LESSON PLAN

Subject: Social Studies Grade: 8 Date:

Critical Inquiry Question: What are the significant beliefs and values that shape
the Aztec worldview?
Lesson: Beliefs, Religion Time: 70 mins
SLO 8.3.4 assess, critically, how the Aztecs were affected by the Spanish worldview by
exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
● What were the key elements of the worldview of the Aztec civilization prior to
contact with the Spanish? (TCC, I, CC)
● How did the Aztec civilization’s worldview influence the Aztecs’ choices,
decisions and customs? (TCC, CC, PADM)

Instructional Objectives:
Knowledge:
Students will

Skill:

Key Questions:
Focus Question:
How did religious beliefs affect the worldview of the Aztecs?
What are the significant beliefs and practices that shape the Aztecs worldview?

Related Questions:
-

Materials:
-Powerpoint - Aztecs Ch 7 People of the Sun
-Recipe Cards
-Teading cards generator http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-
interactives/trading-card-creator-30056.html

Preparation:

Adaptations:

Lesson Procedure:
Introduction
What aspects of physical geography influence the Aztec worldview?
 1. Venn Diagram of Worldviews (10 mins)
a. Students will be provided with a Venn Diagram template to begin
completing about the aspects of physical geography that influence
b. In this chapter we will explore the following elements of worldviews
which students may give consideration to:
i. Geography
ii. Time
iii. Beliefs
Body
How did religious beliefs affect the Aztec worldview?
2. The Aztec Worldview (20 mins)
a. How did religious beliefs affect the worldview of the Aztecs?
b. What are the significant beliefs and practices that shape their worldview?
i. What do we already know about
c. Sacred Landscape
i. What might the beliefs in these aspects of the landscape reveal
about the Aztecs? Symbolic
3. Aztec Beliefs
a. Highlight key elements of the Aztec beliefs
i. .
b. Highlight how the Aztecs measured time
c. Place in Time
i. Have student analyze the 4 corners of the calendar and predict
what each side represents
d. Calendar stone

How did the Aztec religious beliefs influence their behaviour and attitudes?
What were the religious beliefs of the Aztecs, and how did they affect their worldviews?
○ Read Text Pgs. 160-161 as a class to provide an overview of the religious
beliefs
○ Consider questions on pg 161 Think It Through
○ Elements and Influences of Worldviews
■ Record ideas about the following elements onto Venn Diagram
● Equality of others
● Responsibilities to others
● Human Nature
● Sources of ethical wisdom
4. Create a mind Map like the one on pg 164
a. Complete individually or in partners at table
b. Chare on the bored
c. Add to as we continue through the lesson
5.

Conclusion
Who are significant Aztec gods that shape their religious beliefs?
 6. Students will select an Aztec god and create a trading card for it (20 mins)
a. They will conduct research into the identified aspects
b. They will create a card online or with a recipe card

Assessment:
-Webs
Trading cards

Lesson Reflection:

This is a space for notes after you’ve taught the lesson.

Compare to Gods of another culture

-Find cross cultural equivalence
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Creation myths
-What are they