the cacao plant is a South American tree with yellowish flowers and reddish brown seeds, which are used to make chocolate and cocoa

maize is another word for corn and is a tall-growing grain that produces yellow kernels on long ears

Cacao and maize

History

The mysteries of the Copan tomb

Maya cities and the geography of Mesoamerica

Bloodletting and the Maya

The calendars of the Maya

What made the Maya so distinctive?

In ‘Non-European societies: Benin or the Maya’ pupils are encouraged to compare and contrast their understanding of Anglo-Saxon England with a non-European society that was roughly contemporaneous. In ‘Significant turning points: how did experiences differ during WW2?' Pupils extend their chronological understanding by studying the significant turning point of WW2.

In ‘The Vikings: how did Viking settlement help to make England?’ pupils studied the political narrative of how Viking settlement helped to forge England. In ‘Non-European societies: Benin or the Maya’ pupils are encouraged to compare and contrast their understanding of Anglo-Saxon England with a non-European society that was roughly contemporaneous.

If pupils study Benin, they learn about Benin's culture and society and how its looted artworks have caused modern controversy. If they study the Maya, they build knowledge of this civilisation to analyse what made them so distinctive.

Non-European societies: Benin or the Maya

The South American tree with yellowish flowers and reddish brown seeds, which is used in making chocolate and cocoa, is known as the {{  }} plant.

The cacao pods were harvested from the cacao tree.

The seeds were extracted from the pods and left to dry.

The seeds were roasted to bring out the flavour.

The paste was mixed with water and other ingredients like chilli and honey.

The mixture was boiled and stirred to make it frothy.

How did the Maya prepare hot chocolate? Order the steps correctly, starting with the first one.

it had to be imported from other parts of the world

The Maya believed that cacao was sacred because ...

According the the Maya creation myth, the gods made {{  }} from maize dough.

The Maya lived in a part of central America called ...

Which of the following were features of a Maya city?

The Maya practised {{  }} - the practice of cutting part of the body to release blood.

the belief in and worship of a god or gods

a religious ceremony where prescribed actions are performed

Cacao and maize

Lesson outcome