Lesson 3

Why do you think museums are important?

1. Are museums important to young people? Why? Why not? Discuss with your classmates.

2. Read the two museum cards. Discuss them in pairs. Which card is accurate?

Which is not? How can you tell?

Pairs

This is a picture of Moctezuma’s headdress. It’s made of peacock feathers. Moctezuma was the last emperor of the Mexica. He invited the Spaniards into Tenochtitlan and gave them many gifts. This headdress was given to Cortes when Moctezuma surrendered Tenochtitlan to him in approx. 1628.

The Emperor Cuauhtemoc was the last emperor of the Aztecs. When Cortes and the Spaniards arrived, he knew that they were a great threat to the Aztec Empire. He opposed Moctezuma’s plan to allow them into Tenochtitlan. When his cousin Cuitlahuac succeeded Moctezuma, Cuautemoc fought against the Spaniards. He became emperor – it is thought at age 20 - after Cuitlahuac died. He continued to fight Cortes until the Spaniards tortured and executed him in 1525.

3. With a partner, make notes about the inaccuracies you find in the cards in activity 2. Research the correct history and discuss them.

Pairs Write

4. In pairs, rewrite the inaccurate museum card, using the information you researched.

5. Display your cards and practice presenting them by reading them aloud to your class.

Pairs

Step 3

Museum Cards

• Let's get our museum cards ready for the exhibition.

Get together with your teammates. Go over the ideas you wrote from the first session and agree with your team on what objects each one will bring or make, but anything that you may want to exhibit, must offer a museum card with all details included. Decide on what kind of materials your team will use to produce the museum cards and organize how many cards each member will write and bring to the

Show & Tell session. Remind them to bring the object as well next class.

Reading

Time

Facts

Track 28 The Founding of Tenochtitlan Read pages 85 to 88 . Do you think ruins can teach us things just like museums do? Why?