TeachersFirst Inca Empire Resources
The Inca Empire, known to its people as Tawantinsuyu or "The Four Regions," stands as one of the most impressive pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas. This extensive collection of resources offers a window for your students to the remarkable world of the Inca, from their emergence in the 13th century to their conquest by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. Spanning archaeology, history, and anthropology, these materials illuminate the empire's achievements in architecture, engineering, agriculture, and more. From the citadel of Machu Picchu to the extensive network of roads to the complex social hierarchy, this compilation provides a look at the civilization that once stretched along the Andean mountain range, dominating western South America.
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Top 5 Incan Inventions - HowStuffWorks
Grades
5 to 8
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tag(s): inventors and inventions (83), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can use Padlet reviewed here to post information that they learned. Students can use Figma reviewed here to compare and contrast Inca's advancements to other civilizations. Students can use Buzzsprout reviewed here to narrate one of the inventions while showing images of the invention.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Mayas - Aztecs - Incas - Wendy Conklin
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): architecture (86), religions (123), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Transform your classroom into a bustling market! Assign students roles as Maya, Aztec, or Inca merchants selling goods like cacao, maize, textiles, or gold. Have them barter and trade based on their civilization's economy. Students can analyze Maya glyphs or Inca quipu (knotted cords used for record-keeping). They can try writing their names in glyphs or creating a simple quipu with yarn. Students can research and retell a myth from one of the three civilizations. They can write a short script, perform, or illustrate a comic strip using Free Comic Strip Maker reviewed here. Students could also record a podcast episode using Buzzsprout reviewed here. Students can build Maya pyramids (with sugar cubes), Aztec chinampas (floating gardens using sponges & water trays), or Inca terraces (stacked cardboard "mountains") to explore their engineering feats.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Early American Civilizations- Maya, Aztec, and Inca - Core Knowledge
Grades
4 to 6tag(s): critical thinking (140), literacy (121), maps (219), south america (79), vocabulary (241)
In the Classroom
Make a Mystery Box by placing pictures or replicas of Maya, Aztec, and Inca artifacts (ex., a quipu, a pyramid, a codex) in a box. Have students pull an item, describe it, and infer its use before reading about it in the text. Students create a visual comparison such as a Venn diagram, poster, or digital infographic using Venn Diagram Creator reviewed here or Canva Edu, reviewed here showing similarities and differences between the Maya, Aztec, and Inca. They can list areas like government, religion, architecture, and daily life. Students can write a first-person journal entry as a Maya scribe, an Aztec warrior, or an Incan messenger, describing a day in their life while incorporating factual details from the reader.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ghosts of Machu Picchu - PBS NOVA
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): archeology (29), south america (79), STEM (331), timelines (58)
In the Classroom
Have students explore the website's visuals, articles, and videos to "virtually visit" Machu Picchu. Then, in small groups, students can create a travel brochure or digital slideshow highlighting key features, historical significance, and unanswered mysteries. These projects can be completed online using Canva Edu reviewed here or Google Slides reviewed here. After learning about Machu Picchu's sophisticated stone construction and drainage system, students can design and test their own miniature stone wall models using clay, Legos, or sugar cubes, mimicking Incan building techniques. Students can compare Machu Picchu's engineering, society, and daily life to another ancient civilization (ex., Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome) and present their findings through a Venn diagram on paper or online using Venn Diagram Creator reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Inca Civilization - Twinkl Educational Publishing
Grades
3 to 10tag(s): cultures (249), religions (123), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Assign students different roles in Inca society (ex., farmer, noble, priest, artisan, emperor, chasqui messenger), have students research their roles, and then participate in a classroom simulation where they interact based on their social status. After reviewing the resources on Inca architecture, students can work in teams to design and build a model of an Inca terrace farm, bridge, or city using clay, cardboard, or recycled materials. They can also create a digital model using Delightex (formerly CoSpaces) reviewed here or Tinkercad reviewed here. Encourage students to explain how their design reflects the Incas' use of geography and engineering skills. Using the quipu worksheets, students learn how the Incas recorded numbers using knots. Students then create their own quipu messages using string and assign numerical or symbolic meanings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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What Life Was Like As An Incan - Nutty Productions
Grades
5 to 8tag(s): south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can write a story about what they learned in the video by creating a simple blog post using Telegra.ph reviewed here. This site does not require any registration. Students can also ToonyTool, reviewed here to create single-frame cartoons about the video.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Andean Music, the Music of the Incas - Discover Peru
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): musical instruments (53), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can recreate the musical instruments used by the Incan civilization. Students can find Incan music to listen to and compare and contrast with another civilization using Figma reviewed here. Students can record the music on Acast reviewed here to deconstruct the instruments and match them to the sounds in the songs.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Children of the Sun - Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): south america (79), stories and storytelling (65)
In the Classroom
Students can use Google Keep reviewed here to take notes on each of the pages from the manuscript. Students can use WordClouds reviewed here to post words associated with their message from the story. Students can use Genially, reviewed here, to show what the have learned.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Inca Empire: Everything You Wanted To Know - History Extra Podcast
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): podcasts (137), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can use Padlet reviewed here to post information about that they learn. Students can use Google Keep reviewed here to take notes during the podcast. Students can use Google My Maps reviewed here to virtually visit the area.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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How The Inca Used Knots To Tell Stories - Literacy Hub
Grades
9 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): communication (113), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can use Google Slides reviewed here to make up their own stories with Incan artifacts. Students can research other ancient civilizations that did not have a writing system and use Figma reviewed here to compare and contrast their accomplishments or lack thereof.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Inca Empire for Kids: Myths, Legends, and Stories - Mr. Donn
Grades
3 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): myths and legends (42)
In the Classroom
Students can use Figma reviewed here to compare and contrast myths from the Inca civilization to others. Students can use Padlet reviewed here to display what they learned about the Incan civilization after reading one of the myths. Finally, students can use Free Screen Recorder Online reviewed here to re-create a myth and share it on their screen or by recording themselves.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Inca Science, Innovation, and Technology - History's Histories
Grades
5 to 9tag(s): architecture (86), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can use Padlet reviewed here to post information that they learned. Students can use Google My Maps reviewed here to visit the location. Finally, students can use Book Creator reviewed here to create a book about the Incan civilization.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ghosts of Machu Picchu 2 - PBS Nova
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): climate (87), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can research more about the ice mummies and how the climate affected their melting. Students can use MyLens reviewed here to document key moments/important milestones in the history of ice mummies. Finally, students can use Google My Maps reviewed here to virtually visit the location.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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How Standards and Technology Enabled the Inca Empire to Thrive - NIST
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can post using Padlet reviewed here facts/information that they found interesting from the article. Students can use Google My Maps reviewed here to visit the land of the Incan civilization. Students can compare and contrast the achievements of Incan civilization to other civilizations using Figma reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Road to Machu Picchu - Peru in 4K - devinsupertramp
Grades
3 to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): cultures (249), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can research Machu Picchu by adding facts to a Padlet reviewed here. Students can explore the Amazon Rainforest using Google My Maps reviewed here. Finally, students can create a book using Book Creator reviewed here researching animals of the rainforest.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Peru's Machu Picchu - Ministry of Culture
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): cultures (249), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can go on the virtual tour to view the museum and use Padlet reviewed here to describe the art that was seen. Students can use WordClouds reviewed here to create a word cloud of features that they notice in the artwork.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Machu Picchu: Unveiling the Mystery of the Inca - Carol P. Merriman
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): cultures (249), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can complete the ready-to-go lessons that are included in the unit. Students can demonstrate what they have learned by creating a short explainer video using Adobe Express Video Maker reviewed here. Students can visit the area using Google My Maps reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Inca Exhibition - Google Arts & Culture
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): art history (109)
In the Classroom
Students can use Figma reviewed here to compare and contrast Incan art to other civilizations' art. Students can virtually visit other museums that host Incan art. Finally, research the famous people who are featured in the artwork. Students can create a project showing what they have learned using a tool such as Telegra.ph reviewed here, which allows you to create quick blog posts (with no log-in necessary).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Inca Letter to the Family - Louisiana Department of Education
Grades
5 to 8tag(s): aztecs (10), letter writing (19), maps (219), south america (79), vocabulary (241)
In the Classroom
Using the reading passages and vocabulary exercises, students can create a Venn diagram on paper or online using Venn Diagram Creator, reviewed here comparing the Inca and Aztec civilizations. They can analyze government, religion, agriculture, achievements, and reasons for decline. Have students create a travel brochure for the Inca or Aztec civilizations, highlighting key landmarks like Tenochtitlan or Machu Picchu. Use a digital storytelling tool to create digital travel brochures using Sway, reviewed here. After students learn about Inca quipus from the resource materials, they can create their own illustrated codex to tell a short story or design a string-and-knot quipu to represent a number or message.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Couriers in the Inca Empire: Getting Your Message Across - EDSITEment
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): communication (113), inquiry (28), native americans (116), south america (79), STEM (331)
In the Classroom
Introduce students to quipu, the Inca system of knotted cords used for record-keeping, and then have students create quipu-inspired messages using yarn or string, encoding data such as population counts or food supplies. Set up a mock Inca relay system where students act as chasquis by dividing the class into teams and having them pass messages (written or in picture form) across the classroom or schoolyard without speaking. Use a paper map or Google My Maps, reviewed here to trace the routes the couriers would take to deliver messages.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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