NCMA Explore Teacher Resources: Ancient Mexico (NCMA Explore Resource)
Use our 5-Day pacing guide for ideas on how to make the most of NCMA Explore: Ancient Mexico tools and resources in your classroom.
Pre-Explore Resource: Pack Your Bags for Mexico!
The “Pack Your Bags for Mexico!” activity is designed to help students build background knowledge on Mexico before they engage with the Ancient Mexico portion of NCMA Explore. This activity should be assigned to students to complete independently on a device in class or for homework and should take about 15-20 minutes. Make sure students view slides in presentation mode to support animations. If you’d like to copy and edit a version of this activity, click here.
Post-Explore Resources
Convince Me! Debate Protocol
- This activity engages students in a process of preparing and defending an argument around the question “Where do ancient artifacts belong?” Students work in pairs and the activity takes 45-50 minutes, spread over two days. Print the note catcher for students here.
Art Card for Dog Effigy
- Use the NCMA Explore art card slide deck for the Dog Effigy to engage students in a deeper, whole-class discussion around an object from the NCMA Explore Ancient Mexico learning environment. To wrap up the activity, ask students to consider via think-pair-share: How does this object help us understand what people in ancient Mexico valued? How do these values align with values in your local, statewide, or national community? The art card slide deck activity takes about 25 minutes to complete.