This unit, designed for use with intermediate and junior high school students, centers on the Mayan, Aztec and Incan civilizations in Central and South America and contains literature selections, poetry, writing ideas, curriculum connections to other subjects, group projects and more. The literary works included are: The corn grows ripe / by Dorothy Rhoads -- Aztecs: the fall of the Aztec capital / by Richard Platt -- Secret of the Andes / Ann Nolan Clark.

The Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs were three groups of people found living in the ancient Americas. Though they were clearly alike, they were also unique. All three civilizations ended when Spanish explorers moved into the Americas.

Sharing many common beliefs, deities, and rituals, the religion of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca was rooted in both the earth and the sky, the rhythms of the seasons, and the movements of the sun, moon, and stars. Readers will meet rain and sun gods, corn gods and fertility gods, earth mothers who are both creators and destroyers, and even a feathered serpent. Lavish primary-source images of arts and artifacts are paired with text that is both information-packed and enthralling. Readers who enter this pantheon are in for an awe-inspiring cultural journey through the divine mysteries of time and space.

"Fascinated by the history and cultures of three highly developed ancient societies--the Mayans, followed by the Aztecs in Mesoamerica and the Incas farther south--Ferguson examines their artifacts and those of the Spanish conquistadors, in relation to the traditions preserved today by their many descendants...Part anthropological study, part history and part folklore... distills a huge amount of information to present a clear, uncluttered and rich resource."--"Publishers Weekly." "Fun, inspiring, educational, and all in all, a great read."--"The New Times."

The Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs were three groups of people found living in the ancient Americas, including the Andes Mountains and a city named Tenochtitlán. This intriguing book features details about these three incredible civilizations and explores how each of them fell when Spanish explorers found their settlements. Through detailed images and maps, captivating sidebars and facts, and an accessible glossary and index, readers will learn about leaders like Moctezuma as well as how these civilizations used farming, hieroglyphics, and glyphs to create their unique cultures.

Presents a brief overview of these cultures, their customs, religion, gods, heroes, and legends.