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Alain and Chalupa Explore Mexico! Joyce Richardson-Melech A. V

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Alain and Chalupa Explore Mexico! Joyce Richardson-Melech A. V Alain and Chalupa Explore Mexico! Joyce Richardson-Melech A. V. Ceres School Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 Fulbright-Hays Seminar Abroad in Mexico 2010 Project Web site (to download individual stories): https://sites.google.com/site/alainandchalupaexploremexico/home/img064.jpg?attredirects=0 Alain Mouse is invited to spend summer vacation in Mexico with his cousin, Chalupa Ratón. Alain and Chalupa visit historic, archaeological, and cultural sites, as well as attend musical and artistic events. This is an eight lesson unit. The format is eight stories. The stories are followed by multiple choice quizzes. Each lesson is approximately 30 minutes, and is geared for grades 3 through 6. The lessons are in the following order: 1. Alain and Chalupa Visit Teotihuacan 2. Alain and Chalupa Visit Monte Alban 3. Alain and Chalupa Visit the Xpicob Turtle Conservation Camp 4. Alain and Chalupa Explore Textiles 5. Alain and Chalupa Explore Tapestry Weaving 6. Alain and Chalupa Visit the Museum of Anthropology in Xalapa, Veracruz 7. Alain and Chalupa Visit the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City 8. Alain and Chalupa Attend the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 2 of 101 1. Alain and Chalupa Visit Teotihuacan Alain was excited! His cousin, Chalupa Ratón, invited him to spend some time with her in Mexico! He hadn’t seen her since she came to visit him in his home town of Perth Amboy in the state of New Jersey two years ago. Back then, he showed her New York City, with its famous Empire State Building, Radio City Music Hall, the Avenue of the Americas, Rockefeller Center, the Theater District, the Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Modern Art. Now it was Chalupa’s turn to show Alain the sights of her country. He was looking forward to Teotihuacan, Monte Alban, the Anthropological Museum in Xalapa, Veracruz, the Anthropological Museum in Mexico City, textile weaving, and the Ballet Folklorico! Chalupa sent Alain an email and she took care in planning out the trip for him. The only thing he had to do was make sure that he didn’t miss his flight! The trip was set for the summer of 2010 as soon as school was over for the year. And so, two days after school ended, Alain and his luggage were aboard the American Airlines flight to Mexico to see Chalupa and to make some fantastic memories and adventures, see some new sights, taste some new foods, and absorb Mexican culture and history. Alain’s plane arrived safely at the airport in Mexico City where Chalupa was already waiting for his arrival. “Alain!,” cried Chalupa as soon as she saw him at the airport. She smiled and opened her arms wide. The mouse cousins hugged each other and exchanged Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 3 of 101 greetings, asking how the other was doing since they had last seen each other. “What is the first thing that we are going to see?,” asked Alain as they climbed into Chalupa’s mousemobile. “Well, Alain, I have a wonderful treat in store for you!,” Chalupa answered in her lilting Mexican accent. “You will have to rest from your journey from the United States this evening because tomorrow, you are going to get plenty of exercise! We are going to climb some Mexican pyramids at Teotihuacan, and start off with some Mexican history, art, and culture! You are going to need your rest because tomorrow, you will not believe your eyes!” The mousemobile pulled up to Chalupa’s mouse hole in the wall at the Hotel Geneve in the Zona Rosa section of Mexico City. Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 4 of 101 Alain had to admit that he was tired after flying for most of the day. But he and Chalupa had to have some of the delicious Mexican flan and a small glass of milk at Sanborne’s before going to bed that night. Flan is rich custard flavored with vanilla and drizzled with caramel sauce. Yummy! Alain had been looking forward to having flan since he got on the plane at Newark Liberty International Airport. Alain took one bite of the flan and then put down his spoon to taste the flavor of the caramel and the vanilla. He planned to take his time and enjoy the flan. He was not going to rush while eating it because he wanted to savor every mouthful! Soon it was time to go to sleep in order to be well-rested for the next day’s adventures. “Good- night, Chalupa!,” said Alain as he went to his room. “Good-night, Alain!,” returned Chalupa before she turned off the light and went into her room in the mouse hole in the Hotel Geneve. Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 5 of 101 The next day was the trip to Teotihuacan! The name was from the Aztecs, meaning “the place where men become gods.” This archaeological site had been visited by people from all over the world and was one of the most visited sites in Mexico. Alain was going to learn about the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon, and the Avenue of the Dead. Aztec lords buried their dead along this avenue. These archaeological sites were constructed approximately 200 B.C. by the Totonacs. It grew from a village with approximately 6,000 people to a city of between 120,000 to 200,000 people. The site was eventually abandoned between the 7th and 8th centuries. This was the first time that Alain was going to see some Mexican pyramids. Alain could not believe the size of the ancient structures when they finally arrived. The site contained some of the largest pyramids built in the pre-Columbian Americas. The pyramids and other structures were painted with bright colors of reds and blues when the city was inhabited. He was certainly amazed and in awe when he saw the height of the pyramids. How could anyone build anything that size? There was no machinery during the time that they were built, so how could it possibly have been done? Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 6 of 101 Hi, Chalupa! Take my picture! The Pyramid of the Sun in the Background Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 7 of 101 Along the Avenue of the Dead, the Pyramid of the Sun The Pyramid of the Sun Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 8 of 101 The Pyramid of the Moon The Pyramid of the Sun Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 9 of 101 The Pyramid of the Moon A Layout of Teotihuacan Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 10 of 101 Along the Avenue of the Dead Another View Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 11 of 101 A Storm is Coming! Teotihuacan was thought to be founded by a number of different peoples; the Olmec, Toltec, Totonac, Mixtec, and Maya may all have had some influence in the city at one time or another. The area was known for its obsidian (volcanic glass) artifacts. The people made tools and decorative items with obsidian. After Alain and Chalupa walked the Avenue of the Dead and climbed a few steps of the Pyramid of the Moon, they noticed that a few raindrops were hitting their faces. They had to find shelter somewhere or they would be washed away with the rain! They dashed to the museo to see what types of items were there that were discovered during the restoration of the archaeological site and to get in from the rain. They saw the reproduction of a mural, painted with bright red colors and symmetrical designs. Remnant of a Mural Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 12 of 101 They saw elaborate items that could have been considered reproductions of gods. Alain and Chalupa wandered from room to room, and were lucky that they were not stepped on by the humans who were also visiting the museo. They saw decorative vessels. They saw what would have been jewelry and decorative items. Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 13 of 101 Examples of What the People Ate Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 14 of 101 After spending some time in the museo, Chalupa suggested that they go to a restaurant that was relatively close to Teotihuacan to get a little something to eat before they returned to the mouse hole. “It’s a restaurant inside of a cave! Just wait until you see it!,” said Chalupa. They carefully went down a couple of flights of stairs to get to the restaurant. Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p. 15 of 101 Alain ate too much and drank too much horchata (sweetened rice milk) and fell asleep during the drive back to Mexico City in the mousemobile. Chalupa glanced at her American cousin and shook her head. “I don’t know how he’s going to be able to make it through the rest of this trip,” she said to herself. “He’s exhausted and we haven’t even really gotten started yet! I think I will wind up having to drag him everywhere!” Alain couldn’t get sleepy, exhausted, and worn out this early in the trip! Chalupa planned to take her cousin to Monte Alban, the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, the Anthropological Museum in Xalapa, Veracruz, the Xpicob Turtle Conservation Camp, to see textiles and tapestry weaving, and to top off the whole trip, to the Ballet Folklorico in Mexico City! If he thought he was tired now, he would have to recover very quickly! Richardson-Melech – Alain and Chalupa p.
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