
How did they
react? How did the
other people
react?
Class discussion
that ties back to
the legend of
Quetzalcoatl.
What did we say
would happen
once the Spanish
arrived?
Explain that
todays lesson will
either confirm or
challenge that
notion.
Inference and
Evidence
photographic
analysis: Study
primary and
secondary sources
from the
Conquest of
Mexico by Irene
Nicholson, photo
numbers 8, 9,
and 10 from
photopack
Aztecs, and the

Pre-AssessmentWhiteboard
discussion about the
legend of
Quetzalcoatl.
Connection to
personal
experience- how did
they react?
Formative
Assessment:
Discussion about
Quetzalcoatl- what
do they remember
about his role in the
Aztec worldview?
Inference and
Evidence worksheetWhat are they taking
away from this
lesson?
MetacognitiveStudents will record
key takeaways on
the graffiti wall.

Cortes Conquest: Spains Dominance

3.1, 8.3.2, 8.3.4.2, 8.3.4.4, 8.3.5.5

Monday
April 11th

How were the

Spanish able
to conquer
the Aztecs so
quickly?
What part of
the Aztec
worldview
made
Moctezuma
so slow to
respond to
the Spanish?
Who was La
Malinche?
How did the
Spanish use
the enemies
of the Aztecs
to support
their
ambitions?
What do the
actions of
Cortes tell us
about
Spanish
worldview?

Students will work

their way through
a stations activity
in which they study
different articles
about the role
disease and
religion played in
eradicating the
Aztecs.
Some sources, for
example will be
the weapons page
found on page 223
of the Pearson
text, information
about La
Malinche, as well
as Cortes Letter to
Charles V, exhibit
8 in The
Conquest of
Mexico There will
be a passport
accompanying this
activity
We will then have
a discussion as a
class about what
this conquest can
tell us about
Spanish
worldview.

Pre-AssessmentConnect to previous
lesson about the
Aztec welcoming of
the Cortes- What do
they remember
happened? What did
it tell us about
Spanish worldview?
Aztec worldview?
Which side seemed
to be in the best
position
strategically?
Formative
AssessmentStations passport
will be returned with
descriptive
feedback.
Class discussion to
measure depth of
understanding.
MetacognitionStudents will record
key takeaways on
the graffiti wall.

A Worldview Challenged: Efforts to Adapt

, 8.3.2, 8.3.3, 8.3.4.4, 8.3.4.5

Tuesday
April 12th

How did the

arrival of the
Spanish
challenge the
worldview of
the Aztecs?
In what ways
did the
Aztecs adapt
to the
Spanish
worldview
after the
conquest?
What were
the
characteristic
s of the
worldview of
the Aztecs
after contact
with the
Spanish?

Students will be
divided into two
groups: Pre-contact
and post-contact
Aztecs. Students will
remain in their table
groups. Four will be
pre-contact four
tables will be postcontact. Each of the
four tables will focus
on different elements
of worldview: Religion,
One group will be a
group of Aztecs from
before contact and the
other group will be the
Aztecs from after
contact. The precontact group will
spend the first half of
the class recording
information about
Aztec ways of life
before contact. The
other group will
conduct research on
how it changed. After,
each table group will
generate a skit,
presentation, or
speech in which they
declare the key
components of their
worldview. This activity
will enable the class to
experience the
changes that took
place in Aztec
worldview.

Pre-AssessmentAsk the class about

a time that they have
been required to
adapt. What is
adaptation? What
happens when we
adapt?
Formative
Assessment:
Collect any research
notes that each
group has made
relating to their given
time period within
the Aztec era.
Metacognition:
Students will record
key takeaways from
the lesson on the
graffiti wall.

OPEN FLOOR
8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4.1, 8.4.2, 8.4.3, 8.3.4, 8.4.5,

Wednesday
April 13thShort
Lesson Flex

What has this

unit told us
about the
intercultural
clash
between the
Aztecs and
the Spanish?

Begin this lesson

with a whiteboard
quiz where
students respond
on their own
individual
whiteboard. Use
this tool to reflect
upon what they
have learned over
the course of the
unit.

Formative
AssessmentWhiteboard Quizthis will give me a
clear understanding
of whether we are
ready for the
performance task on
Monday, as well as
any potential areas
that we can use this
time to clarify.

Next, leave an
open floor for
review. What are
some lingering
questions or
concerns?

Open Floor
activity- This will
function much the
same as the
whiteboard quiz
above.

Write them on the

board: Have each
table research one
of the lingering
questions and
concerns and
share with the
class. After that, I
will elaborate and
explain more indepth if possible.

Mind map activity- If

this activity is used it
functions also as
metacognition- it
helps students lay
out what they have
learned and could
expose any lingering
questions.

MetacognitionAlternately- if there Students will write

key takeaways on
are minimal or no
lingering concerns, the graffiti wall.
we will create a
giant mind map on
one of the bulletin
boards where

Worldviews In Comparison: The Aztecs and the Spanish

Thursday
April 14th

Was the
Aztec or
Spanish
worldview
superior?
What
components
of the
worldview
made it
superior?
Does
domination
equal
superiority?

DEBATE- The
class will be
divided into two
groups. One group
will function as the
Spanish and one
group will function
as the Aztecs.
Each group will
elect a group
leader named
Moctezuma and
Cortes.

Formative
Assessment- This
lesson will primarily
be a debate- I will be
looking for strength
in the argument and
the use of strong
facts to support their
response.

I will also be looking

at the students
individual responses
to the question
does domination
They will then
equal superiority. I
have the first 40
believe that this will
minutes of the
require students to
lesson to gather
use facts as well and
evidence, with the
it will become clear,
intent to debate
especially if any
why their
students sunk into
worldview is better.
the debate crowd,
that all students
After the debate,
have a strong
students will be
understanding of the
asked to write a
unit to an extent that
paragraph
they are ready for
responding to the
the culminating task.
question Does
domination equal
superiority

Final Performance Task

8.3.1, 8.3.2, 8.3.3, 8.3.4
.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 5.1, 5.2

Monday
April 18thIntroduction
and
Planning

How does the

intercultural
clash
between the
Aztecs and
the Spanish
Tuesday
inform our
th
April 19 understandin
Work Period g of
worldview?
Wednesday
April 20thWork Period
Thursday
April 21st
Wrapping
up and first
presentatio
n
Friday April
22ndFinishing
presentatio
ns

Students will be
given a choice
between three
options to
demonstrate their
learning: A
storyteller, a
publicist, or the
role of either an
Aztec citizen or a
Spanish explorer.
In all activities,
students will be
asked to respond
to the overarching
unit inquiry
question: How
does the
intercultural clash
between the
Aztecs and the
Spanish inform our
understanding of
worldview?

SummativeStudents will be
provided with a
rubric and a check
list to clarify their
task.