Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

The MexicoLore website's "Ancient Maya Music" section provides valuable resources for teachers exploring the role of music in Maya civilization. It covers the types of instruments used, their cultural and religious significance, and how music was integrated into ceremonies and daily life. The content is well-researched and includes images, expert insights, and interactive elements to engage students. This resource is ideal for supplementing lessons on the Maya, helping students connect with their traditions through the universal language of music.

tag(s): mayans (32), mexico (46), musical instruments (54)

Khan Academy's "Overview of Ancient Egypt" video provides a brief yet informative introduction to Ancient Egyptian civilization. It covers key aspects such as geography, the significance of the Nile River, religious beliefs, pharaohs, and significant cultural achievements, including pyramids and hieroglyphics. The resource is designed for learners of all levels, using clear explanations and visual aids to enhance understanding. As a teacher, you can use this video to introduce students to Ancient Egypt, spark discussions, or supplement lessons on early civilizations. The platform also offers related materials for deeper exploration of the topic.

tag(s): asia (136), egypt (59), myths and legends (42), pyramids (24), religions (113)

This PBS LearningMedia resource introduces students to the Mayan writing system, one of the most advanced in the ancient world. Through an engaging video and supporting materials, students will explore how the Maya used glyphs to record history, communicate ideas, and document daily life. The lesson includes discussion questions and activities encouraging students to analyze and create their own glyphs. Perfect for upper elementary and middle school classrooms, this resource brings history and language to life through interactive learning!
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tag(s): mayans (32), mexico (46)

Bring Ancient Egypt to Life with Engaging Videos! This Ancient Egypt YouTube Playlist is a fantastic resource for teachers looking to make history more interactive and visual. These videos cover topics like pyramids, pharaohs, daily life, and mythology, and help students see and hear the world of Ancient Egypt beyond the textbook. Perfect for introducing new concepts, sparking discussions, or reinforcing lessons, this playlist brings history to life in an educational and engaging way for learners of all levels. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
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tag(s): asia (136), egypt (59), myths and legends (42), pyramids (24)

Take Your Students on a Journey Through Ancient Egypt! The Twinkl Ancient Egypt Map Lesson is a fantastic resource for helping students explore the geography of this fascinating civilization. Students will learn about key locations like the Nile River, pyramids, temples, and ancient cities with detailed maps, interactive activities, and guided lessons, This ready-to-use lesson makes it easy to connect geography with history, helping students understand how the landscape shaped Egyptian life, trade, and culture. Perfect for an engaging and visual learning experience!

tag(s): asia (136), egypt (59), map skills (64), maps (224)

"What Life Was Like As An Incan" is a twelve-minute YouTube video highlighting the ancient Incas. The video highlights surgery, food, travel, astronomy, architecture, babites, marriage, and mummification.

tag(s): south america (77)

The Discover Peru website's page on Andean and Inca music offers an accessible introduction to the musical traditions of the Inca civilization. It explains that the Inca primarily utilized wind and percussion instruments, such as panpipes (zamponas), flutes (quenas), and drums (tinya and wankara), in their music. These instruments played a significant role in various aspects of Inca society, including religious ceremonies, agricultural festivals, and daily life. The site also notes that string instruments were introduced later by the Spanish.
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tag(s): musical instruments (54), south america (77)

Discover an interactive digital lesson that explores how the Inka Empire engineered a 25,000-mile road network across challenging Andean terrain without the use of wheels or metal tools. The lesson incorporates maps, videos, historical illustrations, and inquiry-based activities to examine Inka innovations in transportation, agriculture, and water management. It also highlights how Indigenous communities continue to use and preserve these technologies today.

tag(s): inquiry (30), south america (77)

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian website features "Children of the Sun," a creation story from the Inca tradition. This illustrated, child-friendly resource shares how the Inca believed the first people were sent by the sun god to bring order and knowledge to the world. Presented as part of the "Inka Road" exhibit, the story emphasizes cultural values such as leadership, unity, and connection to nature.

tag(s): south america (77), stories and storytelling (63)

Share the podcast episode "The Inca Empire: Everything You Wanted To Know." This one-hour program, available on Apple Podcasts, explores everyday life in the Inca civilization. It answers questions such as what daily routines looked like, how the Inca used knotted cords (quipu) to count and record information, and why stones held deep spiritual significance in their culture.

tag(s): podcasts (116), south america (77)

Explore the Inca civilization's sophisticated use of quipu--a system of knotted cords--for recording information. These cords, made from cotton or camelid fiber, utilized a base-ten system to represent numbers, effectively functioning as a three-dimensional, tactile spreadsheet. The article highlights how quipu served as a powerful administrative tool, enabling the Incas to manage their vast empire without a written language.
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tag(s): communication (130), south america (77)

National Geographic: The Mali Empire is an article highlighting how King Sundiata Keita, also known as the "Lion King," brought wealth, culture, and Islamic faith to West Africa's Mali Empire. It also discusses the fall of the empire after his death. The article includes a vocabulary section.

tag(s): africa (170)

The Griot tradition of West Africa featuring Sibo Bangoura is a six-minute video featuring Sibo playing the Kora. Sibo sings a traditional West African song called Nan Fulie, which focuses on the importance of the Griot people. He additionally features an improvisation on the Djembe.
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tag(s): africa (170)

PBS's Timbuktu | Religion & Ethics Newsweekly is a six-minute video featuring what appears to be an ancient manuscript found in Timbuktu. It highlights the city's history and the Islamic religion. Share the video via Google Classroom or from the provided link. Teachers can also build a lesson with the video. The video aligns with the New York State Core Curriculum.

tag(s): africa (170), religions (113)

Sundiata, Lion King of Mali is a Reader's Theatre script for middle school students. Sundiata was the prince and founder of the Mali Empire. The play focuses on life before he was born and continues throughout his adult life.

tag(s): africa (170)

Inca Empire for Kids: Myths, Legends, and Stories highlights how studying myths, legends, and stories tells the story of the civilization. Featured are links to the Incan creation myth video, the llama legend, the myth of Mano Capac, the myth of the Rod of Gold, and more.
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tag(s): myths and legends (42)

View this in-depth look at how the Inca civilization thrived through practical innovation. The site explores topics such as the role of llamas in daily life, strategies used to unite newly conquered tribes, the purpose and design of Incan roads, and how messengers navigated the empire. The site also covers the empire's defense systems, the way Incan architecture blended with the landscape, and how they communicated without a written language. Rich in content, the site includes photos, videos, and maps to enhance student understanding.

tag(s): architecture (84), south america (77)

Ghosts of Machu Picchu is a free site that explores careers related to Machu Picchu. The site offers a video on the Ghost of Machu Picchu, an interview on the Incas' ice mummies, a profile of a climate expert, and a lesson on ice mummies. The lesson is divided into grades 5-8 and 9-12, with an extension activity on falling on the leaning tower.

tag(s): climate (85), south america (77)

This blog post highlights how the Inca Empire used advanced standards and technology, like the khipu for record-keeping and a vast road network, to manage their civilization. It shows how measurement, organization, and engineering helped the Incas thrive without a written language. This resource is great for middle and high school lessons on Indigenous innovation and infrastructure.

tag(s): south america (77)

Road to Machu Picchu--Peru in 4K is a four-minute video with no audio. It features live images of Machu Picchu and other areas of Peru, including the Amazon Rainforest, and ends in Panama. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): cultures (226), south america (77)