District News

Class uses Incan counting system to bring history to life

 

Jan. 26, 2012

 

"Did the Mayans ever predict the end of the world class?" asked Phil Schoff, a ninth grade history teacher at Canajoharie High School during a recent lesson. "No," the class responded in unison.

Mr. Schoff's class knows that because they are currently studying the civilizations of the Americas and learning about the history of the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas. But instead of just reading from the text, Mr. Schoff was looking for ways to bring history to life. That is why he charged the class with creating an Incan "quipu" or numerical record keeping system that uses knotted cords to store information. According to Harvard anthropologist Gary Urton, the quipu were also used to send messages throughout the empire.

Using a piece of white paper, colored pencils, and yarn, Mr. Schoff's students tied a series of different sized knots on each strand of the yarn to symbolize a number. Mr. Schoff also created his own quipu with the birthdays of family members. A larger knot equaled the number 10 and a smaller one equaled a five.

"This is just one way to bring history to life and to put yourself in that time period," Mr. Schoff said.

"We just got done studying the Mayan calendar too, and what you learn in history is so much different that what you find on the Internet and movies. The Mayans never predicted the end of the world; (this year) their calendar just starts back over."

Loriel Robinson created a number code during her quipu project using various strands of colored yarm. She said she liked the lesson because it put a practical face on what she read in the text.

"This is more hands-on," she said. "And I like that."