Week 1
Lesson 1
Who Were the Ancient Maya and How Do We Know?
In our first week, we will introduce the ancient Maya civilization and its setting in Mexico and Central America. We will place the ancient Maya on a timeline of world history and recognize that millions of Maya people live today. We will discuss sources of information that teach us about the ancient Maya, including archaeological evidence, Maya texts (codices, monuments, and pottery), and accounts from the time of the Spanish Conquest and from modern-day Maya.
 Week 2
Lesson 2
The Earliest Maya 
How did the Maya civilization come to be? We will travel back in time thousands of years to trace the early history of the Maya from hunter-gatherers to the development of permanent settlements and agriculture. We will explore some of the earliest Maya cities such as Kaminaljuyu, Nakbe, San Bartolo, and El Mirador, and examine evidence of their early political, religious, and economic institutions.
 Week 3
Lesson 3
Breaking the Maya Code
How did the ancient Maya keep records? What remains of their writing? How was it deciphered, and can we read it all now? 
This week, we will examine the ancient Maya writing system, which is made of about 800 glyphs. The glyphs can represent both logograms and syllables, and the Maya liked to mix and match for artistic effect. After learning about the structure of Maya writing and its relatively recent advances in decipherment, students will write an approximation of their names in Mayan glyphs.
 Week 4
Lesson 4
The Maya Calendars and Number System
Did you know that the ancient Maya were one of the few civilizations with a symbol for zero? Did the ancient Maya really believe the world was going to end in 2012? This week, students will learn to read and write the symbols for zero, one, and five, which can be combined to make any possible number! Students will also learn about the ways that the ancient Maya recorded time, including the 365-day Haab' calendar, the 260-day Tzolkʼin ritual calendar, the calendar round, and the Long Count. 
 Week 5
Lesson 5
The Rise of the Classic Maya
During the centuries of Maya history referred to as the Classic period, urban populations grow under increasingly powerful rulers. Specialized artisans produce great works of art and architecture. We will learn about the ancient Maya economy and the organization of society that flourished circa 250-900 CE.
 Week 6
Lesson 6
The Supernatural World of the Maya
What do we know about the ancient Maya worldview? Who were their deities? What kinds of rituals and ceremonies did they commemorate? This week, we will learn about the Hero Twins, the Maya creation story, and the supernatural beginnings of the Maya ballgame. We will also make connections between Maya deities and the natural landscape.
 Week 7
Lesson 7
Maya Elites and the Royal Court
Much of the surviving monumental stelae and inscriptions portray the accomplishments of Maya kings and tell stories of war, power, and sacrifice. Who were these kings? What were their titles? What did they rule? 
 Week 8
Lesson 8
Splendor of the Classic Cities
The Classic period is marked by the growth of cities and the building of monumental architecture and sculptures. We will take a closer look at major Maya cities such as Copan, Tikal, Palenque, and Calakmul. While examining the remains of these cities, students will learn about the rivalries and alliances between metropolises.
 Week 9
Lesson 9
The Great Collapse and the Postclassic Maya
What caused the collapse of the Maya civilization? Did the Maya civilization actually collapse? As the Classic period comes to a close, people began moving away from urban centers, especially in the southern lowlands. However, some cities continued to flourish, particularly Chichen Itza in the northern Yucatan Peninsula. We will compare and contrast the art and architecture of Chichen Itza with what we have seen from other Classic Maya cities.
 Week 10
Lesson 10
Conclusion and Escape Room Review
What is the legacy of the ancient Maya? What did we learn together? We will wrap up the course by reviewing the major achievements and contributions of the ancient Maya in the form of a virtual escape room.