Multicultural Curriculum - Fourth Grade Science/Math Lesson Plan
Base 20 Maya Counting System
Content/Theme: The Maya Counting System
Grade: Fourth
Textbook Connection: Harcourt: Grade 4 Math Florida Edition, Unit 1, “It’s in the Bag”
Challenge – Other Bases – Base 10 Numeral Systems and Other Bases
Old Benchmark:
• MA.A.2.2.2. The student recognizes and compares the decimal number system to the
structure of other number systems such as the Roman numeral system or bases other
than ten.
Time: 1-2 Class Period
Objectives:
1. The student will understand characteristics of the Maya Culture and their Counting
System.
2. The students will be able to compare and contrast the Decimal Number System and the
Maya Counting System.
3. The student will add and subtract numbers using the Maya Counting System.
Differential Instruction Activities: Teachers may choose to do one or all of the student-centered
activities. Activities cover elements of Bloom’s taxonomy.
Teacher Preparation/Materials: Reading Passage, Maya Numbering System Symbols, Maya
Number Cut-outs, Venn Diagram, Math Problems Handout, Quiz
1. Pre-Reading Activities:
• After practicing/reviewing place values and the Decimal Number System, tell
students they are going to learn about another number system. Ask students if they
think there are other number systems besides the one we use in the world. Tell
students they are going to learn about the Mayas and their system of counting. Ask
students what they already know about the Mayas. Use a KWL or pair and share
activity to determine knowledge of the class.
2. During Reading Strategies:
• Use the reading passage as an independent reading activity, or read the Maya
Reading Passage aloud and/or use as a transparency. Have students circle when
they find a vocabulary word they do not know.
3. After Reading Strategies:
• Review: Discuss the reading passage by using a “Read, Say and Write” strategy to
cover main points about the Maya and the counting system. To do this, pair
students and ask them to talk to each other about three facts about the Maya and
then write them down. Have each pair report out their answers.
Department of Multicultural Education
School District of Palm Beach County, Florida 2009
•
•
•
•
•
Write the numbers: Call on volunteers to go to the board and duplicate some of
the symbols to review 1-19.
Venn Diagram Exercise: Use the Venn Diagram as a transparency and ask
students to fill out the similarities and differences between the Maya Counting
System and the Decimal Number System. Tell pairs that next, they are to use the
Venn diagram they have filled out to write three sentences to explain the Maya
Counting System.
Cut-out Activity: Distribute the symbol cut-out handout and have students cut out
all of the symbols. In pairs, have students make the symbols for each number 1-19.
Students will need to borrow symbols from their partners in order to make the
higher numbers. The teacher may choose to model this on the board with pre-made
symbols. Circulate to help understanding.
Math Lesson: Distribute the math problems. Show an example on the board and
ask students to pair up and complete the remainder.
Quiz: Distribute the student quiz. Students should use the reading passage and
complete the quiz independently or in pairs.
Answers: 1. c, 2. d, 3. a, 4. c, 5. b, 6. – 7. d, 8.
, 9.
,
10.
ESOL Strategies: Alternative Assessments, read aloud, modeling, visuals, cooperative learning
Assessment:
• Student Participation/Observation, Sentence Summary, Math Problems Student Handout,
Student Quiz
Resources:
http://www.mayankids.com\
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/maya/world.html
http://www.cancunsteve.com/Maya.htm
http://www.hanksville.org/yucatan/mayamath.html
Department of Multicultural Education
School District of Palm Beach County, Florida 2009
WHO WERE THE MAYAS?
AND HOW DID THEY COUNT?
The Mayas are a very large group of
native people, or indigenous people, who
live around the area of Central America
and Mexico. Their ancestors, or people
who came before them, can be traced
thousands and thousands of years ago,
back to 100 B.C. These ancestors lived
around the Yucatan Peninsula, an area
that is made up of parts of Mexico,
Guatemala, and Honduras.
The Maya ancestors invented and created
many things. One of the things they
The Yucatan Peninsula
invented is a way to count. The Mayas used
only three (3) symbols for counting. This is different than our system for
counting, which uses ten (10) different numbers. Our system is known as
the Decimal Number System.
Our 10 symbols have value when
we write them in certain ways, or
they have place values. In the
Maya System, it also matters
where you place each of their
three symbols.
HERE ARE THE MAYA SYMBOLS:
=
•
5
=1
(shell) = 0
Using these three symbols, the Maya put together large and small
numbers and added and subtracted them from each other.
Department of Multicultural Education
School District of Palm Beach County, Florida 2009
The picture to the left shows the Maya symbols
from 0-19. To create numbers higher than 19,
the Mayas placed the numbers vertically, or
on top of each other, to show value. The Maya
counting system is a complicated and
intelligent system of counting because of many
reasons. It was very important to have a “0” in
the counting system. This made it easy to
express numbers like 20, 30, 40, using “0” as a place marker. Also, in
the Maya culture where people worked in the marketplace, they were able
to use sticks, stones, pebbles, small bones, beans and other items to express
numbers.
Let’s compare our number systems:
First, let’s look at the way we count. Our system is a Base 10 system and
we put our symbols right next to one another.
In the number 425
The 4 is in a place that is worth 100 x 4, or the hundreds place value = 400
The 2 is in a place that is worth 10 x 2, or the tens place value
= 20
=5
The 5 is in a place that is worth 1 x 5 , or ones place value
_________
425
Now, lets look at the Maya way of counting: The Maya system is a
Base 20 system, instead of 10. And they put their symbols on top of one
another instead of across.
= 400
This symbol means 425
= 20
= 5
_____
425
The top “dot” is worth 400 x 1 or the 400’s place value
The middle “dot” is worth 20 x 1 or the 20’s place value
The bottom line is worth 1 x 5 or the 1’s (one’s) place value
Department of Multicultural Education
School District of Palm Beach County, Florida 2009
MAYA NUMBERING SYSTEM
6
+
Department of Multicultural Education
School District of Palm Beach County, Florida 2009
8
=
14
MAYA MATH SYMBOLS
CUT OUT THE SYMBOLS BELOW AND
MAKE THE MAYA NUMBERS 1-19
WITH YOUR GROUP MEMBERS
Department of Multicultural Education
School District of Palm Beach County, Florida 2009
VENN DIAGRAM
Maya Numbers and Maya Mathematic
Department of Multicultural Education
School District of Palm Beach County, Florida 2009
MATH PROBLEMS
EXAMPLE
Decimal Number System
10 + 3 = 13
MAYA
+● ● ● =
DIRECTIONS: Look at the math problem as it is written in the decimal number
system. Solve the problem. Next, Write the same problem, using Maya numerals.
Provide the answer, using Maya numerals.
Decimal Number System
7+2=
15 +3 =
7–4=
17 –4 =
18 – 10 =
11 + 6 =
Department of Multicultural Education
School District of Palm Beach County, Florida 2009
MAYA
Maya Numbers and Maya Mathematics
Quiz
NAME _________________________________________ DATE ________________
Directions: Read each question carefully and select the best answer.
1. Where are the Maya people from?
A. North American area
B. Mexico and Central America area
C. South American area
D. African area
2. What is one way to describe the Maya counting system?
F. They use a 10 base counting system
G. They use a 20 base counting system
H. They use numbers 1-19 in their counting system
I. They use symbols and numbers in their counting system
3. What is one difference about the Decimal Number System and the Maya Counting System?
A. Decimal place values are side by side; Maya place values are up and down
B. Decimal symbols are pictures; Maya symbols are numbers
C. Decimal number system has 25 numbers; Maya system has 19 symbols
D. Decimal number system is complicated; Maya system is simple
4. What is the Maya symbol for “0” used as the place marker?
F.
G.
H.
●
I. ☼
5. How did the Maya people use the counting system in the marketplace?
A. They wrote the symbols with chalk on paper.
B. They used sticks, stones, and small bones to represent the symbols.
C. They counted out loud.
D. They used fruits and vegetables.
6. Write the Maya symbol for “9”:
7. Write the Maya symbol for “13”:
8. (Write the answer in Maya symbols)
+
=
EXTRA CREDIT!!!! In the box below, explain how the Maya Counting System is different
than the Decimal Number System.
Department of Multicultural Education
School District of Palm Beach County, Florida 2009