Download Hello - Adventure To Fitness

Hello, fellow Adventurers, Mr. Marc here!
On today’s episode, we went to one of the world’s most advanced
ancient civilizations, or at least what’s left of it,
the Maya down in Central America. While we were
there we ran through the jungle, swung on vines up in the
rainforest trees, played Maya ball, and climbed up the temple pyramid.
Thanks to Professor Maddison, we learned many exciting facts about
the Maya. We learned about the many levels in the rainforest where
so many different creatures live, how the Mayans built a great
civilization with temples and pyramids, and the calendars they
created by following the phases of the moon and tracking the
movement of the stars, all so they could know when to
plant their crops.
While we need to exercise our muscles to keep our bodies fit, we
know we need to exercise our minds too. That’s why our team
at Adventure to Fitness created these additional “mind
adventures” for you to share with your students. There’s one mind
adventure for each grade level, K-5. We’ve also included vocabulary and
literature recommendations to increase your students’ brainpower even
further.
Till next time Adventurers…Keep It Moving!
Mr. Marc
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vocabulary
1. ASTRONOMER (noun): One who specializes in astronomy.
2. CALENDAR (noun): A table showing the months, weeks, and
days in at least one specific year.
3. CHISEL (noun): A metal tool with a sharp beveled edge, used
to cut and shape stone, wood, or metal.
4. CROP (noun): Cultivated plants or agricultural produce, such
as grain, vegetables, or fruit, considered as a group.
5. DIGESTIVE SYSTEM (noun):The alimentary canal and digestive
glands regarded as an integrated system responsible for the ingestion, digestion,
and absorption of food.
6. FULL MOON (noun):The moon when it is visible as a
fully illuminated disk. The period of the month when
such a moon occurs.
7. HALF MOON (noun):The moon when only half its disk is
illuminated.
8. HUMIDITY (noun): Dampness, especially of the air.
9. INSCRIPTION (noun):The act or an instance of inscribing. Something, such as the
wording on a coin, medal, monument, or seal, that is inscribed. Something, such as a
stone or metal tablet, that is inscribed.
10. LIMESTONE (noun): A common sedimentary rock consisting mostly of calcium
carbonate, CaCO3, used as a building stone and in the manufacture of lime, carbon
dioxide, and cement.
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11. MASSIVE (adjective): Consisting of or making up a large mass; bulky, heavy, and
solid.
12. MATHEMATICIAN (noun): A person skilled or learned in mathematics.
13. NEW MOON (noun): The phase of the moon occurring when it passes between the
earth and the sun and is invisible or visible only as a narrow crescent at sunset.
14. PHASE (noun): One of the cyclically recurring apparent forms of the moon or a
planet.
15. PROPHECY (noun): A prediction of the future, made under divine inspiration.
16. SOLSTICE (noun): Either of two times
of the year when the sun is at its
greatest distance from the celestial
equator. The summer solstice in the
Northern Hemisphere occurs about
June 21, when the sun is in the zenith
at the tropic of Cancer; the winter solstice occurs about December 21, when the
sun is over the tropic of Capricorn. The summer solstice is the longest day of the
year and the winter solstice is the shortest. A highest point or culmination.
17. SYMBOL (noun): Something that represents something else by association,
resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent
something invisible.
18. TELESCOPE (noun): An arrangement of lenses or mirrors or both that gathers
visible light, permitting direct observation or photographic recording of distant
objects.
19. TIER (noun): One of a series of rows placed one above another.
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suggested readings
Barrilete: A Kite for the Day of the Dead
by Elisa Amado
Corn is Maize: The Gift of the Indians
by Aliki
Exploring Pyramids Around the World:
Making Models of Geometric Solids
by Orli Zuravicky
In the Mayan Civilization (How'd They Do
That?)
by Elizabeth Scholl
Mario's Mayan Journey
by Michelle McCunney
Mayan Weaving: A Living Tradition (Crafts
of the World)
by Ann Stalcup
Mexico (True Books)
by Elaine Landau
The Chocolate Tree: A Mayan Folktale
by Linda Lowery and Richard Keep
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Mayan Soothsayer!: Fortunes You'd Rather Not Tell
by Rupert Matthews
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Maya Ball
Suggested Grade Level: Kindergarten
Common Core State Standard: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to
compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about
and supply some information about the topic.
Overview: In Misterio Maya, Professor Maddison shares how the Maya played a version
of basketball using their hips to get the ball in the basket. In this mind adventure,
students will modify America’s pastime, baseball.
Content Area: Language Arts
Required Materials:



Pencil
Drawing paper
Crayons
Time Required: 20-25 minutes
Procedures:
1. Discuss Maya ball with students and how with a little imagination we can change any
game into a new game.
2. As a class think of ways we could slightly change the game of football, golf, tennis,
etc.
3. Next, ask students to use their imaginations to create a new version of baseball.
4. Tell them to draw a picture (with labels) of their new game being played.
5. Ask students to share their ideas.
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Starry Night
Suggested Grade Level: First Grade
National science Standard: The sun, moon, stars, clouds, birds, and airplanes all have
properties, locations, and movements that can be observed and described.
Overview: In Misterio Maya, Mr. Marc discovered four chamber walls with different
patterns of stars on them. These patterns represented each of the four seasons; Spring,
Summer, Fall, and Winter! In this mind adventure, students will draw a night sky and
create a unique star pattern of their own.
Content Area: Science
Required Materials:


Chalk or crayons
Black construction paper
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Procedures:
1. Discuss with students that there are millions of stars scattered across the sky and
that sometimes they form patterns that look like people and animals. These
patterns are called constellations.
2. Next, give each student a piece of black construction paper.
3. Tell them to draw a night sky filled with stars.
4. For fun, have them create a star pattern that forms the constellation, “Mr. Marc.”
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Jungle Math
Suggested Grade Level: Second Grade
Common Core State Standard: Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve oneand two-step word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting
together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g. by using
drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.
Overview: In this adventure, Mr. Marc and Mr. Clock journeyed through Central America
to visit the land of one of the most advanced ancient civilizations, the Maya. In this mind
adventure, students will practice deciphering word problems and practice their addition
and subtraction facts as they retrace their steps of the journey.
Subject Area: Mathematics
Required Materials:


Pencil
Adventure to Fitness Worksheet
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Procedures:
1. Write the word problems on the board or print a copy for each student to
complete.
2. Encourage your students to draw simple pictures to help them translate the word
sentences into number sentences.
3. Try having students make up their own word problems for their classmates or
families to solve.
Answer Key:
1) 8 animals
4) 5 miles
2) 4 wrappers
5) 4 darts
3) 14 fruits
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Jungle Math
Suggested Grade Level: Third Grade
Common Core State Standard: Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve
word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities,
e.g. by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent
the problem.
Overview: In this adventure, Mr. Marc and Mr. Clock journeyed through Central America
to visit the land of one of the most advanced ancient civilizations, the Maya. In this mind
adventure, students will practice deciphering word problems and practice their
multiplication facts as they retrace their steps of the journey.
Subject Area: Mathematics
Required Materials:


Pencil
Adventure to Fitness Worksheet
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Procedures:
1. Write the word problems on the board or print a copy for each student to
complete.
2. Encourage your students to draw simple pictures to help them translate the word
sentences into number sentences.
3. Try having students make up their own word problems for their classmates or
families to solve.
Answer Key:
1) 18 toucans
4) 10 jaguars
2) 24 wrappers
5) 12 darts
3) 15 mangos
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Sporting Areas
Suggested Grade Level: Fourth Grade
Common Core State Standard: Apply the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles
in real world and mathematical problems. For example, find the width of a rectangular
room given the area of the flooring and the length, by viewing the area formula as a
multiplication equation with an unknown factor.
Overview: Mayans played a form of basketball that did not allow them to use their
hands. The courts that they played on varied in size, but in some cases were very big. For
example, the Great Ball Court of Chichen Itza (a Mayan city) is 225 feet wide and 545
feet long! In this lesson, students will have the chance to practice their math skills by
finding the area of different sporting arenas.
Content Area: Mathematics
Required Materials:


Pencil
Adventure to Fitness Worksheet
Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Procedures:
1. Refer back to the episode and ask students if they remember what current sport
is similar to the game the Mayans played. (Answer: basketball)
2. Ask the students where basketball is played. (Answer: basketball court)
3. Explain to students that today they are going to determine the area of different
sporting arenas.
4. Distribute handout.
5. Work with the students to complete the first problem. (The area of the Great Ball
Court of Chichen Itza)
6. Allow students to work individually or in pairs to solve the remaining four problems.
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Answer Key:
Great Ball Court of Chichen Itza: 225 feet wide by 545 feet long (122,625 square feet)
Football field: 360 feet long by 160 feet wide (57,000 square feet)
Basketball Court 94 feet long by 50 feet wide (4,700 square feet)
Hockey Rink: 200 feet long by 85 feet wide (17,000 square feet)
Soccer Field: 390 feet long by 300 feet wide (117,000 square feet)
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Be Kind to Yourselves and the Planet
Suggested Grade Level: Fifth Grade
Common Core State Standard: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a
point of view with reasons and information.
Overview: In addition to great exercise and learning a bit about Mayan culture, Mr.
Marc and his crew talked about the importance of eating at the right time of the day,
wearing sunscreen, and got after Mr. Lazy for littering. In this writing activity, students
will use their writing skills to persuade others regarding a specific topic covered in this
episode.
Content Area: Language Arts
Required Materials:


Paper
Pencil
Time Required: 30 minutes
Procedures:
1. Ask students to think about the different things they learned in this episode
about living better (drinking water, exercising, wearing sunscreen, not littering,
eating at the right time of day). Write this list on the board.
2. Ask students to select one of these topics and to think of three reasons why
someone should or should not include it as part of their lifestyle. Have students
write this list on their paper.
3. Ask students to write a persuasive letter/essay trying to convince someone of
their topic using the reasons they gave.
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