Myths and Legends: the Feathered Serpent God 1 Storytimetm

TM Storytime Myths and Legends: The Feathered Serpent God 1 Teaching Resources

The Feathered Serpent God is a myth from the Aztec civilisation IN BRIEF about one of their most important gods, Quetzalcoatl, and how he brought people to life.

1 LITERACY LESSON IDEAS

The Feathered Serpent God is a good story to read alongside learning about the Aztec civilisation. Quetzalcoatl was an important and powerful god in ancient Central America. Find out more about him on our Quetzalcoatl Fact Sheet and find out about other Aztec gods in our Top 10 Aztec Gods Sheet.

See our Feathered Serpent God Word Wise Sheet to find the meanings of any new or tricky words, and have a go at our Quick Comprehension Checker and writing exercises.

Put this myth in the correct order using our Story Sequencing Sheet.

Looking at the pictures, write the story in your own words using our Simple Storyboards.

Make up your own myth to explain why humans come in different shapes and sizes. Discuss your ideas in class. Use our Storytime Writing Sheet to write it.

Act out The Feathered Serpent God myth using our printable Quetzalcoatl, Xolotl and Skeleton Masks. The skeletons can be the Lord and Lady of the Underworld.

2 SCIENCE LESSON IDEAS

Imagine you are Quetzalcoatl and you have to put the bones you’ve carried back together to make a human. Do you know where each bones goes? Fill in the blanks on our Super Skeleton Sheet and learn the names of some important bones too.

Continued on page 2... © storytimemagazine.com 2018 TM Storytime Myths and Legends: The Feathered Serpent God 2 Teaching Resources 3 HISTORY LESSON IDEAS The Aztecs were fascinating. Though we call them Aztecs, they called themselves Mexica, which is how Mexico got its name. Read our Aztec Fact Sheet to find out more about this amazing ancient civilisation.

Visit the DK Find Out site for a colourful and interactive way to learn about the Aztecs: https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/history/aztecs/

Watch a video on BBC Bitesize about how people lived in Aztec times: https://www.bbc. co.uk/education/clips/zphpyrd and see an amazing Aztec temple, which was hidden under the streets of Mexico City: https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zxmxpv4

Horrible Histories Angry Aztecs by Terry Deary is a fantastic non-fiction book, filled with funny and tummy-turning facts to delight your class. 4 GEOGRAPHY LESSON IDEAS

The Aztec people were based in central Mexico. Their main city, Tenochtitlan, was built on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. The lake was later drained. Today it is the site of Mexico City – the capital of Mexico. See if you can find it on a map.

What language do people speak in Mexico? What is Mexico’s national currency? Can you find a picture of Mexico’s flag? Find out an interesting fact about Mexico. 5 ART LESSON IDEAS

Print out our Quetzalcoatl Colouring Sheet. Decorate the serpent god with green feathers.

Invent an Aztec god. What is he or she the god of? Get some ideas from our Aztec Mix and Match Sheet, and draw your creation in our Storytime Picture Frame.

Continued on page 3...

Get a taste of this ancient civilisation with our Aztec Hot Chocolate Recipe. The Aztecs believed that drinking hot chocolate made Quetzacoatl happy. One of their most famous leaders, Montezuma II, was said to drink 50 cups oh hot chocolate every day!

7 P.E. LESSON IDEAS

Split up into two teams: Quetzalcoatls and Xolotls versus Bats and Owls. Can the Bats and Owls catch all the Quetzalcoatls and Xolotls before they escape from the underworld?

Alternatively, create an obstacle course and see if your Quetzalcoatls can make it to the end without dropping any bones. Use beanbags as bones.

© storytimemagazine.com 2018 © storytimemagazine.com 2018 ANGRY ADJECTIVES The Feathered SerpentGod: Word WiseSheet1 as anofferingtoagod WORD WATCH Gnaw–chew Compose–write,makeup Conchshell–aspiral Sacrifice–killingapersonoranimal WRITE IT! Lady Mictlan–seethe pictureinourstoryforguidance. Write aparagraphdescribingtheappearanceofLord and God You’ll findthesewordsinTheFeatheredSerpent in Storytime Issue44.Here’s whattheymean. Fashioned–made,created Hauled–pulled Mortal–willdieoneday Scowled–frowninanangryway Tuneful –pleasant,catchy Write asmanyyoucanhere. don’t wanttogiveuptheirbones? show thatLord andLady Mictlan What adjectivesdoweuseto Te Storytime a ching Resou

rces TM TM Storytime The Feathered Serpent God: Word Wise Sheet 2 Teaching Resources QUICK COMPREHENSION CHECKER

1. Why was Quetzalcoatl different to the other Aztec gods?

2. Why did he decide to travel to Mictlan?

3. What did Xolotl use to find his way through the underworld?

4. Why do you think Lord and Lady Mictlan didn’t want to give up their collection of bones?

5. How did the worms and bees help Quetzacoatl?

QUETZALCOATL’S FIB Quetzalcoatl asked Xolotl to lie to Lord and Lady Mictlan and say that he was bringing the bones back. Can you think of a good argument he could have used instead? Discuss it in class. © storytimemagazine.com 2018 © storytimemagazine.com 2018 into itandthebonesbroke. They alsomadeadeepholeinhispath.Quetzalcoatlfell

Myths andLegends: TheFeathered SerpentGod

to visit the underworld. underworld. the visit to

Quetzalcoatl felt sad that there were no people, so he decided decided he so people, no were there that sad felt Quetzalcoatl

Xolotl hauled Quetzalcoatl out of the hole and they escaped. they and hole the of out Quetzalcoatl hauled Xolotl Quetzalcoatl asked his twin brother Xolotl to help him. him. help to Xolotl brother twin his asked Quetzalcoatl

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The next day, Quetzalcoatl brought humans back to life. to back humans brought Quetzalcoatl day, next The

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Quetzalcoatl asked the worms to gnaw holes in the shell

and asked the bees to buzz inside it. He made music.

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Resou rces TM TM Storytime The Feathered Serpent God: Storyboard sheet Teaching Resources NAME CLASS Use the pictures to write The Feathered Serpent God in your words.

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© storytimemagazine.com 2018 TM Storytime Myths and Legends: The Feathered Serpent God Teaching Resources NAME CLASS WRITING Invent your own myth to explain why SHEET humans are different shapes and sizes.

To the Aztecs, who ruled from the 14th to 16th centuries, Quetzalcoatl was the god of many things – including the wind, the day, craftsmen, artists, goldsmiths and priests. He was also a god of life and the great creator of mankind.

Aztecs believed that Quetzalcoatl invented the calendar and also books, so he was also the god of writing and learning.

Quetzal means ‘emerald plumed bird’ and coatl means ‘serpent’. He could fly like a dragon. The beautiful quetzal bird of Central All the other gods believed in human America and has bright sacrifice, but Quetzalcoatl didn’t. The Aztecs green feathers. People sacrificed snakes, birds and butterflies to him. used to think it was sacred, because it was associated Some of the gods didn’t like the fact with Quetzalcoatl. For a that Quetzalcoatl was kind to humans. They long time, it was a crime used magic to get rid of him. In one story, he to capture or kill a disappeared and turned into the planet Venus, quetzal. which is also known as the morning star.

In another story, a giant red ant helped Quetzalcoatl to discover corn so that the Aztec people would never go hungry.

Quetzalcoatl had many disguises. He appeared as a serpent with a plume of feathers, as a man with a long white beard or, when he was the wind god, he wore a mask with two tubes sticking out of it, which the wind blew through.

Temples to Quetzalcoatl were often round. The Aztecs thought this pleased him, as the wind could blow around the temples easily.

GOD OR NAME GODDESS OF… FACT LOOKS As well as his feather Wind, learning, He also guarded the plume, he wore a QUETZALCOATL writing, art, boundary between the 1 special necklace with a (kets-orl-ko-artul) craft and more earth and the sky conch shell cut in half He was Quetzalcoatl’s Death, illness, He is a man with the twin brother and he XOLOTL twins, fire and head of a dog or he 2 accompanied the dead (show-lot-ul) the sunset appears as a skeleton to the underworld He liked to appear as In Aztec art, he is Rain, lightning TLALOC a heron, a snail or a shown with jaguar 3 and thunder (tlah-lok) shellfish teeth and googly eyes Sun, warriors, Aztecs offered Tonatiuh He carries an arrow 4 TONATIUH and the leader human hearts to give and a shield and (toh-nah-tee-oo) of heaven him energy to travel wears eagle feathers He appears as a War and Aztec hummingbird or a man HUITZILOPOCHTLI people – he His name means in a feather headdress 5 (weets-ee-low- was their most ‘Hummingbird’s left’ holding a mirror and a posht-lee) important god snake-like sceptre TEZCATLIPOCA Night, the He could see and He had black stripes 6 (tez-cah-tlee- north, jaguars punish any bad on his face and carried poe-ka) and sorcery behaviour on Earth a black mirror Life, spring, He wore a cone- He removed his own the seasons shaped hat and XIPE TOTEC skin to feed humans in 7 and the east, carried a rattle filled (she-pay-toe-tek) times of great hunger agriculture with seeds When Tlaloc was cruel, She wore a jade skirt Water, rivers, she caused a flood that CHALCHIUHTLICUE with a stream of water seas and lasted 52 years. She 8 (thcal-chee-oo- flowing from it and a storms turned humans into tlee-koo-ay) huge headdress fish to save them She wore a skirt made She gave birth to the Mother of from snakes and a COATLICUE moon and the stars 9 the Gods necklace of hearts, (co-art-lik-oo) and Huitzilopochtli heads and skulls She has red lines on Fire, volcanoes She was turned into a her face and wears CHANTICO and precious dog when she broke 10 red clothes, decorated (tchan-tee-koh) things her fast and ate paprika with white feathers

The Aztecs were fearless warriors, which is how their civilisation spread from one city to a huge empire. This empire, known as Mesoamerica, covered eight modern-day countries – southern Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Nicaragua.

The Aztecs were amazing craftsmen, builders and artists too. They constructed huge pyramids, temples and palaces, decorated with carvings of their gods. Their biggest temple Did You Know? was Templo Mayor in Tenochtitlan. The words ‘chocolate’, ‘tomato’, ‘avocado’ and They were good farmers and grew lots ‘chilli’ are all from the of maize (corn), which they used to make a ancient Aztec language flatbread called a tortilla. People still eat of Nahautl! tortilla today

The Aztecs believed it was important to keep the gods happy – and one gruesome way they did this was by sacrificing the lives of humans.

Aztec people spoke a language called Nahautl and they wrote in pictures and symbols, which looked a lot like Egyptian hieroglyphics.

All Aztec males trained as warriors. Each military order had its own special costume. The eagles wore eagle-feather headdresses and the jaguars wore jaguar skins. They also carried decorated shields.

Montezuma II was the most famous Aztec leader. His people thought he could talk to the gods. He was a priest and a general, and he lived a life of luxury.

The Aztecs invented hot chocolate! They added spices or chilli to it to make a frothy drink. They believed cocoa beans were a gift from the gods. Cocoa beans were even used as money or wedding gifts.

The Aztec civilisation came to an end when Spanish explorers, led by Hernán Cortés, visited Mesoamerica and took control. Montezuma II became friends with Cortés and his people turned against him. © storytimemagazine.com 2018 TM Storytime Myths and Legends: The Feathered Serpent God Teaching Resources

The Aztecs didn’t add milk to their hot chocolate, but they did add interesting AZTEC HOT ingredients like chilli. See if you like CHOCOLATE RECIPE this warm and spicy version. RECIPE CARD INGREDIENTS makes 1 cup • 1 cup milk 1. Simmer the milk in a saucepan over • 90g milk or dark a medium-high heat. chocolate, chopped up OR 1 tbsp cocoa 2. When it’s warm add the chocolate, powder chilli, cinnamon stick and vanilla. • Small pinch dried 3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer

chilli or cayenne for 5 to 10 minutes. pepper 4. While it simmers, whisk the mixture until • 1 cinnamon stick or 1/4 tsp ground the chocolate is completely melted. cinnamon 5. Remove the cinnamon stick if you’re • 1/2 tsp vanilla using one and let it cool a little. essence 6. Pour into a mug and top it with • Squirty cream squirty cream. YUM!

If you like your hot chocolate IDEa! sweet, stir in 1 tsp sugar or honey to the milk as it warms. TRY THIS! If you don’t like chilli, swap it Why not try a traditional for a pinch of ground ginger Mexican tortilla too, filled instead. Experiment with with beans and vegetables? different flavours, just What other Mexican like the Aztecs did! foods are there?

Which bones go where? Help Quetzalcoatl SUPER put a human back together by drawing a line between the bones and the part of the body SKELETON where they belong. Clavicle

Humerus

Femur

Rib

Pelvis

Cut out the heads and bodies to make AZTEC MIX AND up your own amazing Aztec god. When you’ve finished, give your god a name MATCH SHEET and decide what they rule over.

© storytimemagazine.com 2018 © storytimemagazine.com 2018 PICTURE Myths andLegends: TheFeathered SerpentGod FRAME Draw yourownAztecgodhere. Te Storytime a ching Resou rces TM © storytimemagazine.com 2018 QUETZALCOATL Myths andLegends: TheFeathered SerpentGod NAME CLASS ART

in orstickongreencraftfeathers. feathers. Drawthemonandcolour Give thisserpentaheaddressofgreen

green and press it onto onto it press and green

Quetzalcoatl’s body body Quetzalcoatl’s to make it look like like look it make to

Paint bubble wrap wrap bubble Paint

snakeskin. TIP! Te Storytime a ching Resou rces TM TM Storytime The Feathered Serpent God: Character Masks Teaching Resources

Print out and cut our Quetzalcoatl, Xolotl and Skeleton masks to act out the Aztec myth in Storytime Issue 44.

2018 TM Storytime The Feathered Serpent God: Character Masks Teaching Resources

Print out and cut our Quetzalcoatl, Xolotl and Skeleton masks to act out the Aztec myth in Storytime Issue 44.

2018 TM Storytime The Feathered Serpent God: Character Masks Teaching Resources

Print out and cut our Quetzalcoatl, Xolotl and Skeleton masks to act out the Aztec myth in Storytime Issue 44.

2018