A Meeting of the Minds: Monteczuma II and Hernan Cortes

Teacher: Danielle Manchak - Conroy Unit Title: Cultures in Conflict: The Spanish and the Aztec Lesson Title: A Meeting of the Minds: Monteczuma II and Hernan Cortes Class: Social Studies 8 Time: 5 classes (250 Minutes) 21st Century Components: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Civic Engagement, Media Literacy, and Self-Directed Learning Essential Questions:

• How did the worldview of the Aztecs influence the Aztecs’ choices, decisions and customs? • What key elements of Spain’s worldview led to the desire to expand the Spanish empire? • How do the personalities of specific leaders influence their decisions? • Would Monteczuma II and Hernan Cortes be considered Machiavellian rulers? Why or why

not? • Why is it important to be mindful of our digital footprint when posting information over

social media sites? Student Learner Outcomes: 8.3.1 Appreciate how a society’s worldview influences the society’s choices, decisions and interactions with other societies 8.3.2 Appreciate how Aztec and Spanish identities and worldviews were affected by intercultural contact 8.3.4 How did the Aztec civilization’s worldview influence the Aztecs’ choices, decisions and customs? 8.3.4 What key elements of Spain’s worldview led to the desire to expand the Spanish empire? 8.S.1 Generate creative ideas and strategies in individual and group activities 8.S.2 Distinguish cause, effect, sequence and correlation in historical events, including the long and short-term causal relations 8.S.2 Create a simulation or a model by using technology that permits the making of inferences 8.S.7 Make connections among related, organized data, and assemble various pieces into a unified message 8.S.7 Analyze and synthesize information to create a product 8.S.7 Practice the responsible and ethical use of information and technology 8.S.8 Communicate in a persuasive and engaging manner through speeches, multimedia presentations and written and oral reports, taking particular audiences and purposes into consideration 8.S.9 Examine the values, lifestyles and points of view represented in a media message

Assessment:

• Formative = Personality Trait Justification Activity (Anecdotal) • Summative = Fakebook Page (Fakebook Profile Rubric)

Modifications:

• Read the profiles of Monteczuma II and Hernan Cortes as well as the Fakebook Profile Assignment expectations out loud for students

• Give access to Smartboard notes for students according to IPPs

• Modify assignment for students according to IPPs • Step by Step Instructions and Checklist

Materials Needed:

• Our Worldviews (Nelson Publishing) • Aztec and Spanish Worldview Chart (From Google Drive) • The Conquerors: Cortes and Monteczuma II Documentary (YouTube) • Machiavellian Rulers Notes (From Google Drive) • Fakebook Profile Assignment • Fakebook Template • Chromebooks • Smartboard

Introduction

1) At the beginning of class, I will ask the students if they can recall who Cosimo de Medici was from our Radical Renaissance unit. Once they respond, I will ask the students to recall the information that they know about him. I will record their answers in a web on the smartboard.

2) After the students have recalled the accomplishments of Cosimo de Medici, I will ask the students to collaborate in groups of 4 to create a list of 5 personality traits that Cosimo de Medici possessed. I will also ask them to justify each personality trait using an example that from the Radical Renaissance unit.

3) After the students have created their list of personality traits, I will ask each group to appoint a speaker, and ask the speaker to present their information to the class. I will then write the personality traits that the students outlined on the smartboard in a list format.

4) Once the students have presented their information, I will ask the students the following questions:

• Do you think that Cosimo de Medici’s personality affected the decisions that he made for the city-state of Florence? Why or why not?

• Do you think that Cosimo de Medici’s worldview affected the decisions he made for the city-state of Florence? Why or why not?

• Which personality traits do you think would help Cosimo de Medici to be a good leader?

• Which personality traits do you think would hinder Cosimo de Medici? • Would you classify Cosimo de Medici as a Machiavellian Ruler? Why or why not?

5) I will then inform the students that we will be learning how the personality traits and

worldview of Monteczuma II and Hernan Cortes affected the decisions they made during the Aztec Conquest.

Learning Activities

1) I will then ask the students to log onto their chrome books and access their Aztec and Spanish Worldview charts. I will then ask the students to recall the statements we created for the following elements: The Good Life, Ethical Wisdom, Responsibilities to Others, Relationship with State, and Equality.

2) Once we have reviewed the worldview statements we created, I will ask if the students if they think Monteczuma II and Cortes would have shared the same worldviews as citizens of their nation would, and why they think the way that they do.

3) I will then inform the students that we will be creating a personality profile of both Monteczuma II and Hernan Cortes that is based on previous experiences in their lives, the worldviews of their society and the decisions that they both made.

4) I will then ask the students to access page 272 in Our Worldviews (Profile of Monteczuma II). I will read the selection out loud to the class. When I have finished reading the selection, I will ask the students to highlight information that they think would help us to understand more about his personality and his motives as emperor. Once the students have done this, I will ask them to share what they highlighted with the class and explain why they think this particular piece of information might be helpful.

5) I will then ask the students to access page 302 in Our Worldviews (Profile of Hernan Cortes). I will read the selection out loud to the class. When I have finished reading the selection, I will ask the students to highlight information that they think would help us to understand more about Cortes’ personality and his motives as a Conquistador. Once the students have done this, I will ask them to share what they highlighted with the class and explain why they think this particular piece of information might be helpful.

6) I will then inform the students that we will be watching a documentary entitled Conquerors: Cortes and Monteczuma II. After I have done this, I will ask the students to jot down any information that they learn about Hernan Cortes or Monteczuma II that may be useful.

7) I will then play Conquerors: Cortes and Monteczuma II for the class to watch. 8) After we have finished watching the documentary, I will ask the students to share the

information that they jotted down regarding Hernan Cortes and Monteczuma II. I will write useful information that is shared on the smartboard.

9) I will then show images of both Hernan Cortes and Monteczuma II on the smartboard and ask if the students can gather any additional information about either leader from the images. Once they respond, I will write any useful information that is shared on the smartboard.

10) I will then ask the students to collaborate in groups of 4 to create a list of 10 personality traits for both Monteczuma II and Hernan Cortes. I will also ask them to justify each personality trait using an example from the text, video or class discussions we have engaged in.

11) Once the students have completed this task, I will ask the students to create a web on Google Docs and title it Personality Traits of Monteczuma II and Hernan Cortes. Once they have done this, I will inform the students that they will be sharing their information with the class and any personality traits that are justifiable will added to the web. I will also create the web on the smartboard.

12) I will then ask the students if they notice any similarities or differences in their personality traits. After the students respond, I will inform them that Monteczuma II and Hernan Cortes shared almost identical personality traits, yet, made many different decisions. I will ask the students why they think that is possible. Once they respond I will inform the students that experiences in each of their lives and the influences of their society’s worldviews most likely account for the differences in the way that they made decisions.

13) I will then ask the students to look back at the list of important information they made about each leader. I will ask the students to collaborate in groups of four and come up with a reason based on previous experience or the worldviews of their societies that would account for each of these leaders having the personality traits that they possesses.

14) After the students have completed this task, I will ask the students to share their information. For each trait, I will write down the reasoning that was made by the students on the personality web for each leader.

15) I will then ask the students the following questions: • Do you think that your previous experiences and worldview would shape your

decisions? Why or why not? • If one were to look at your Facebook profile, do you think that they would get an

accurate portrayal of your worldview, personality traits and important events in you life or important decisions you had made? Why or why not?

16) I will then inform the class that we often share our worldviews, show our personality traits and inform people about important events or decisions we make via social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat or Pinterest. I will then ask the class if they find it to be scary that one can gather so much information about a person from viewing their social media accounts.

17) Once the students have responded, we will discuss how our digital footprint will follow us for the rest of our lives as well as the importance of being mindful of what we post on social media sites.

18) I will then ask the students what they think the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat or Pinterest accounts of Hernan Cortes or Monteczuma II would look like and whether they think either leader would be mindful of what they post on these accounts if they had access to them in their era.

19) I will then inform the class that the students will have the choice to make a Fakebook profile for either Hernan Cortes or Monteczuma II.

20) I will then ask the students to access the Fakebook Profile Assignment from their Google drive. Once the students have done this, I will discuss the assignment expectations with the class and allow the students to ask any questions about the assignment that they may have.

21) I will then ask the students to use the information that they have learned about the personalities, worldviews and life experiences of the leader they chose to create a Fakebook page for either Monteczuma II or Hernan Cortes. I will give the students approximately 2 classes to work on this assignment.

22) When the students have finished the Fakebook Profile Assignment, I will ask for student volunteers who would be willing to share their assignment with the class. After the students have shared their assignments, I will ask them to hand their work into the assignment bin. (After the Fakebook Profile Assignments have been marked, they will be hung on the bulletin board outside my classroom.)

Conclusion

1) I will then ask the students to access their notes about Machiavellian rulers from their Google drive. Once they have done this, I will ask the students to recall the personality traits and beliefs/values of a Machiavellian ruler.

2) I will then ask the students to name various Machiavellian rulers we have learned about so far in class. (Ex: Cosimo de Medici, Henry Tudor, Alexander Borgia, etc.)

3) I will then ask the students the following questions: • Would you classify either Monteczuma II or Hernan Cortes as Machiavellian rulers?

Why or why not? • What evidence from the personality charts of both leaders can you use to support

your claim? • If either leader was not a Machiavellian ruler, do you think they would be more

successful as a leader? Why or why not? • If Facebook would have existed during the Spanish Conquest, do you think that

either leader would have been mindful of what they post online? • How did creating a Fakebook page for either leader help you to understand the

personalities, worldviews or decisions of each leader?

Fakebook Profile Assignment

As you know, by accessing your Facebook profile, people can gather a large amount of information about your personality, the experiences you’ve had in your life, your preferences, your biases and even your worldview. For this assignment, you will need to create a Fakebook Account for either Monteczuma II or Hernan Cortes that depicts their worldview, important events in their lives, motivations, personality traits and religious beliefs. You will also need to create a list of friends, an About Me section and write at least 10 wall posts (made by either the leader or themselves or their friends) on your Fakebook page. Please consider the six traits of writing (especially Voice), when you create the wall posts for you Fakebook page. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Check each step off after you have completed it. Step # 1: Choose a Leader (Monteczuma II or Hernan Cortes) __________ Step # 2: Gathering Evidence To complete this step, you will need to use your Spanish and Aztec Worldview Chart, Personality Webs, textbook and notes on important information pertaining to each leader to gather evidence and information that you could use to create your Fakebook profile. __________ Step # 3: Profile Picture To complete this step, you will need to either draw or print out a picture of the leader you chose. Be sure to find or draw a picture that clearly displays their personality or important information about them. __________ Step # 4: About Me Section To complete this step, you will need to write down information regarding Hernan Cortes’ or Monteczuma II’s birthdate, hometown and occupation. __________ Step # 5: Finding Friends To complete this step, you will need to brainstorm the names of at least 4 friends that the leader you chose might have. Please be as historically accurate as possible. __________ You will also need to draw or find a picture of each friend and write down his or her name. __________ Step # 6: Writing Wall Posts To complete this step, you will need to decide what you will be writing for each wall post on your Fakebook account. You will need to choose how many wall posts will be made by the leader themselves, and how many wall posts might be made by friends of the leader. __________ You will need to include at least 3 wall posts demonstrating their personality traits. __________ You will need to include at least 3 wall posts demonstrating their worldview in regards to the following worldview elements: The Good Life, Relationship to State, Responsibilities to Others, Ethical Wisdom or Equality. __________

You will need to include at least 3 important events that have taken place in their life. __________ You will need to include at least one inside joke that could be made between the leader you chose and one of their friends. __________ Your Fakebook Profile Assignment will be marked according to the following checklist:

Fakebook Profile Assignment Checklist 1) Your name, class and the date was written on the back of your assignment. / 1 2) Your Fakebook Profile belonged to either Monteczuma II or Hernan Cortes. / 1 3) Your Fakebook Profile contained an accurate picture of the leader you chose. / 1 4) Your Fakebook About Me section contained the actual birthday of the leader you chose according to the calendar their society used.

/ 1

5) Your Fakebook About Me section accurately stated the leader’s occupation. / 1 6) Your Fakebook About Me section accurately stated the leader’s hometown. / 1 7) You accurately identified four friends that your leader would have. / 1 8) You accurately depicted your leader’s four friends. / 1 9) One of your wall posts contained an inside joke from one of your leader’s friends. / 1 10) Three of your wall posts contained accurate information regarding important events/experiences that occurred in your leader’s life.

/ 3

11) Three of your wall posts contained accurate information regarding your leader’s worldview.

/ 3

12) Three of your wall posts accurately depicted the personality traits of the leader you chose to profile.

/ 3

13) Your Fakebook profile contained no spelling or grammatical errors / 1 14) The “voice” of the leader you chose was captured in the wall posts of your Fakebook Profile.

/ 1

Total Points / 20 Comments

Home

Name:

Hometown:

Birthday:

Occupation:

About

Friends

Wall

3

f

Home

Friends

3

f

John Hancock

Thomas Jefferson

Samuel Adams

John Adams

Name: Benjamin Franklin

Hometown: Boston, MA

Birthday: Jan. 17, 1706

Occupation: scientist,

About

author, politician

Wall

BenjBenjBenjBenjaminaminaminamin FranklinFranklinFranklinFranklinJune 10, 1752 10:18 pm

BenjBenjBenjBenjaminaminaminamin FranklinFranklinFranklinFranklinJune 10, 1752 8:42 pm

BenjBenjBenjBenjaminaminaminamin FranklinFranklinFranklinFranklinJune 10, 1752 8:32 pm

John AdamsJohn AdamsJohn AdamsJohn AdamsJune 10, 1752 8:37 pm

Thomas JeffersonThomas JeffersonThomas JeffersonThomas JeffersonJune 10, 1752 8:49 pm

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