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Monday, October 2

Part 1: If something is out of context, does it belong? (yes or no)

Homework: none

In-Class: Investigating the Mayans

Part 2: What was the best part of your weekend?

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6th Grade Intro Investigation

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DAY 1�

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Investigating the Mayans

How did the Mayans combine recreation and religion?

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Bookmark Reading Guide

Step 1: Find the headnote and attribution.

Things to keep in mind: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Step 2: Find the source.

Things to keep in mind: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Step 3: What part of the document do you look at here? Things to keep in mind: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

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Parts of the document

Headnote

Gives background about the source & the author

Attribution

Information about where the source comes from (author, date, etc.)

Primary Source

The ACTUAL WORDS said or written

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The Popol Vuh

Headnote: The Popol Vuh is the sacred book, or “Bible,” of the Mayan people. The Mayan people wrote the early versions of the Popol Vuh in the form of codices, a hieroglyphic-type writing. When the Spanish conquered this region in the 1500s (what is now Guatemala), the Mayan translated the Popol Vuh into Latin to preserve their history. During their conquest, the Spanish destroyed much of the Mayans’ recorded history and the Popol Vuh is one of only four recorded histories to survive. In the early 1700s, a Spanish preist named Father Ximénez transcibed it into Spanish. The Popol Vuh contains many stories. In this story, the twins Hanahpu and Xbalaque are called by the gods of the underworld, called Xibalba, to play ball.

Attribution: Adapted excerpt from the Popol Vuh. Translated into Spanish by Father Ximénez in the 1700s. Translated into English in 2003 by Dr. Allen J. Christenson, Professor of Humanities at Brigham Young University, pp. 143-156. http://www.personal.psu.edu/abl128/PopolVu/PopolVuh.pdf

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The Popol Vuh

“Summon the twins here,” the gods of the underworld said to their messengers. “Tell them, we shall play ball with them. In seven days, we will play, say the lords. Tell them this when you arrive there,” the messengers were told . . .

When Hanahpu and Xbalaque entered the House of Darkness, they took out their rubber all and threw it down. Before the game began, they chose prizes:

“What will we win?” the Xibalbans, or people of the underworld, asked.

“Surely it is your choice,” Hanahpu and Xbalaque said.

“Our prize shall be merely four bowls of flowers,” said the Xibalbans.

“Very well. What kinds of flowers?” the twins asked the Xibalbans.

“One bowl of red petals, one bowl of white petals, one bowl of yellow petals, and one bowl of the large ones,” said the Xibalbans.

“Very well,” replied the boys.

So then the ball was dropped into play. The Xibalbans and the twins were equal in strength, but the twins made many plays with the ball for they played with all their hearts. At last, the twins gave themselves up to be defeated, and the Xibalbans thus rejoiced at their defeat: “We have done well. We have already defeated them at the first attempt!”

“Where shall we go to get the flowers?” the twins asked.

“You must find them and give them to us tomorrow morning,” the Xibalbans said.

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Tuesday, October 3

Part 1: According to our new bookmarks, when we are working in the headnote and attribution, do we circle or underline?

Part 2: Why is the bookmark useful for this class?

  • Homework: none
  • In-Class: Investigating the Mayans

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DAY 2�

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Defining Claim Evidence Reasoning

In your own words, define the following:

Argument

Claim

Evidence

Reasoning

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Defining Claim Evidence Reasoning

Argument

A set of reason on a topic that is intended to persuade or convince; includes claim-evidence-reasoning

Claim

To argue something as a fact

“Mayans thought it was important that…”

Evidence

Proof that supports your claim; often written sources you think are reliable

“The headnote, for example, says that…”

Reasoning

Conclusions, judgements, or inferences about your evidence

“This shows that…”

              is a reliable source because…”

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ARGUMENT=

CLAIM +

EVIDENCE +

REASONING

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Argument Sort

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In my judgment, Max should be suspended for starting the lunchroom fight with Justin. According to Jamie, a student in their English class, Max and his friends are often “mean to Justin in the hallways and in class when the teacher isn’t looking,” because they say “jokes under their breath and then laugh.” This shows that Max and his friends have a history of bothering Justin when there is no adult supervision. Jamie is a reliable source because she is not friends with Justin or Max, so she no reason to lie.

Argument Sort

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In my judgment, Max should be suspended for starting the lunchroom fight with Justin. According to Jamie, a student in their English class, Max and his friends are often “mean to Justin in the hallways and in class when the teacher isn’t looking,” because they say “jokes under their breath and then laugh.” This shows that Max and his friends have a history of bothering Justin when there is no adult supervision. Jamie is a reliable source because she is not friends with Justin or Max, so she no reason to lie.

Argument Sort

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Our Assignment

You are close to solving how the Mayans combined recreation and religion!

�To submit your Forensic Report and Analysis, you must write an email to your boss, Detective Stone, and make an argument about how the Mayans combined recreation and religion. Your evidence can come from your notes from the first day of the investigation and the excerpt from the Popol Vuh.

Make sure your email includes a CLAIM, EVIDENCE, and REASONING. You might want to use some of the useful language in your argument too.

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Useful Language Chart

 

Making a claim:

  • Mayans thought it was important that…..
  • For the Mayan people, recreation and religion …..
  • Recreation and religion were …

Providing evidence:

  • The Popol Vuh, for example, says that "...."
  • For example, in class our Detective’s Research said that “…..”
  • The headnote tells me that “….”

Reasoning:

  • This means that …..
  • This makes me think that …..
  • This shows that …
  • This source is reliable because….
  • However, the source might not be reliable because….it is possible that….

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