Grade Level:
Subject
4
Area(s):
_X_ Reading,
Title: Aztec
Writing,
Empire
__ Mathematics
Research
Essential Question(s):
GT Differentiated Exemplar Lesson
TEKS/Student Expectations:
__ Science
_X_ Social Studies




How did the Aztec Empire social world function?
What were the differences between poor and noble
Aztec citizens?
 How can you design a noble Aztec home from
reading and understanding what you know about
them?
 Why did the Aztec Empire Collapse?
Assessment(s):
__ Pre-Assessment
X Formative
X Summative
GT Scope and Sequence Student Learning Styles:
Skills:
__ Auditory
st
(Aligned with 21 Century
_X_ Visual/Spatial
Skills Framework & College
_X_ Kinesthetic
and Career Readiness
__ Other
Standards)
_X_ Creative Thinking
_X_ Critical Thinking
_X_ Communication
_X_ Research
X_ Whole Class
_X_ Small Group

4.24 Research/Gathering Sources. Students determine, locate, and explore the full range
of relevant sources addressing a research question and systematically record the
information they gather
4.22d The student will create written and visual materials such as journal entries, reports,
graphic organizers, outlines and bibliographies
4.11 Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Expository Text. Students analyze,
make inferences and draw conclusions about expository text and provide evidence from
text to support their understanding
Elements of
Depth and
___Ethical Considerations
Complexity:
_X_ Unanswered Questions
_X_
___ Over Time
Language of
_X_ Different Perspectives
the
_X_ Big Ideas
Discipline
_X_ Details
__ Patterns
__ Trends
__ Rules
Lessons and Activities
_X_ Independent Activity
PART ONE:
Whole Class: Read the Daily Life of Aztecs page together as a guided
reading activity. Highlight crucial information and discuss as a class.
Resources:
LMC Aztec book:
http://ibistro.austinisd.org/uhtbin/cgisirsi/?ps=YHPDMT0d6H/LMC/221020088/9
Website: http://aztecs.mrdonn.org/index.html
On Grade Level: Students work in pairs to answer the questions that
follow on the assessment
Daily Life of Aztecs page with Assessment and Activities (on following pages)
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Austin Independent School District
GT Level Group: Students work in GT clusters to create 10 more questions
to add to the assessment for all of the class to answer
PART TWO:
Whole Class: Teacher models for students how to access the Aztecs for
Kids website and how to navigate in it
On Grade Level: Students work in pairs to collect and analyze information
from the website on the Aztecs. They can record facts in their Reading or
Social Studies journals
GT Level: Students work in GT clusters to collect and analyze information
from the website on the Aztecs. They can create a powerpoint with the
facts to show the class and teach their peers what they have learned
PART THREE:
Whole Class: Teacher shows pictures to students of examples of Aztec
homes from website.
On Grade Level: Students work in pairs to create a 3-D model of a noble
Aztec home with labels
GT Level: Students are the “experts” and choose a pair to help in creating
the 3-D models of the Aztec homes with labels
Whole Class: Class gallery walk of the Aztec home models to share.
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Austin Independent School District
Daily Life of Aztecs
Like nearly all of the ancient civilizations, the rich lived in luxury and the poor worked. In the Aztec civilization, class
structure was very important.
Homes:
The Poor: Homes of the farmers and other commoners were huts with thatched roofs. Furniture was limited. They
might have mats on the floor and woven trunks to hold belongings. They had blankets and pottery for cooking.
Everyone had a garden of their own, including farmers.
The Rich: Homes of the nobles and wealthy were made of sun-dried brick. If you were very wealthy, you home
could be made of stone. All homes were whitewashed to make them look clean and shiny. Each noble home had a
separate room for steam bathing. Water was poured over heated stones. Bathing was an important part of daily life
and of religion. Bathing was believed to clean both the body and soul.
Clothing:
Upper Class: People in the upper class wore clothing decorated with feathers and embroidery to show their status.
They also carried fans made of feathers
Common People: It was against the law for commoners to wear feathers. It was against the law for commoners to
carry fans. If commoners broke these laws, they were killed.
Marriage: At about age 20, men married women who were ages 14-15. A man could have more than one wife as long
as he could support her. Weddings were arranged, usually with the help of a matchmaker. Matchmakers were usually
old women. The bride’s family gave a party for three or four days before the wedding. The day of the wedding, the
bride rode piggyback on the matchmaker to her new home. There, while they were wearing them, in the front the hearth
(the fireplace), the bride and grooms coats were tied together. From that point on, they were married.
New Babies: The birth of a baby was a really big deal. The Aztecs welcomed all life. The birth of a boy or a girl was
celebrated. This was true for nobles and commoners.
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Austin Independent School District
Correct Behavior: The Aztecs were very concerned that all their citizens behave correctly. This code of behavior was
written down. And it was the law. Children were taught correct behavior in the Aztec schools.
Slaves: The Aztec nobles had slaves. Slaves were not captured people. They were Aztecs.
Poetry: For all their love of war, the Aztecs had a softer side. They loved to write and to read poetry. Much of their
poetry was about a heroic act of love, war, or religion.
Games: The Aztecs loved games. They loved to give people a sporting chance. Some of the games they played
included a ball game similar to one played by the ancient Maya. In fact, the game probably was borrow from the Mayas
(who most probably borrowed it from the Olmecs, the people before them.)
Schools: Kids went to school. To build the city they wanted, they knew that they would need many engineers, builders,
and traders. To solve this problem, the Aztecs created schools for their children. Attendance at school was mandatory.
All Aztec children had to attend school, even girls and slaves. The Aztecs were the only people in the world at this time
in history to have free schools that every child had to attend by law.
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Austin Independent School District
Name:_____________ __________________
Date:_____________________
I.
Draw a picture of what you think the Upper Class and Common people dressed like, according to what you have
read.
1. What was special about Aztec
schools?______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. What was the Aztecs view on marriage and on
babies?_______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3. Did the Aztecs have slaves?____________
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Austin Independent School District
II.
Name:____________________________
Date:_________________________
____________________________
Aztecs Quiz
True or False?
___ The Aztecs had slaves.
___ German soldiers arrived in the Valley of Mexico around 1900
___ The Spanish brought horses and fighting dogs to Mexico
___ The Aztecs cherished (loved) life and celebrated the birth of a baby
___ The poor lived in houses made of sun-dried brick and wore feathers
___ All Aztec children went to school
___ Aztecs did not like games
___ Aztecs believed in behaving correctly and obeying the laws
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___ Common people were put in jail if they broke the law
___ Aztecs did not believe it was important to bathe
Who did the Aztecs think Cortes was?
a) A Mayan god b) Quezalcoatl c) Moctezuma
When did the Aztec empire collapse?
a) 1923
b) 400
c) mid-1500’s
III. Design a house a noble Aztec would live in and label it with all the things you would find inside and
outside. You can use clay, play dough, cardboard, natural materials (grass, sticks, rocks), a shoebox
or a Kleenex box to get started.
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Austin Independent School District
Process Assessment
Teacher observes the following:
Process Observation - Frequency
Student uses correct terminology during interactions with peers and teacher.
Seldom/Never
Occasionally
Often
Consistently
Process Observation – Frequency
The student is able to guess the genre of a book by its criteria.
Seldom/Never
Occasionally
Often
Consistently
Process Observation – Quality of Creative Thinking
Typical of Peers
Student uses creativity throughout the stages of the task.
Fluent Thinker
Flexible Thinker
Unique and Original
Process Observation – Quality of Analytical Thinking
Typical of Peers
Student analyzes information during the task.
Fluent Thinker
Flexible Thinker
Unique and Original
Product Assessment
Score
Genres
Booklet
Critical Thinking
3
Student compares and contrasts
fiction and non-fiction books.
The content highlights unique information
for the two genres and shows connections
to books not previously read aloud in class.
Student applies knowledge of the
distinguishing characteristics of genres to make
predictions and verify the predictions.
2
Student compares fiction and nonfiction books.
Includes distinctive information for each
genre in the booklet. The content easily
connects to the books read aloud in class.
Student applies knowledge of the
distinguishing characteristics of genres to make
predictions.
Includes distinguishing information for each
genre in the booklet.
Student predicts the contents of a book.
1
Student distinguishes between fiction
and non-fiction books.
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Austin Independent School District