Lesson Plan - Where Is the Lost Inca Gold?

About the Article

Learning Objective

Students will learn about the legendary gold hidden by the ancient Inca and analyze a map of the Inca Empire in South America. 

Curriculum Connections

• Ancient Civilizations 

• The Inca 

• South America 

• Colonization 

• Direction and Distance 

Key Skills

Social Studies:

• Analyze the causes and consequences of events and developments 

• Explore the development of cultures across time and place 

• Use a compass rose to determine direction and a scale to calculate distance 

English Language Arts:

• Cite text evidence to support ideas 

• Identify central ideas and details 

• Integrate information presented in multiple formats 

• Identify causes and effects

Key CCSS Standards

RH.6-8.1, RH.6-8.2, RH.6-8.3, RH.6-8.4, RH.6-8.5, RH.6-8.7, WHST.6-8.4, WHST.6-8.9, RI.6-8.1, RI.6-8.2, RI.6-8.3, RI.6-8.4, RI.6-8.5, RI.6-8.7, RI.6-8.9, W.6-8.4, W.6-8.9, SL.6-8.1

Essential Questions

  • What can lead to the rise or fall of a civilization? 
  • What motivates people to search for answers about the past? 
  • How can direction and distance be determined on a map? 

1. Preparing to Read

Build Knowledge and Vocabulary 

Before reading the article, direct students to turn and talk with a partner about two discussion questions: (1) How do historians learn about people of the past? and (2) Is there more to learn than what has been discovered so far? Then use the online Skill Builder Words to Know to preteach domain-specific terms from the article. 

2. Reading and Discussing

Read the Article

Read the article aloud or have students read it independently or in pairs. As students read, direct them to circle or highlight any words whose meanings they’re unsure of.

Answer Close-Reading Questions

Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.

• Use evidence to explain how historians know the Inca Empire was successful. (Skill: Text Evidence) 
Historians know the Inca Empire was successful because of how large it was. At its height, the empire was home to 12 million people and stretched from present-day Colombia to Chile. 

• Why did Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro want control of the Inca territory? How did he topple the emperor? (Skill: Key Details) 
Pizarro wanted the Inca territory for Spain because of its gold. When the Inca emperor, Atahualpa, rejected Pizarro’s claim over the territory, Pizarro’s soldiers took Atahualpa hostage and overpowered his people. Pizarro had fewer soldiers, but more powerful weapons.

• How has the geography of the Llanganates mountain range helped to preserve the mystery of the Inca gold? (Skill: Cause and Effect) 
The geography of the Llanganates makes navigating the area difficult and dangerous. The thin air; cold temperatures; wet, foggy weather; and thick vegetation make searching for the treasure dangerous. 

3. Skill Building

Practice Direction and Distance 

Direct students to the “Your Turn” activity at the end of the article. Guide students in finding the map’s legend, or key. Then have students work independently or in pairs to complete the map questions. Use the skill builder Direction and Distance for extra practice. 

Assess Comprehension

Assign the 10-question Know the News quiz, available in PDF and interactive forms. You can also use Quiz Wizard to assess comprehension of this article and three others from the issue.

Differentiate and Customize

For Struggling Readers: Support students with our online audio feature. On the article’s webpage, click “Text-to-Speech” in the toolbar on the left. Two reading speeds are available, and students can pause and resume the audio. 

For Advanced Readers: Have students read “Buried Treasure.”  Then invite students to create a Venn diagram to compare information about the “buried treasure” described in both articles. 

Printable Lesson Plan

Interactive Slide Deck

Text-to-Speech