TEACHERS' BLACKBOARD |
- Long distance visits
- We normally limit travel times to 2 hours’ drive from London.
- Autumn Term 2017
- Bookings are steadily coming in: please book early if you want a choice of dates...!
- Availability
- Bookings are limited to 3 a week, but this isn’t written in stone, so please ask...
- Current programme
- Same as last year - and we’re back up to 2 team members!
|
If you’re teaching the Aztecs, or the Maya - or both...
... read on! Our core work is Living History team visits (our ‘flagship’ Aztecs/Maya presentations) providing superb curriculum enrichment activities in schools and museums, whether you’re delivering the Aztecs/Mexica or Mayan Civilisation (KS2: World History/Study of a past society/Study of ‘a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history’), The Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest 1519-1535 (GCSE OCR/SHP 2016 syllabus), Chocolate (IPC or Edison Learning units) or as part of your school’s Creative Curriculum. But that’s just the start...
Team visits (the Aztecs/Mexica)
To find out more, follow the links on the right hand side (Aztecs section). In ‘Our flagship programme’ you’ll find info on what we cover in our main Aztecs presentation, as well as links to a slideshow, a brief video clip and a downloadable brochure. To read testimonials from teachers and pupils on Mexicolore team visits, follow the link below...) To find a list of all schools we’ve ever worked in (and when), click on ‘Schools that we’ve visited’ (Teacher’s Page, Aztecs section).
For the most up-to-date information, please email us and we’ll send you ‘the blurb’!
Our Aztecs/Mexica website
This site is constantly checked, added to, and updated. Based in London, you’ll find links to an exceptional range of formal institutions and informal groups, each with some area of expertise on the Aztecs/Mexica, many of which are perfectly suitable for children to explore. Note that we have our own Aztecs for Kids microsite (click on KIDS at the very top of this page): this is packed not just with activities for children but with very carefully researched - and illustrated - information on the Aztecs. Try it out for yourself!
Feedback from St. Bernadette’s RCP School, Farnborough (2013): ’We love your website - so much information. A great help for busy teachers and useful for the children and their research projects.’
Take advantage...
... of the work others - including many teachers - have put into preparing teaching materials on the Aztecs. Browse through the Resources pages (this page for Maya, or go to Aztecs section) to get some ideas! If you’re daunted by how to pronounce Aztec names and other words, listen to our Pronunciation guide (see ‘Aztec Language’, in the Aztecs section). If you’re looking for images of Mexican masks to kickstart some artwork, go to our Masks photo gallery (go to the Aztecs section, then click on Mexican Masks, right). If you’re interested in reading answers from world experts to some of the questions YOUR children have been asking (on the Maya as well as the Aztecs), explore our unique Ask the Experts pages (Aztecs section). And so on...
Background to the site
This site is aimed primarily at teachers and pupils studying the Aztecs and the Maya in schools in the UK, though it is already proving valuable to academics, cultural institutions, researchers, students and the general public world wide - anyone with some interest in the Aztecs and/or the Maya. All the material has been uploaded in good faith on the understanding that it is used strictly for educational/non-commercial purposes. The site, with some quite personal touches, grows directly from over 36 years of visits made to schools and museums throughout England by Graciela and Ian, the founding Mexicolore team. Many thanks to all those teachers and children who continue to make us so welcome in their schools - and who have become good friends. Enjoy...!
NOTE on FEEDBACK to the site
We encourage visitors to leave comments, and we normally check all incoming website feedback every day: if anyone should ever leave an inappropriate comment, we endeavour to delete it immediately.
Chocolate and the IPC
If your school follows the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), all our programmes include plenty of information and artefacts relating to chocolate and its importance in ancient Mexico. We now have a steadily expanding section entirely on the history of chocolate...
Maya Civilisation
The Aztecs were the last in a long line of advanced civilisations in Mexico going back several thousand years. They learned much from previous peoples, including the Maya. In our current (2016-17) flagship programme on Ancient Mesoamerica we include plenty of references not only to the Aztecs but also to the Maya, from their calendar systems to their version of the ancient ritual ballgame, from their invention of zero to the chac mool reclining figure that inspired the sculptor Henry Moore, from the Feathered Serpent god to their gourd trumpets...
Here's what others have said:
23 At 11.38am on Monday September 26 2016, Edgar Rickets wrote:
http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/images-7/727_01_2.jpg
This image.
Mexicolore replies: OK, we should be able to help with this one as it’s one of ours. You’ll need to let us know a bit more about your intended use of it. I suggest you email us directly...
22 At 5.41pm on Friday September 23 2016, Edgar Rickets wrote:
I am interesting in using one of your images in another piece of art. Where can this be approved?
Mexicolore replies: Happy to help if we can, though we only own the copyright on some of the images on our website. Please write to us specifying which image(s) you’re interested in and we’ll let you know how to proceed...
21 At 7.02pm on Monday December 14 2015, andrea ramirez- wasson wrote:
how did Aztecs survived so many health hazards i.e. human blood and bodies?
Mexicolore replies: They faced no more ‘health hazards’ than any other people around the globe. Mexico suffers certainly from extremes of climate, so droughts, floods, earthquakes, plagues etc were a constant threat. But don’t be thinking there were heaps of dead bodies and buckets of blood around the place: there wasn’t! That’s a complete myth. On the contrary, by all accounts Tenochtitlan was a super clean city - they had an army of 1,000 people sweeping it clean every day...
20 At 6.49pm on Friday November 2 2012, John Riley wrote:
I am doing an essay on the weapons of the Aztecs, and this site is my biggest resource. Thank you so much.
p.s. You should add a weapons page to the green box on the top left of the Aztec page.
Mexicolore replies: Thanks, John. That’s a good idea. We’ll discuss it here as a team...
19 At 6.19am on Sunday September 16 2012, Andrea Ballesteros wrote:
Dear Ian and Graciela, What a wonderful website and project you have. I still remember when I first contacted you a few years ago. I was so impressed by your project and dedication, and being Mexican myself and so, so interested in my country’s history, I was wanting to get involved then and there! I am still based in Australia and studying archaeology now as a pathway to doing a PhD. I hope I can collaborate with you somehow in the near future based on my professional experience, be that as a translator, by contributing an article, as an historian, as a teacher or as a soon-to-be archaeologist. With kind regards,
Andrea
Mexicolore replies: ¡Adelante, Andrea! Thanks for your kind words. We’d be delighted if you could contribute, in any capacity. Being that far away the best option might be for you to write an article for Mexicolore. When you are a fully qualified archaeologist, and if you go to work in Mexico, then, wow, there will be plenty of new ways to collaborate... We hope to hear back from you!
18 At 8.25am on Sunday July 22 2012, Katia H wrote:
Is it possible to visit Mexicolore’s real-world address and meet the people who run this website? I adore your amazing website, but I’m not associated with any UK school.
Mexicolore replies: Yes you can! But this needs to be by prior appointment. The time to avoid visiting is during a school term, as we’re all usually out working in schools. Our address is on our Contact page.
17 At 8.08am on Tuesday June 19 2012, Louise Camprubi wrote:
Excellent. They came to my school when I was a child and I remembered them so vividly that I invited them into my class now that I’m a teacher. Now it’s even better! The children had a wonderful time and learnt so much! Such a great way to get them excited about History! Thank you!
Mexicolore replies: Thank YOU, Louise! (You can read more about this story on our ‘Getting Involved’ page...)
16 At 11.27am on Friday May 25 2012, Ewan wrote:
I loved you coming to winterslow
Mexicolore replies: A lovely school to visit, Ewan! Do you remember how we demonstrated the ‘atlatl’ (javelin-thrower) out on the school playground...?!
15 At 9.32pm on Wednesday April 11 2012, Rosa wrote:
Prezados senhores, é autorizado utilizar as imagens, fotografia ou ilustrações em um livro didático? Grata, Rosa
Mexicolore replies: In principle, yes, Rosa, but I’m afraid it depends which images you want to reproduce! We have the copyright on many, but not all... Please refer to specific pictures and we’ll let you know...
14 At 1.17pm on Thursday March 29 2012, zeki wrote:
mexicolore is great you get to dress up play instroments and much more
Mexicolore replies: Thanks, Zeki!
13 At 11.50am on Wednesday March 28 2012, marcus weston wrote:
Ian & Graciela you were verry good at doing the aztec show for st.peaters earl shillton class’s 3 & 4.
Mexicolore replies: Thanks, Marcus! We greatly enjoyed visiting St. Peter’s (March 2012) - a lovely atmosphere in your school...
12 At 1.46pm on Thursday January 19 2012, maisie wrote:
I really really like this page!!! It’s so amazing!!! It’s got lots off games on KIDS HOME!!!
11 At 8.18am on Tuesday January 17 2012, shawna wrote:
i love this sight it gave me an a on my progect.
10 At 9.13pm on Wednesday January 4 2012, Daniel wrote:
Me acaban de recomendar su página y quedé asombrado con su maravilloso contenido. Los felicito.
Mexicolore replies: ¡Muchas gracias, Daniel! Retroalimentación como la tuya nos anima cada vez más para seguir adelante con nuestro compromiso...
9 At 1.55pm on Thursday August 25 2011, Michelle wrote:
Natalia, do you have google in brazil? if you do, you can follow the weblink below, try that first. Everything should be translated to portugese including links to visit other pages within this site.
If that does not work then go to google.com then select Language Tools next to the searchbar. Enter the url for the page you want to translate and then select From : English To: Portugese.
Hope this helps, Michelle.
Natalia, você tem Google no Brasil? se você fizer isso, você pode seguir o link abaixo, tente isso primeiro. Tudo deve ser traduzido para o português, incluindo nos links para visitar outras páginas dentro deste site.
Se isso não funcionar, então vá para google.com em seguida, selecione Ferramentas de idiomas ao lado da barra de procura. Digite o url da página que deseja traduzir e selecione De: Para Inglês: Português.
Espero que isso ajude, Michelle.
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mexicolore.co.uk%2Findex.php%3Fone%3Dazt%26two%3Dser&sl=en&tl=pt&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
Mexicolore replies: MANY thanks, Michelle, for your help and support!
8 At 2.04pm on Thursday July 14 2011, nathalia wrote:
olá,sou do brasil e estou fazendo uma pesquisa sobre a civilização asteca e gostaria que vocês colocassem no site artigos em português o mais rápido possível para que eu
possa entender e concluir minha pesquisa.Desde já agradeço!Site muito bom, abraços do Brasil.
Mexicolore replies: Thank you for your interest in our work, Nathalia. Sadly at the present time we don’t have a staff member who can translate into Portuguese. Anyone out there willing/able to help Nathalia’s research on the Aztecs, but in Portuguese...?
7 At 11.33am on Monday July 11 2011, Judy wrote:
I have found a very interesting piece of a dagger/ax with a mans face with an eagle mask and precious stones... i would like to send you a photo of this and see who this represents ... is this possible? please send me an email..
Mexicolore replies: By all means. We will do our best to help. (Please note, generally, that most of these artefact-based queries we post on the ‘Can You Help?’ pages of the site).
6 At 9.56am on Saturday February 19 2011, Graciela wrote:
I love the Web, I love Mexicolore.... and I love you!!!!!
Mexicolore replies: That makes two of us...!!! (Sorry, everyone else - just two of the Mexicolore team showing our feelings!)
5 At 7.37pm on Sunday December 19 2010, Rosa Hernández Martínez wrote:
Si están en la Ciudad de México y desean ver la siguiente presentación del grupo Amoxpoani pueden acudir al auditorio del museo del Templo Mayor y disfrutar el rescate de textos y música con instrumentos antiguos
Mexicolore replies: ¡Nos encantaría estar con Uds! Muchos saludos desde Londres - congelado de nieve y hielo...
4 At 8.58pm on Thursday December 9 2010, Patrick wrote:
Thank you all so much this site, helped me greatly in my history report
3 At 2.24am on Friday March 12 2010, jose luis wrote:
well the page is great and all of the information as well but i think it is time to let people know that we did not have gods. since you well know that this word was brouht by the spaniars.and what we have were representations of the nature forces. but well that is up to you ..4 the rest congratulations for the job you are doing.
Mexicolore replies: Thanks for your comments, Jose Luis. To be really honest, we feel life is too short to be too ‘hung up’ about whether we should talk about ‘gods’ or ‘representations of the forces of nature’. Human beings have surely got into enough trouble as it is over the centuries for inventing and arguing over God and gods...
2 At 2.30pm on Monday March 30 2009, francisco javier vidal romero wrote:
hola un saludo, me gustaria enterarme de todo lo q dicen y hacen en este lugar, yo soy mexicano pero vivo en españa, pero me gustaria q mis hijos q viven en mexico sepan de todas estas actividades y en lo personal enterarme mas de mi cultura, espero q en un futuro escriban en español para q mas gente se interese en este sitio, y como una peticion muy reiterativa les solicito q hagan una pagina en español para muchos aztecas q no sepan ingles, gracias.
Mexicolore replies: Gracias Francisco; estamos totalmente de acuerdo. Vamos a hacer todo lo posible para preparar cada vez más páginas en español, empezando (abril de 2009) con un artículo acerca de las enfermedades mentales prehispánicas por Patricia Landa Durán...
1 At 5.12pm on Wednesday February 11 2009, millie wrote:
this page is great and would be perfect for my teacher
