The Mayan Pyramids
of Tulum
SAMPLE
Text and photos by Carolina Cisneros
SAMPLE
The Mayan Pyramids of Tulum
© 2014 Pacific Learning
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, taping or any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher.
Photo on page 7 © John Copland/Shutterstock.com
Published in the United States of America by:
Pacific Learning
6262 Katella Avenue
Cypress, CA 90630
www.pacificlearning.com
ISBN: 978-1-61391-475-5
PL- 6936
The Mayan Pyramids
of Tulum
SAMPLE
Text and photos by Carolina Cisneros
The Mayan people lived in
SAMPLE
southern Mexico and in Central
America.
They were very good architects
and built beautiful pyramids.
2
SAMPLE
3
SAMPLE
In the state of Quintana Roo,
Mexico, the Mayans built a city
of pyramids called Tulum.
4
SAMPLE
5
SAMPLE
The Mayan city of Tulum is very
special because it sits at the
edge of the sea.
6
SAMPLE
7
SAMPLE
The word Tulum means “wall.”
The city that the Mayans built
there was surrounded by a
stone wall.
8
SAMPLE
9
The stone wall was high
and wide.
SAMPLE
There was an entrance on
each side.
There were also towers for
guarding against enemies.
10
SAMPLE
11
The wall was constructed to
SAMPLE
protect the city and its people.
Now the iguanas use the wall.
It’s their favorite place to bask in
the sun.
12
SAMPLE
13
The pyramids of Tulum were built
in the typical style of the Mayan
people.
SAMPLE
They don’t resemble the pyramids
of Egypt because they are not
triangular.
On the contrary, they are more
square-shaped.
14
SAMPLE
15
The Mayan pyramids are also
SAMPLE
known for the columns that
supported the roof. These
columns were not present in the
pyramids of Egypt.
16
SAMPLE
17
There are three very interesting
pyramids that remain in Tulum.
SAMPLE
The first is known as “The Castle”
because it is the largest.
Archaeologists think that this
building was the most important
for the Mayan people.
18
SAMPLE
The Castle
19
The second is the “Temple of the
Frescoes.” A fresco is a painting
SAMPLE
done directly onto a wall while
the plaster is still wet. You can still
see traces of the paint if you look
carefully. This building was used to
observe the stars and the sun.
20
SAMPLE
The Temple of the Frescoes
21
The third and final building is
SAMPLE
the “Temple of the Descending
God.” Many people think this
is the most beautiful of all the
pyramids.
22
SAMPLE
The Temple of the Descending God
23
SAMPLE
24
Intervention Level: 28
Guided Reading Level: M
Word Count: 282
Genre: Informational Text – Social Studies
Text Structures: Descriptive, Comparison/Contrast
SAMPLE
High Frequency Words:
all
an
are
because
by
call
can
done
first
in
its
known
live
look
many
not
now
of
see
sit
still
that
their
there
these
they
think
this
three
use
very
was
were
you
Intervention Level: 28
Guided Reading Level: M
SAMPLE
PL 6936
www.pacificlearning.com