This unit is guided by the question "How is history constructed?" In this unit, middle to secondary school students explore a variety of accounts of the clash of cultures that occurred between the Spanish and the Aztecs. Students examine a variety of primary sources and analyze the various perspectives presented. The six activities…

This guide features Mexican history, culture, and the environment in the years past and present. This guide discusses five periods of Mexican history, including: (1) Indian Period; (2) Colonial Period; (3) Independence Movement; (4) The Revolution; and (5) Mexico Today. Each section has goals for the students, background readings, and activities…

A rich artistic tradition developed in Mexico hundreds of years prior to the arrival of the Spanish. The indigenous people of Mexico created beautiful works of art that reflected their religious beliefs. Then the Spanish Conquest and colonization during the 1500s introduced Spanish beliefs and traditions to the region. This curriculum unit…

Addresses the need to present a multiculturalist approach in elementary and secondary school general music classes. Suggests connections between particular music teaching methods and ethnic musical traditions. Includes lesson plans concerning the teaching of Native American, African-American, Filipino, and Latin American music. (SG)

Addresses the question of why Mesoamerican religions and related cultures disappeared after the conquest. Argues that certain principles of social organization and behavior have survived to today. Discusses four principles among those that have always been of fundamental importance to Mesoamerican peoples: (1) cardinality; (2) duality; (3)…

Identifies four confusions in conceptualizing diversity in the curriculum: the misidentification of what constitutes diversity, studying an artifact from the perspective of mainstream culture, homogenizing cultures, and exoticizing or fetishizing cultures. Proposes a "border consciousness" approach, emphasizing equal legitimacy and cross…

This annotated bibliography on the topic of multicultural education is intended to accompany a special collection of documents on microfiche selected from the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) bibliographic database. Evaluation reports of state and district efforts to implement multicultural curricula, and step by step instruction on…

Presents information on the Capac Nan, the highway system of the Incas. Describes its use by the Spanish conquistadors in the destruction of the Incan empire. Includes suggested classroom uses for the article, a homework assignment, and discussion topics. (DK)

This resource packet includes a teacher's guide, reproducible student activity sheets, a simulation game: "Life with the Incas", and a poster. The resource presents a cross-curricular thematic approach to the United Kingdom's National Curriculum. The materials look at the Andes and the Andean people, the Quechuan, who live in the…