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Suggested Grade Level:
4-6
Estimated Time: Two class periods
Lesson Objectives:
- Become familiar with the sport that became a social ritual in ancient
American cultures, examining its importance
- Begin to understand stone-carving techniques
- Promote an understanding of how contemporary sports have acquired
importance within modern American culture
Key Terms:
Instructional Materials:
- Posterboard
- Colored paper
- Magazines
- Markers or tempera paint
- Glue
- Pencils or colored pencils
- Sketchbooks or journals
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Procedures:
- Teachers should read the interpretive text accompanying
the Mayan Ballcourt Panel. (For
more information on the Mayan ballgame, see Books
and Media.)
- Discuss with students the game and its significance
within Mayan culture. Show them the Art Institute’s Ballcourt
Panel and help them place it within a cultural context.
- Discuss the role of sports in contemporary life.
Suggested questions include:
- What sports do you participate in?
- Are there any similarities between the games
you play and the Mayan ballgame depicted here?
- What special clothing is worn for protection
or to show team membership?
- The Art Institute's Ballcourt Panel served
as a decoration for a stairway at an actual ballcourt. Have students
use posterboard, colored paper, markers, and pictures from magazines
to design a wall panel relating to a contemporary sport. Encourage
them to provide historical information about the sport, show a particular
moment of victory, or depict outstanding players. Allow them to use
both words and images just as the hieroglyphs
in the panel identify players and offer dates and game highlights.
Evaluation:
Base evaluation on participation in class discussion;
comprehension of the significance of sport in Mayan and American culture;
and quality of creative and written work.
Follow-Up:
Just as this panel decorated a public ballcourt
in ancient times, similar carvings may be found on modern buildings.
Ornamental architectural details tell us much about the history of buildings,
people, and activities. Ask students to look around their school and
neighborhoods for carvings on the outside or inside of buildings. Have
students complete an oral or written report that describes the images
they have seen and explains their possible relationship to the building.
Illinois
Learning Standards:
Social Science: 16-18
Fine Arts: 26-27
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