Students are introduced to the Inca Empire by first exploring Machu Picchu. Then they learn about various elements of life in the Inca Empire. Next, they focus on the Inca view of gold as a sacred object versus the Spanish view that gold is a material asset. Finally, students explain what they would most like to see and understand about Machu Picchu.
Students consider what it would be like to live in a village high in a mountain range and are introduced to the Inca Empire as a civilization located in the Andes. They then imagine reading a newspaper announcing the discovery of an ancient lost city and respond to a collaborative wall prompt about what they would want to know about the city, who they would talk to, and how they would explore it, followed by brief peer discussion.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, connect students’ prior knowledge about mountainous communities to the Inca Empire, and facilitate a whole-class discussion of wall responses to surface students’ questions and curiosities about “lost cities” and ancient cultures.
Students view images of Machu Picchu and learn that it was a “lost city” rediscovered in 1911. They watch and explore Machu Picchu resources to understand its location, preservation, and how people there obtained food. Students answer multiple-choice questions about why Machu Picchu’s remains are still intact and how residents grew food on mountain terraces. They then post to a wall about ongoing mysteries surrounding Machu Picchu. Next, students examine an image of Incan sculptures and watch The rise and fall of the Inca Empire to identify key features of the empire, summarizing these features in a teacher-shared wall response.
Teacher MovesGuide students through the Machu Picchu resources, clarifying key ideas about its discovery, geography, and agriculture as needed. Review student quiz responses to check understanding. Lead a discussion about the mysteries that remain because there is no written record, emphasizing that Machu Picchu was part of a wider Inca network, was unfinished, and was abandoned for unknown reasons. Prompt students to consider why preserving sites like Machu Picchu is valuable. After the video on the Inca Empire, highlight major points such as the empire’s size, stone architecture and road system, the capital at Cusco, the quipu record-keeping system, and the Spanish conquest under Pizarro.
Students are reminded that an additional text, The Inca Empire: Children of the Sun, is available if they prefer a written resource. They then explore an online resource about the Inca Empire, first reading an overview paragraph and then navigating linked sections for more detail. As they explore, they answer a multiple-choice question about when the Inca Empire dominated western South America, complete a table entry explaining what quipu is, and post to a wall about the role of gold in the Inca Empire. In a second wall activity, they explain how and why the Inca Empire ended.
Teacher MovesDirect students to the Inca information site and ensure they understand how to navigate the links. Use the provided answer key to review the time period of Inca dominance, define quipu as a knot-based record-keeping system, and clarify that gold signified wealth and status and was buried with elites. Explain that Pizarro conquered the empire in 1532 and, if time permits, lead a discussion on how a relatively small group of conquistadors defeated the Inca, emphasizing local allies, disease, superior weapons, and forced labor. Invite students to share other interesting features of the Inca Empire they discovered during their exploration.
Students examine an image of Francisco Pizarro and read about how the Spanish brought their own values—Christianity, ideas about land ownership, and a desire for gold as material wealth—into South America, contrasting this with the Inca’s religious valuation of gold. They watch Learn about the cultural importance of gold for Inca civilization to deepen their understanding of gold’s sacred role. Then, in a wall activity, they write a short monologue or dialogue from the perspective of an Inca priest who has gifted a sacred golden figurine to a conquistador and later witnesses sacred gold objects being melted into ingots, explaining their emotional and cultural reaction.
Teacher MovesClarify the differing Spanish and Inca perspectives on gold and how value systems can clash during conquest. Invite volunteers to share their monologues or dialogues and highlight exemplary or insightful responses for whole-class discussion, drawing out students’ understanding of cultural conflict and religious significance.
Students read a brief description of Machu Picchu as a major tourist destination today. They respond on a collaborative wall to the prompt about what they would most want to see and understand if they could visit the ruins, explaining why. After posting, they review classmates’ responses and reply to at least two peers with a question or positive comment to extend the conversation.
Teacher MovesEncourage students to connect what they have learned about Inca history, geography, and culture to their imagined visit to Machu Picchu. Highlight and discuss an interesting or exemplary response that shows thoughtful curiosity or strong connections to the lesson content.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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