Grade 6 Learning Packet

Thank you for your dedication as a student for Salem-Keizer School District!

6° Grado Paquete de aprendizaje

¡Gracias por tu dedicación como un estudiante de las Escuelas Públicas de Salem-Keizer!

Art Grades 6-8 | Week of May 4, 2020

Name:_________________________ ID: ________________ Circle Your Grade : 6 7 8

Circle Your School: Claggett Creek Houck Crossler Judson

Circle Your School: Leslie Stephens Parrish Straub

Circle Your School: Waldo Whiteaker Walker

DIRECTIONS: Read the articles about Abstract Expressionism and answer the comprehension questions at the end.

Abstract Expressionism History and Artists

General Overview

The Abstract Art movement, known as Abstract Expressionism, took place in the United States. In its purest form, Abstract Art has no subject. It is just lines, shapes, and colors. The Abstract Art movement is called Abstract Expressionism because, although the art has no subject, it is still trying to convey some kind of emotion.

When Was the Abstract Art Movement?

The Abstract Expressionism movement began in the 1940s in New York City after World War II. However, the first real Abstract Art was painted earlier by some Expressionists, especially Kandinsky in the early 1900s.

What Are the Characteristics of Abstract Art?

The main characteristic of abstract art is that it has no recognizable subject. Some Abstract Artists had theories on the emotions that were caused by certain colors and shapes. They planned out their seemingly random paintings to the last detail. Other Abstract Artists painted with emotion and randomness hoping to capture their emotion and subconscious thoughts on the canvas.

Interesting Facts about Abstract Art

● Before World War II, Paris had been the center for most new modern art trends. After World War II, New York City emerged as a major center for artists.

● A movement similar to Abstract Art was launched in the early 1900s in Italy called Futurism. One of Futurism's major artists was Giacomo Balla.

● One of the most extreme styles of Abstract Art was called Suprematism. Russian Artist Kasimir Malevich painted in this style. One of his paintings was a white square painted on to a white background.

Famous Abstract Artists ● Vasily Kandinsky - Kandinsky is considered the father of abstract painting. In an effort to capture

sound and emotion in art, he painted some of the first major abstract works. ● Piet Mondrian - Mondrian developed an Abstract painting style that involved straight lines and colored

rectangles. He called this type of painting "The Style." ● Jackson Pollock - Pollock created his paintings without using brush strokes in what would later be

called Action Painting. He became famous for his large paintings made with dribbles and splashes of paint.

● Mark Rothko - Rothko's paintings are known for their large vibrant blocks of color.

Examples of Abstract Art

If you are able to access the Internet, try doing an image search of the artworks listed below so you can see them in full color!

White Center: Yellow, Pink and

Lavender on Rose (Mark Rothko) Mark Rothko painted a number of paintings that were basically large blocks of color. Like this painting, there was usually a border and the edges of the blocks blurred together. Rothko didn't say what the painting was supposed to mean. He left interpretations up to the viewer .

Composition II in Red, Blue, and

Yellow (Piet Mondrian) Piet Mondrian painted with precision and geometric shapes . In this painting he creates a sense of balance using straight black lines, white spaces, and primary colors . He painted many other pictures using the same style.

Rythme (Sonia Delaunay)

Sonia Delaunay co-founded the Orphism art movement, noted for its use of strong colours and geometric shapes. Her work in modern design included the concepts of geometric abstraction , and the integration of furniture, fabrics, wall coverings, and clothing into her art practice.

Composition 8 (Vasily Kandinsky)

Kandisnky created some of the earliest abstract works, with his work becoming increasingly abstract throughout his career. As in this painting, many of his works attempted to artistically capture sound, music, and emotion.

No. 5, 1948 (Jackson Pollock)

Jackson Pollock created his own unique style of painting. He would splash and dribble paint onto the canvas straight from the can. In this painting yellow and brown paint is drizzled to create an interesting nest of colors and textures.

Suprematist Composition: White on

White (Kazimir Malevich) This artwork, made in 1918, was one of the most radical pieces of art in its day. Malevich wanted to depict lightness and freedom with his use of white, saying, “Swim in the free white abyss, infinity is before you.”

Comprehension Questions Please answer in complete sentences. You may use another piece of paper if you need more room.

1. Where did the Abstract Expressionism movement take place (city and country)? ___________ ___________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the main characteristic of abstract art? _____________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

3. Name two of the art movements that came out of abstract expressionism (hint: look in the “Interesting Facts” section). _____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

4. Which one of the example artworks stands out the most to you? Why?___________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

Element of Art: Shape In art, a shape can be defined as the 2-D product of two ends of a line joining up. Shapes fall

into two categories: geometric and organic. Geometric shapes are mathematical, symmetrical, and not found in nature, such as squares, circles, and triangles . Organic shapes are imperfect, free-flowing, and more likely to be found in the natural world . Practice some of the geometric and organic shapes below:

Directions: On the blank to the left of each image, write a “G” if it is a Geometric shape, and an “O” if it is an Organic shape.

Shape Activity Choice Board

Choose two of the shape activities below and complete them separately or on the next page.

Concentric Circles with Kandinsky Directions: Kandinsky was synaesthetic, meaning he could “hear colors” and “see sounds.” He would try to depict how colors made him feel. First, split your art space into a grid. Next, using whatever materials you have (colored pencils, crayons,

paint, chalk, etc.), fill the grid with concentric circle-ish shapes like Kandinsky. Try to use colors that reflect what you are feeling while you create it.

Fashion Design with Delaunay

Directions: Sonia Delaunay was not only a painter--she also designed textiles, furniture, and costumes! Design a piece of clothing (shirt, dress, shoes) or accessory (jewelry, bag) inspired by Delaunay’s art. Remember to use only geometric shapes.

3-D Art with Mondrian Directions: Think outside the box! Use blocks, legos, or other 3-D objects to create a Mondrian-style piece of art. You could even use a 3-D building game or app like Minecraft or Roblox Remember to stick to white, black, and primary colors (red, blue, and yellow). If you can, take a picture of your creation and email it to your art teacher!

Mondrian’s Art-Music Challenge

Directions: Mondrian found tons of inspiration from music called “boogie-woogie.” Listen to your favorite style of music for about 10 minutes, drawing shapes that match the musical rhythms and sounds. Try connecting shapes as you go. Your drawing does not need to look like a Mondrian. When you are done, color in your new artwork!

Abstract an Object Through Repetition Directions: Draw a simple shape on a piece of thick paper or cardboard and cut it out. Trace the shape many times on your art space, overlapping to create new and interesting shapes. Erase the lines where your shapes overlap Then, color in the background--you can use just one color, or use several colors and patterns to enhance your design.

Shape Challenge Directions: Try drawing a complicated subject, such as an animal, person, car, building, etc., using only one repeated geometric shape, such as a circle, square, or triangle. The shapes can be different sizes, but should be the same general shape. How many details can you add?

Draw a Still Life Directions: Choose 3-5 objects from around you and arrange them in an interesting way. Think about using objects with a variety of heights, widths, and textures. Draw your objects, doing your best to observe the shapes and details of your

objects, as well as the light and dark areas. When you are finished drawing, add color for even more realism!

Draw Cartoons with an Online Tutorial Directions: Cartoonists are experts at creating drawings that start with the most basic shapes. If you are able, follow an online tutorial to guide you through the process of using shapes to become better at drawing! Recommended Channels:

● Christopher Hart https://www.youtube.com/ user/chrishartbooks/videos

● Art for Kids Hub https://www.youtube.com/user/ArtforKidsHub

Shape Choice Board Activities Use this space to create your choice board artworks.

Choice 1:

Choice 2:

Coloring: Vasily Kandinsky Directions: Color one of Kandinsky’s artworks. Try coloring while you listen to your favorite kind of music, matching your colors to the energy of the music. You can add extra lines and shapes to put even more of a unique spin on it.

In rural Ethiopia, women and children are assigned the task of collecting water. They walk up for up to three hours, fill a jug with 30 or 40 pounds of water, and then carry it back to their village. The water is often unsanitary, as it is gathered from shallow ponds or wells that are shared with animals. Ethiopia is not the only country struggling with water shortages and contamination. Around the world, almost 800 million people don’t have access to safe water, and every day 1,400 children under the age of five die from water-based diseases.

What is this odd-sounding invention called a Warka tower? Basically, it is a 30-foot tall vase-shaped tower made up of lightweight and elastic stalks. It is woven in a pattern that provides support against gusts of wind, while still allowing air to flow through. A mesh net inside collects droplets of dew that form along the surface. In other words, the Warka tower allows water to be collected from the air through condensation.

One of the Warka tower’s main advantages is that it is easy to set up. Made from biodegradable materials, the towers can be constructed in less than a week, without mechanical tools. One tower can supply a village with up to 25 gallons of fresh water a day. These towers replace the need to spend several hours at a time looking for water sources, allowing people to spend time on education and farming. Furthermore, the towers are inexpensive to construct and maintain.

Scientists have been trying to develop a solution to this problem for ages. And now, perhaps they have found their answer in the Warka tower, designed by Arturo Vittori.

the race to solve Water Woesthe world’s

Warka Tower

Directions: Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Name: central idea

Critics, however, have expressed doubts about using this technology in remote villages that probably don't have access to repair specialists. They say maintenance costs will make the tower useless. Additionally, introducing such powerful technology to underdeveloped communities could result in unforeseen difficulties. Past attempts to solve water shortage problems through the use of other technologies have failed.

However, Vittori remains optimistic about the Warka tower’s potential. Based on its benefits, the Warka Tower might be an wonderful solution to a deadly problem.

how does Condensation form?

O O o 0

O Condensation can also form due to direct cooling of air. Water vapor in the air next to a cold surface turns into

liquid water droplets.Condensation

can form due to the expansionof air. Some of the water vapor in a rising air

parcel turns into liquid water

droplets as the air parcel

expands and cools. Rising Air

Parcel

CondensationDroplets

Condensation Forms on the

Outside

Ice Cubes

Condensationforms on mesh

nets.

O 0 O

o0

0

central idea

What is the topic of the passage?

Name:

How do you know?

What is the central idea of the passage?

Provide 3 details that the author included to support this central idea.

Provide evidence that this is the central idea.

What is the central idea of the fourth paragraph?

2

3

1

(Hint: Look at the title and opening.)

(Hint: Think about the message & what the entire piece is about.)

(Hint: Look for facts, statistics, comparisons, cause & effect, examples, anecdotes, and word choices.)

3

2

1

Directions: Answer these questions about The Race to Solve the World’s Water Woes. Use the “wink-wink” hints to help you.

(Hint: JUST the fourth paragraph.)

central idea

Which of the following could be another title for “The Race to Solve

the World’s Water Woes”?

How does the diagram support the central idea of the passage?

A mesh net inside collects droplets of dew that form along the surface.

Read this line from paragraph 3.

Name:

What is the central idea of paragraph 5? Include specific text details.

Directions: Answer these questions about The Race to Solve the World’s Water Woes.

(Hint: First determine the central idea.)

(Hint: Questions about the title are central idea questions.)

A. Ethiopia has a Water ProblemB. The Way Condensation FormsC. Water Shortage Problems and

SolutionsD. The Warka Tower Can Solve Water

Shortage ProblemsExplain

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is the purpose of the “How Does Condensation Form” infographic?

central idea

(Hint: A text feature might support the central idea of the main piece, or it

might have a central idea all its own.)

Central Ideas & Inferencing Name: ____________________

Passage #1Pizza is served in many school cafeterias in the United States on a daily basis,

but it is actually still relatively new to the country. Pizza first arrived in the United States with Italian immigrants during the late 1800s. It was popular in cities that had a large concentration of citizens that had Italian roots. It remained relatively unpopular nationally for several decades until the end of World War II. Many American soldiers that had been stationed in Italy during the war enjoyed eating pizza on a regular basis there and when they returned to the United States, they wanted to continue to have access to it. Pizza then enjoyed a boost in popularity and soon went from being a food primarily consumed by Italian immigrants to one of the most popular foods in the country.1. What is the central idea of

the passage?

a. Pizza came to the UnitedSates in the late 1800s andwas not very popular.

b. Pizza was only popularamong Italian immigrants.

c. Pizza was introduced to theU.S. in the late 1800s andbecame popular after WWII.

2. What inference can bemade about Americansoldiers in Italy during WorldWar II?

a. They only ate foodprovided by the military.

b. They ate local food theywere unfamiliar with.

c. There were strict rulesregarding their diets.

3. Write a quote from thepassage that supportsyour answer to #2.

1. What is the central idea oftoday’s passage?

a. YouTube is a very popularwebsite.

b. YouTube was founded in2005 and has created jobsfor some.

c. YouTube was founded in2005 and has grownsignificantly since.

2. What inference can bemade from today’spassage?

a. Many actors post their workon YouTube.

b. There was a need for avideo website whenYouTube was created.

c. People have a hard timemaking money throughYouTube.

Passage #2Chances are very good that you’ve watched a video on YouTube®. It is one

of the most popular websites in the world and is the default site to go to when someone wants to share a video. YouTube was founded in 2005 by three men who worked for a different web company. The very first video showed one of the founders at the zoo. YouTube grew quickly throughout the following year and was purchased by Google® for $1.65 billion in stock in 2006. Since then, YouTube has continued to grow. Now, many people create their own unique content for YouTube. People can actually become quite famous on YouTube and some can even make a career out of it. The impact that YouTube has had on the world is remarkable considering that it was only established in 2005.

3. Write a quote from thepassage that supportsyour answer to #2.

Word Bank (passage #1):

Word: Definition: Picture:

Immigrants =

A person who comes to live in a foreign (new & different) country

Concentration =

A group of people

Citizens =

People who live in a specific area

Consumed =

To eat

Word Bank (passage #2):

Word: Definition: Picture: Founded =

To create or establish

Unique =

Being the only one of its kind.

Unlike anything else

Career =

The job a person has. A person’s occupation

Remarkable =

Worthy of attention. Wonderful. Amazing.

 

                                                   School: __________________ Student ID: _______________ Name: ___________________ 

 

 

  

Activity 1: Read the bank of words and definitions below. Create a picture for each word. 

Word + Definition  Picture 

influence – power to change, affect, or control someone or something

 

positive – good attitude 

 

 

 

determination – doing what it takes to get something done 

 

 

individual – one person 

 

 

 

achievement – a goal reached 

 

 

 

MS ELD Distance Learning Packet 2 Emerging II to Progressing II 

Practice your academic language at home by completing the reading, writing, listening and 

speaking activities in this packet. This work should take about 1.5 hrs. for the week. 

WORD BANK 

 

Activity 2:          Look at the following pictures. Complete the sentence frames below. 

       

 

 

Activity 3:            Read the quotation about success two times to yourself and once to somebody at home.  

 

 

Lionel Messi $77 million 

Drake $130 million 

J.K. Rowling $1 billion 

Firefighter $47,000 

Lionel Messi is successful because… 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

I believe Drake is successful because… 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

J.K. Rowling is a successful woman because… 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

These firefighters are successful because… 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

“Success can be measured not only in achievements,

but in lessons learned, lives touched, and

moments shared along the way.”

- Anonymous (author unknown)

 

 

Activity 4:             Explain the quotation to somebody at home using this sentence frame.  

 

Activity 5:         Use the Word Bank from Activity 1 to help you complete the paragraph frame.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activity 6:          Read your paragraph to someone at home.  

 

I think this quote means_______________________________________________________  

__________________________________________________________________________ .  

 

From my perspective, successful people _________________________________________, 

_______________________________________________________________________ and 

__________________________________________________________________________.  

First, an individual who _____________________________________________ is successful 

because ___________________________________________________________________. 

Some people are successful when they __________________________________________. 

For example, _______________________________________________________________. 

Last, a person who _________________________________________ is successful because 

__________________________________________________________________________. 

My biggest achievement was when _____________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________. 

 

Activity 7: [EXTENSION] Draw a picture in each box to show a personal example for each type of success. 

 

Achievement  Lesson Learned 

Life Touched  Moment Shared 

 

For Fun!  

Remove this page and the gameboard from the packet. Play the language game with other people in your house. Find fun objects in the house to use for playing pieces. Cut out the number cards below, mix them up and draw for how many spaces to move.   Directions: 

1. Draw a number card. Move forward that number of spaces. 2. Read the prompt on the space. 3. Think about your answer. 4. Say: “For me, three _________________ are ____________________. I have 

chosen these because ___________________________________________.” 5. Next player completes Directions 1 through 4. 6. Take turns until you have a winner! 

 

1  2  3 

3  2  1 

 

  

Page left blank intentionally  

                                     

 

                                         

 

  

Page left blank intentionally 

Health Sixth Grade

Standards:

HE.6.6.2 List personal health practices that lead to a healthy Lifestyle

HE.7.6.2 Demonstrate healthy practices and behaviors that will maintain or improve the health of self and others Learning Targets:

I can identify possible ways to start drinking more water I can monitor my own health habits at home

Essential Question: Why is it important for me to drink water and

how can I increase the amount I drink each day? Directions:

1) Take the T/F Water pre-assessment 2)Check your answers 3)Read and highlight important points from “Making Better

Beverage Choices” and “0 Drink Less Sugar” 4)Create a poster that you can present giving at least 8 reasons that

drinking water is important to your health. Include a picture.

  

Water T/F Pre-assessment 

 Write T (True) or F (False) after each statement. If you know/think a statement is false, try to write down the correct answer.  

1. The abbreviation for water is H3O. 2. Your body is about 60% water weight. 3. Water is essential (very important) for 

human life. 4. Dehydration is life-threatening. 5. Drinking water can help bad breath. 6. You should not drink water while you 

exercise. 7. Dark, yellow urine means you are hydrated. 8. Drinking water will help avoid headaches. 9. Bottled water is better for you than tap 

water. 10. Caffeine dehydrates your body.       

Check your answers  

1. The abbreviation for water is H3O. False- H2O 2.Your body is about 60% water weight. True 3.Water is essential (very important) for human life. 

True 4. Dehydration is life-threatening. True 5.Drinking water can help bad breath. True 6. You should not drink water while you exercise. 

False=You should small sips throughout is correct 7.Dark, yellow urine means you are hydrated. False- 

you are dehydrated 8.Drinking water will help avoid headaches. True 9. Bottled water is better for you than tap water. 

False=You should small sips throughout is correct 10. Caffeine dehydrates your body. True 

         Directions: The next two pages have many facts about the benefits of drinking water. Highlight or underline at least 10 new or what you believe to be important facts about why a person should drink water. On the last page you will create a poster giving key facts about the importance of water drinking. Get your highlighter ready! 

 

  

Example poster:  

                                   

Source: https://goodparentingbrighterchildren.com/     On the next page, create a poster describing at least EIGHT (8) health benefits of drinking water. You can use the one on this page as an example, but feel free to use your creativity! Present and explain your finished water drinking poster to at least one other person.  

6th Grade Math Packet #3 (calculators are allowed)

Name: _________________________________________ Student # __________________

I will use models, reasoning, and substitution to determine the values that make equations true. equation: an equation is a statement that tells you two expressions are equivalent. It has an equal sign separating the two expressions . The expressions on each side must be of equal

value for the equation to be true. Examples: 4 + 15 = 19 3(9) = 27

50 - x = 45 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Warm-up: You’ve been solving numerical equations for a long time. Here are some examples. Fill in the missing numbers.

1. a. 3 + ____ = 25

b. 10 x _____ = 60

c. 36 ÷ 9 = _____ d. 25 - ______ = 20 ½ e. 3.9 (2) = ______

When you found the number that made the equations true, you were solving it. In algebra, we use a letter to represent the unknown number that goes in the blank. Example: 3 + x = 25 Solution: x = 22 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Study the example showing how to write and solve an equation to find the solution to a problem. Read the problem: Underline or highlight the important information. Think about how you might write an equation and solve the problem. Study the sample solution methods on the next page.

Number lines can help you “see” how the problem can be solved. See another visual model on the next page.

Both models allow you to see the solution. Remember, the solution is the value that makes the equation true. We can see that 10.5 - 4.5 = 6. a = 4.5 is the correct solution.

Look at a second example:

Because the number of flowers in each pot is the same, we can use the same variable (f) to represent the number of flowers in each pot.

2a,b,c and 3.

Read the situations below and examine the tape diagrams below them. Which tape diagram matches which situation? For each situation described, choose the tape diagram that represents it. Explain your reasoning. Situation 1: As party favors, Stephanie makes 5 bags and puts an equal number of pieces of candy in each bag. Stephanie uses a total of 20 pieces of candy. Situation 2: At a restaurant, a glass holds some water in it. The waitress comes by and adds 5 ounces of water to the glass. There are now 20 ounces of water in the glass.

Situation 1 goes with Tape Diagram _______. I know this because __________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ Situation 2 goes with Tape Diagram ________. I know this because _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ Remember, making a visual model can help you reason about the problem or justify your answer.

Solve these:

Writing and Solving Equations Study the example problem showing how to write and solve equations. Then solve problems 1 - 4

Try These Questions if you have time (optional) Directions: Each equation contains a variable. Think about what each equation means to find a solution in the list of values. (Not every value listed is a correct answer.) Hint: if you get stuck, try substituting a value and solving to see if the value makes the equation true.

Extension Questions (optional) 1.

Daily Fitness Challenge

A. 20 Jumping Jacks     N. 5 Lunges Per Leg B. 30 Second Plank      O. 5 Burpees C. 10 Mountain Climbers  P. 10 Sec Butterfly Stretch D. 10 Push Ups        Q. Run in Place 1 Min. E. 20 Sit Ups        R. 10 Jumping Jacks F. 5 Cartwheels       S. 5 Jump Knee Tucks G. Headstand        T. 5 Sit Ups H. 4 Somersaults      U. 15 Second Plank I. 10 Triceps Dips      V. 3 Cartwheels J. 5 Squat Jumps      W. 5 Triceps Dips K. Arm Stretch 10 sec    X. 2 Somersaults L. Arm Circles 10 times    Y. 5 Lunges    M. 10 Jump Knee Tucks    Z. 10 Second Break

Spell the day of the week for your daily workout.  Of course, you can use this to spell anything else you would like and benefit a full body workout.  

Partner Fitness

With a sibling or family member (or even an imaginary friend!!!), complete these exercises while alternating

between you and your partner. Each Rotation should last 60 seconds. Try your best to complete the exercise(s) for the entire 60 second duration. If you need to modify the activity in order to complete the full length of time, please do so! If you do this activity as outlined, you’ll be done

with your workout in 14 minutes!!!

Rotation Exercise

YOU complete

Exercise your

PARTNER completes

#1 Jog Push-Ups

#2 Push-Ups Jog

#3 Jog Crab Kicks

#4 Crab Kicks Jog

#5 Jog Curl-Ups

#6 Curl-Ups Jog

#7 Jog Lower Body Stretches

#8 Lower Body Stretches Jog

#9 Jog Lunges

#10 Lunges Jog

#11 Jog Upper Body Stretches

#12 Upper Body Stretches Jog

#13 Jog YOUR CHOICE!

#14 YOUR CHOICE! Jog

Name: ____________________________________ Date: ___________________ Directions: Read the article below to learn more about the water cycle. Use what you have learned to complete the diagrams on the last two pages.

Fill in the diagram with the correct steps of the water cycle. Use the words on the right side to help you!

Match the definitions on the right with the correct vocabulary word. Write the

definitions in the box below the vocabulary word.

Directions:

Match the definitions on the right with the correct vocabulary word. Write the definitions in the box below the

vocabulary word.

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Student Name:________________________________________________________________ ID: __________________________

School: ________________________________________________________________________ Grade: 6th

Salem Keizer 6th Grade Social Studies-Aztecs

Essential Questions: What is a primary source and what happened to the Aztecs?

Primary Source: Immediate, first-hand accounts on a topic, from people who had a direct connection with the event. Primary sources can include Newspaper reports, by reporters who witnessed an event or who quote people who were there, speeches, diaries, letters, interviews, photographs or video.

Primary Source Analysis: Cortes Describes the Capital City of Tenochtitlan Directions: 1. As you read the article for the first time jot the Gist (20-work quick summary) of each section or paragraph. 2. Read the primary source a second time and take notes on the questions below. 3. Then, answer the conclusion.

Why do you think the author wrote the article?

How does the author feel about his/her audience?

What did the author omit, or avoid talking about?

Do you think this document is a reliable source of information? Why or why not?

What is the author’s feelings about the topic discussed in the reading?

Conclude: How does this primary source contribute to your understanding of the Aztecs? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Primary Sources: Cortes Describes the Aztec Capital of Tenochtitlan, 1520 By Hernan Cortes, adapted by Newsela staff on 03.21.17 Word Count 462 Level 570L

Editor's Note: Hernan Cortes was a Spanish explorer. He arrived in Mexico in 1519. That was about 500 years ago. Cortes overthrew the Aztec empire and captured its leader, Moctezuma, in 1521. During his time in Mexico, Cortes wrote five letters to King Charles I of Spain. He wrote about the Aztec people and their city of Tenochtitlan. Below is part of his second letter. It was written on October 30, 1520. In the letter, Cortes writes about what life is like in Tenochtitlan.

"It Is Surrounded By High Mountains" Before I begin to write about this great city, let me say something about the land around it. This area is a flat, round plain. It is surrounded by high mountains. In this plain there are two large lakes. One of the lakes is filled with fresh water. The other lake is filled with salt water.

Tenochtitlan is found on an island in the saltwater lake. The city is as large as some cities in Spain. Its streets are very wide and straight. Some of these streets are half land and half water. People travel through them in canoes.

"We Would Be Trapped Here" If the people of this city wanted to hurt us, it would be easy. They would only have to remove the bridges that lead to the island. Then we would be trapped here. We would eventually die from hunger. For this reason, I made sure to build four ships as soon as we arrived. If we ever need to, we can escape.

This city has many open plazas filled with markets. There is one plaza that is huge. It is twice as large as the plaza in Salamanca, Spain. More than 60,000 people are there, buying and selling things. All kinds of goods are found in this market. There are many kinds of food and jewelry.

"There Are Shops That Serve Food And Drinks" There is a street where every kind of bird is sold. There is also a street where they sell medicine. There are shops that serve food and drinks.

There are all kinds of green vegetables, such as onions, leeks and artichokes. There are also many kinds of fruits. You can buy cherries and plums like those in Spain. They sell honey from bees, too.

"Everything That Can Be Found In Mexico Is Sold Here" They sell cotton of all colors in the market. This cloth is very much like the silks sold in Spain. Everything that can be found in Mexico is sold here.

In this market there is also a large house. There are always 10 or 12 people there. They are judges who make sure everything in the market is fair. They send thieves to be punished.