Lesson video

Hello everybody.

I am Molly and welcome to today's lesson on the beginning of the world.

So in this unit we are going to be exploring stories that have been told all across the world.

And today, we are going to be looking at Mayan myths.

So these myths have come from South America and these stories and legends weren't written down but they were passed down by telling each other these stories from generation to generation.

A lot of their stories had to do with nature and how certain things came to be.

Most had a story about how the earth and people were created called creation myths in today's lesson, you are going to need some space.

So make sure that you've got lots of space.

You can stretch your arms everywhere.

You can touch your toes.

There's nothing on the floor.

Have a look while you're down there and you're not going to bump your head on anything.

Here is how today's lesson is going to look.

So firstly, we are going to have a warm up.

Then we are going to have a look at a Mayan myth and how the world began.

Then we will see what challenges the gods faced whilst they were creating men.

And to finish our lesson today, we are going to have question time, to see what you have learned from today's session.

Here are your key words for today.

Gaze, to look at with concentration.

Role, an actor's as role in a play, film, et cetera.

Expression, a look on someone's face that shows a particular emotion.

For all of this lesson.

You are going to need quite a lot of space.

So please make sure that there's nothing around you that you are going to bump into.

Please make sure that there's nothing on the floor that you had to stand on.

Make sure you're not going to bump your head on anything either.

So please pause the video now so that you can clear your space.

Today, we are looking at the Mayan myth of how the world began, but before we do, we have to warm up.

So for our warmup, you are going to create your own world.

So you're going to try and persuade, the rest of the earth to come enjoy your new world.

But firstly, let me think of a name, a name for your new world.

So what would you call it? So please pause the video.

Whilst you have a think of your name for your new world Great.

Now, we have a name for our new world, exciting.

Now have a think about what do you like about earth that you might like to keep and bring with you to your world? So do you like the trees, the birds, the aeroplanes.

You can only take five things from earth to your new world.

So what would they be? Please pause the video whilst you have a think.

Great.

So now I would like to think about three things that you are going to create for your new world.

So might you allow it to be safe enough for giraffes to sleep in your back garden or aeroplanes to fly you to the shops? So three things to create for your new world.

Please pause the video whilst you have a think.

Fabulous.

You have now created your very own new world.

So now you are going to have to pitch it to the earth.

So you're going to have to try and sell it to the earth.

You are going live on television shortly and you need to persuade everyone that your world is better than the one that we are living on, currently.

Remember you have to have a lots of energy when performing.

So this makes your performance engaging making everyone on earth.

Want to see what you have to say.

Hello and welcome.

Today we have someone on the world news who believes there is a better place to live than earth.

And here they are to tell us why we should pack our suitcases and moved to this new world going live in five, four, three, two, one.

Please pause the video while you perform your advert to your new world.

Brilliant work well done.

I think I may well pack my suitcase and come and join you.

Now, shall we find out about the Mayan myth and how the world was created.

Before the world had really began, there were two gods.

These gods were the maker and the feathered spirit.

And while the world around them was dark and the two gods were gifted with brilliant red and green feathers.

They came together to create the world.

Whatever they thought came true.

So when they thought earth, land formed in the darkness.

When they thought of mountains and valleys pine trees and sky, all of these things appeared the instance they thought of them.

And then the earth was formed.

I would like you to imagine, you are stood high above the earth and you have the powers, the maker and the feathered spirit have.

You think of things that the world need and they appear.

You're going to point to objects around your room and imagine the trees, wildlife and other things you can think are appearing.

Once they've appeared, I want you to use your gaze to act this out.

So if a huge mountain appears, where will your eyes look? Okay? If you create birds will your eyes be looking around the room? So please pause the video whilst you see the world that you have created.

Great.

So now you have an idea of what you have created.

We are going to use our bodies to make these creations.

So how would you use your body to become a mountain? How would you use your body to become a tree? I would like you to choose three creations and you are going to perform each of them and not stop in between them.

So you are going to move from one creation might be your huge mountain.

Then you might move into your creation of a tree and you're going to move into it slowly.

Then it might be the creation of grass.

You might be moving in the breeze.

Okay, great.

So hold your first one for five seconds and then slowly move into your next movement and phase it for five seconds and then move into your next movement.

Like I said, you will then create a piece of physical theatre.

Please pause the video whilst you use your bodies to make your world creation Fab work, brilliant.

So after that, the two gods decided that they needed humans to look after the world that they had created and also praise them for creating.

So they created deer and birds and panthers and serpents all the creatures that roam the earth today.

Now, "Praise us, say our names," commanded the creators.

But the animals could only roar or howl or grumble or tweet.

They tried as hard as they could to speak, but they could not.

They chirped a mewed at the top of their lungs.

How many wonderful and weird animal noises can you make? Please pause the video whilst you have a go.

Oh dear, the noise was so deafening.

The gods ordered them to stop at once.

The maker and the feathered spirit were disappointed with their creation.

So they would have to create better beings ones that were able to worship them properly.

The first group of men they made were made from wax clay.

So the creators gave them life and the first man tried to speak but instead they crumbled apart.

Instantly the gods knew that they'd made a mistake and knew they had to make a better group of men.

One that was stronger than wax clay.

So I would like you now to pretend that you are one of the gods, either the maker or the feathered spirit.

And you are going to create a being out of wax clay, remember all the body parts but once you stand your wax clay man up.

It just crumbles to the ground, it tries standing up and he just crumbled to the ground.

So how do you think you might react, use your face your body and your voice for this improvisation.

So please pause the video whilst you make your wax clay man.

The second race of men were carved from wood and these were much stronger and they were able to walk and talk but these men had no minds and their hearts were empty.

They had no memory of their creation and when they spoke their words they were just empty and meaningless.

So we have a good understanding of the woodman that the two gods created.

So I would like you to play the role of the wooden men remembering that they had no minds and their hearts were empty.

So think about how that might change your voice.

How might you talk if you haven't got any expression, thoughts or passion? So I would like you to imagine, I have just asked you what would you like to do today? And you are going to reply in role as the woodsman using your voice without any expression any thought or any passion.

Okay, please pause the video so that you can have a go.

They were so unhappy with their creations.

They sent down a great flood to destroy them.

They commanded the animals attack the survivors and tear them to pieces.

The few who managed to escape went to the woods and became monkeys.

The maker and the feathered spirit thought for a long time about how they should make the race of men they wanted.

There seemed to be no perfect material to build them.

Finally, some animals brought the gods the stack of white corn, which grew on the far side of the earth.

The gods, ground this into a paste.

And from this, they formed four individual men.

And this is what you are going to do.

I think like baking a cake you have to make sure it is perfect.

So you're going to grind down the corn mix it up, carefully create your man.

Like you carefully pour a cake into a mixture or a tin.

You have to be very, very delicate because this has to work.

Please pause the video whilst you create your perfect being.

The new beings seemed perfect.

They were strong enough to last and their minds were granted with thoughts and feelings.

The first thing the gods wanted after creating that perfect being, was that the corn men immediately worship the gods and thank them for their lives.

The gods asked the corn men, what they could see and they replied, everything.

I can see everything your entire creation to the edge of the earth.

If you had vision like that what do you think you'd be able to see? So please pause the video whilst you have a look and tell us what you can see.

I got to look at each other and thought perhaps we made these beings too well.

They should not be able to see as well as we do.

So the makers removed some of the men's vision.

After that, they could only see things close to them.

They were no longer able to see through or above things.

Therefore their understanding of the world was weakened but the created man, still sang their praises and settle down to live on the new land.

The gods then created four women.

These eight men and women then continue to tell their stories for years and years to come.

For our final exercise you are going to choose to play either the maker or the feather spirit, whichever god you choose.

And you are going to talk about, firstly what you imagined your perfect human to be like before you started this process how they would behave, how they would look.

Then I would like you to fast-forward to discuss what challenges you faced whilst creating your perfect being, which took a few you goes, didn't it ? it wasn't perfect the first time.

So I want you to think about, what went wrong? How did you fix them? And I'd like you to talk us through each stage.

So please, can you pause the video whilst you tell us how you created man.

Super work today everybody, it has been wonderful learning about the Mayan myth and how the world began.

So to finish off today's session I have got a little question for you.

What were the names of the two Mayan mythical gods? Was it, option one, the maker and the brushed spirit? Option two the shaker and the feathered spirit? Number three, the maker and the feathered spirit? What do you think the answer to that might be? That is correct.

It is option three, the maker and the feathered spirit.

Well done.

Now you can share your work with Oak National.

And if you'd like to please ask your parent or carer to share your work on Twitter tagging @OakNational and #LearnwithOak.