Learning from the Maya About Diversity, Culture and Ecology ~ A Teacher’s and Parent’s Guide

The Guide and Ideas to Help Use It Effectively

Since the Guide is made up of three lessons, it can be used in a program once a week or over three or more weeks. If limited time is available, it can be useful to present even one or two of the lessons.

Each lesson contains the following parts: Goals, Background, Vocabulary, Materials, Activities, Assessment, Resources. The Background for each section helps teachers or parents to lead students in the questions and suggestions for analysis contained in the Learning Activities.
In schools, the Guide and coloring book can be used as part of a social studies segment on Latin America or in World Cultures classes. Of course, individual teachers may relate and adapt the lessons to the “Learning Standards” requirements of their locality. Parents can use the Guide in more informal ways according to their discretion. The social dimensions of the Guide also make it appropriate for a Sunday school class.
Recommended grade levels for use of the Guide range from grades two to five but some teachers have used parts of the lessons effectively with kindergarten and grade one.
Activities in Lessons 2 and 3 of the Guide relate to one another but teachers can adapt each lesson to the levels and needs of a particular class. Arts and crafts from other countries and cultures could also be incorporated as examples in lessons 2 and 3.
The bilingual text of Maya Arts and Crafts of Guatemala/Artes y Artesanías Mayas de Guatemala coloring book makes it especially useful in multicultural and Spanish language classes.

A number of the lessons recommend using examples of Maya traditional arts as part of learning activities (see Resources for information about a Teacher’s Kit containing various crafts.) But even if no examples are available, activities are given for use of the guide with only the coloring book drawings. For Lessons 2 and 3, two downloadable and printable drawings are provided. Enlarged copies (at least 11"x 17") of illustrations in Maya Arts and Crafts of Guatemala are also useful. Images showing Maya textiles from other crafts books and websites help to facilitate discussion.

Terms of Use:

For the Parent’s and Teacher’s Guide: Parents and Educators are encouraged to reproduce this Guide for use in the classroom or at home with children. If you use these materials, please email: manderson@igc.org. Please write me if you find this guide helpful. Feedback and suggestions for improvements are welcome!

After purchasing at least one copy, educators may photocopy individual drawings from Maya Arts and Crafts of Guatemala/Artes y Artesanías Mayas de Guatemala Coloring Book for students in a classroom setting. (Please do not make copies of the whole book.) Those making use of this privilege are invited to consider a contribution of any size toward printing coloring books for children in Guatemala. Checks should be made out to our fiscal sponsor, Rights Action (with Pro Arte Maya written on the "memo" or "subject" line). Send contributions to: Marilyn Anderson, 34 Nicholson Street, Rochester, NY 14620. All checks are forwarded to Rights Action.