Studying myths can be a first step towards appreciating ancient cultures. Students will learn about Maya mythology, the Mesoamerican ballgame and the geography of the region. They will learn about the Underworld as the Maya might have imagined it. The Maya Math challenges will invite them to be flexible in their thinking, as they work with a base 20 numeral system. 

I taught at Guatemala’s first Waldorf School located in an isolated indigenous Mayan village on the shores of Lake Atitlan. Over the three years I lived on Lake Atitlan, I developed a good understanding of the local cultures which today allows me to bring Mayan mythology and imagery to the classroom. I adapted to a school play the stories of the "Popol Vuh", a Quiché Maya narrative about creation relayed down orally for many generations. This includes the story of the Hero Twins descending to Xibalbá. My grade 4/5 class presented the play to the village community.