Recently kindergarteners headed to Chichen Itza, a large Mayan city on the Yucatán peninsula of modern-day Mexico. This visit was prompted by the students, several of whom had asked for ‘South American symbols’ during social studies time. We organized a hybrid social studies/Spanish class time to accommodate the students’ curiosity.

First we read People of Corn: A Mayan Story by Mary-Joan Gerson and illustrated by Carla Golembe. We discussed the significance of corn and weather in Mayan culture and students were introduced to the two gods of Mayan creation: Plumed Serpent and Heart of Sky. Finally we looked at traditional latin-american dishes made from maíz (corn).

After reading People of Corn we showed the students Chichen Itza:

A conversation about the shapes (in Spanish) and the weather (also in Spanish) led us on to our own building time. Students who wished to work together were asked to use classroom material such as blocks, and students who wished to work alone were given legos. Everyone worked to recreate Chichen Itza in their own way.