Maya astronomy

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/maya-astronomy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the key indigenous technologies?Fully developed hieroglyphic writing system and a positional vigesimal numeral system
2. What is the architectural integration?Numerous structures aligned with solstices, equinoxes, and other significant celestial events
3. What did the Maya study in the sky?They watched the Sun, Moon, planets like Venus and Mars, and the Milky Way to learn about the world.
4. How did the Maya keep track of time with the stars?They made two calendars, the 260‑day Tzolk'in and the 365‑day Haab', which together made a 52‑year Calendar Round that helped them plan farming and festivals.

Vigesimal System: A number system based on twenty, utilizing dots and bars for representation and positional notation.
Synodic Period: The time it takes for a celestial body to reappear at the same point in relation to the Sun, as observed from Earth.
Zenith Passage: The moment when a celestial body, typically the Sun, is directly overhead at a specific latitude.