South America
From the ancient civilizations to the Spanish Conquistadors to the present day, the countries of South America have a rich history. These are a sampling of the resources that can be found on LEARN NC to use in teaching students about the people, cultures, and geography of this continent.
In this image, a boy plays a traditional flute in Otavalo, Ecuador. More images of Ecuador can be found in the LEARN NC multimedia area. (Photograph by Margery H. Freeman. More about the photograph)
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Related pages
- To market, to market: Photograph analysis: In this lesson, students analyze photos of markets from around the world to gain an understanding of the similarities and differences between geographically distant places, to learn about the economic and cultural significance of markets, and to improve visual literacy skills.
- Threads through South America: Weaving in Ecuador: This lesson for grade six takes a look at the weaving and textiles created in the Andes of Ecuador in and near the town of Otavalo. In addition to learning about Ecuadorian weaving, students may also create their own woven artifact.
- The search for El Dorado: The legend of El Dorado predates the arrival of Spaniards in South America. The Chibcha people of present-day...
Related topics
- Learn more about Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Latin America, Peru, South America, Spanish colonialism, Venezuala, conquistadors, and social studies.
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Lesson Plans
- Threads through South America: Weaving in Ecuador
- This lesson for grade six takes a look at the weaving and textiles created in the Andes of Ecuador in and near the town of Otavalo. In addition to learning about Ecuadorian weaving, students may also create their own woven artifact.(Grade 6 Visual Arts Education, English Language Arts, and Social Studies)
- Bullfighting in Columbia
- In this lesson for grade six, students study the history of bullfighting in Spain and Colombia as an example of how cultural traditions can be transferred from one place to another. Students analyze photographs of bullfighting in Colombia and discuss the cultural tradition of the sport and the controversy surrounding it.(Grade 6 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
- Resources of South America
- This lesson should be conducted following your unit on South America. Students will work with a partner to conduct research into the natural and man-made resources of a particular country in South America. The students create a map of the country illustrating its resources — an activity that helps them synthesize what they’ve learned in the classroom and in their independent research.
- Ecuador: A land of climate diversity
- In this lesson, students will create climate graphs and analyze photographs to investigate the various types of climate in Ecuador and the interactions between climate and human culture. The lesson plan is designed to be adapted to the study of various countries. (Grade 6 Science and Social Studies)
- Ecuador: A study of population
- In this lesson, students will create population pyramid graphs and analyze photographs to investigate population in Ecuador. Students will draw on this analysis to make predictions about how population issues will affect Ecuador’s future. The lesson plan is designed to be adapted to the study of various countries.
Websites
- Conquistadors
- The sections on Mexico, Peru, Amazonia, and North America provide background on the native groups encountered by the Conquistadors. The essays explore the culture and traditions of these American groups and the impact and legacy of their contact with the Conquistadors.
- Latin America
- Geographia presents Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. Learn about History, Culture, Travel tips, Cusine and more from this travel agency site.
- Orinoco Online
- The remote Orinoco of Venezuela is home to twelve distinct indigenous groups. Learn more about these native people, diverse geography, and cultural objects they create for use in the rituals of daily life.
- Patagonia’s Marine Menagerie
- “Where Argentina’s plains meet the ocean, life explodes.” Learn about penguins, elephant seals, and other marine life.
Multimedia
- Traditional weaving in Ecuador
- hotographs and text illustrate traditional weaving in Ecuador, from carding and spinning wool to selling finished products at the market.
- The transformation of cacao into chocolate
- Transforming cacao into chocolate is a labor-intensive process that involves many steps. This slideshow tells the story of that process, focusing on one cacao plantation in the Barlovento region of Venezuela.
