Food

Topics Year 4/5
This unit is part of Maya Farming

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Objectives

History

Undertake an in-depth study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history - The Maya civilization.
Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.

Design and Technology

Understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.
Prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques.

Geography

Describe and understand key aspects of human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water.

Lesson Planning

Do some research to find out what types of food the Maya had access to, either by farming, hunting or gathering. Try cooking some recipes.

Teaching Outcomes:

To find out what the Maya people ate.
To try out some Maya recipes.
To find out what types of wild food the Maya had access to.

Children will:

Answer research questions about Maya food.
Follow a recipe.
Understand how wild food resources were unevenly distributed.

Planning

Provided Resources

Maya wild food resources
Maya recipes
Template for a day of Maya food

You Will Need

Cooking facilities
Squash
Runner beans
Corn meal
Cacao beans
Chillies
Cassava
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Avocados
Bananas
Honey

Weblinks

Maya agriculture and diet from crystalinks.com
Traditional Mexican and Maya recipes from explore-isla-mujeres.weebly.com (archived page)
The Yucatan peninsula's flora and fauna from yucatanadventure.com.mx
Maya plants in Guatemala from maya-ethnobotany.org