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Take the class outside and read the Sun

Free lesson ideas, printable guides and live sky viewers for teaching astronomy, history and maths through Chaco Canyon and the Maya. No sign-up, no student data.

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A small desk with a sundial, a pyramid model and a globe
Ready lesson ideas
4
outdoors and in class
Printable chapters
16
in two free PDF guides
Glossary terms
32
for student reference
Lessons

Four lessons that start with a shadow

Each one needs nothing more than a stick, a window or a pencil, and links to a full article for background.

Build a gnomon

30 min · outdoors · ages 9+
  1. Push a straight stick upright into flat ground or a pot of sand.
  2. Mark the tip of its shadow every 15 minutes around noon.
  3. The shortest shadow points due north and marks local noon.
  4. Repeat a month later and compare the length.
Background reading

Keep a horizon calendar

5 min a week · 2 months · ages 10+
  1. Pick a window or spot with a clear eastern or western view.
  2. Sketch the skyline once and mark landmarks.
  3. Each week, mark where the Sun rises or sets.
  4. Compare your drift with the Chaco viewer’s azimuths.
Background reading

Maya calendar maths

45 min · classroom · ages 11+
  1. Write the 20 Tzolk’in day names in a circle and numbers 1–13 in another.
  2. Turn both wheels one step at a time.
  3. Find out why the same pair returns after 260 days.
  4. Extend to the Haab’ and discover the 52-year Calendar Round.
Background reading

Test an alignment

40 min · classroom · ages 13+
  1. Pick a building on a satellite map and measure its main axis.
  2. Use the viewer to find the sunrise azimuth on a solstice.
  3. Is the match within 1–2°? Could it be chance?
  4. Write a short claim and the evidence for and against.
Background reading
Printable guides
The Sun–Earth connection at Chaco8 chapters · PDFPDF
A photographic journey to the Yucatán8 chapters · PDFPDF
Free to print and share for non-commercial teaching. See the terms of use.
Teaching with respect
1

Present tense

Pueblo and Maya peoples are living communities, not vanished civilisations.

2

Evidence and doubt

Show students how an alignment is tested, and why some are still debated.

3

No ceremonies

Study the sky and the buildings, not restricted ceremonial knowledge.

Live viewers

Project the Chaco or Yucatán viewer and drag the date with the class.

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Sky calendar

Plan your lesson around the next equinox or solstice.

See the dates

Glossary

One-sentence definitions for a student word wall.

Open the glossary
A frosted glass sun above a miniature pyramid and kiva

Plan a lesson around the next equinox

Check the sky calendar, print a guide and take the class outside to watch where the Sun really rises.

Start exploringGet the guides