The 4/5s have been exploring ancient civilizations.
Our study will focus on the fascinating
Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas
Students learned about and then constructed Aztec calendars
Aztec Calendar Wheels, Central America, 1000 BCE
There is not just one Aztec calendar, but two independent systems. One calendar has 365 days, and therefore might be called the agricultural or the solar year. In this time measuring calendar, one year had 365 days, divided into 18 months. Each month has 20 days, and there are 5 extra days at the end of the year, which were thought to be bad luck days.
The other calendar (the festival calendar) has 260 days. In the language of the Aztecs, it is called the tonalpohualli or, the day-count. The system of the tonalpohualli can be best understood by imagining two wheels that are connected to each other. One wheel has the numbers "one" to "thirteen" written on it. The second wheel has twenty symbols on it. In the initial situation, number "one" combines with the first symbol (glyph). This is the first day of thetonalpohualli. Now the wheels start moving and number "two" combines with the second glyph. This is the second day. On the fourteenth day, a new Aztec week starts. The wheel with the numbers shows number "one" again. The other wheel now shows the fourteenth symbol. After 260 days, the two wheels have returned to their initial position. The tonalpohualli starts all over again.
The other calendar (the festival calendar) has 260 days. In the language of the Aztecs, it is called the tonalpohualli or, the day-count. The system of the tonalpohualli can be best understood by imagining two wheels that are connected to each other. One wheel has the numbers "one" to "thirteen" written on it. The second wheel has twenty symbols on it. In the initial situation, number "one" combines with the first symbol (glyph). This is the first day of thetonalpohualli. Now the wheels start moving and number "two" combines with the second glyph. This is the second day. On the fourteenth day, a new Aztec week starts. The wheel with the numbers shows number "one" again. The other wheel now shows the fourteenth symbol. After 260 days, the two wheels have returned to their initial position. The tonalpohualli starts all over again.
Dividing time among gods - A day in the tonalpohualli consists of a number and a symbol or daysign. Each daysign is dedicated to a god.
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Students constructing their own Aztec calendars. |
Math 4 students presenting their
Data Collection Projects
