Maya, Aztec & IncaGrade 6 Social Studies for Kids

Great civilizations of the Americas: calendars, floating gardens and mountain roads.

Maya, Aztec & Inca helps sixth graders explore great civilizations of the Americas before Europeans arrived: Maya writing and calendars, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan and the Inca's mountain empire.

  • Grade 6 · Ages 11–12
  • 1 lesson
  • 1 game
  • 4 practice questions
  • About 10 min
Start Learning Free Open the Course
  • Learn it
  • The Why? question
  • Civilization Sort
  • Americas Quiz

Social Studies course · Grade 6

Maya, Aztec & Inca · Learning goals

What Your Child Will Learn

Long before Europeans arrived, the Americas had great civilizations. Explore Maya writing and calendars, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan and the Inca's mountain empire.

  • Civilization Sort

Why it matters

Why This Matters for Kids

  • Advanced civilizations

    These cultures built cities, calendars and roads that still amaze scientists.

  • History of the Americas

    Kids learn about the long history of the Americas before 1492.

  • Geography and adaptation

    The Inca's mountain farming shows how people adapted to tough land.

Inside Maya, Aztec & Inca

How the Course Works

A short read-aloud lesson first, then hands-on games and a quiz to lock it in.

  1. Step 1 · Lesson

    Learn it

    A short read-aloud lesson in 5 steps.

  2. Step 2 · Think

    The Why? question

    Why did these civilizations grow such smart ways to farm?

  3. Step 3 · Sorting game

    Civilization Sort

    Sort each fact into Maya, Aztec or Inca.

  4. Step 4 · Quiz

    Americas Quiz

    4 questions to check what stuck.

Lesson preview

A Peek Inside the Lesson

This is the real lesson text your child hears, read aloud by a friendly voice.

The Maya lived in Mexico and Central America. They built pyramids, used writing and an accurate calendar.

The Maya used the number zero too, discovered on their own!

The Aztecs built Tenochtitlan on a lake, with floating gardens called chinampas. Mexico City stands there today.

The Inca ruled the Andes from Cusco. They built Machu Picchu and 40,000 km of mountain roads.

The Inca kept records with knotted strings called quipu.

For parents

Try It at Home

Learning sticks best when kids use it in real life. Here are simple ideas from this course.

Parent Tip

Look up how the Maya wrote numbers with dots and bars, and write your child's age and birthday in Maya numbers.

Talk About It

Why did these civilizations grow such smart ways to farm?

  • They needed lots of food
  • Mountains and lakes were hard to farm
  • They studied nature closely

Practice

Grade 6 Social Studies Practice Questions

Real questions from Maya, Aztec & Inca. Try them with your child, then tap to see the answer.

  1. Question 1

    Which civilization built Machu Picchu?

    • A.Maya
    • B.Aztec
    • C.Inca
    Show answer

    Inca

  2. Question 2

    Tenochtitlan was built on…

    • A.A mountain top
    • B.A lake
    • C.An island in the Pacific
    Show answer

    A lake

  3. Question 3

    The Maya were famous for their…

    • A.Calendar
    • B.Steam engines
    • C.Silk
    Show answer

    Calendar

The full course has 4 questions with instant feedback, stars and rewards. Create a free account to play them all.

Maya, Aztec & Inca · Questions from parents

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this course for?

Maya, Aztec & Inca is a grade 6 social studies course for kids ages 11–12. That is Year 7 social studies in the UK and Year 6 in Australia. It also works well for review in the next grade, or as a challenge for a confident younger learner.

What will my child learn?

Long before Europeans arrived, the Americas had great civilizations. Explore Maya writing and calendars, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan and the Inca's mountain empire. Along the way they practice: Civilization Sort.

How long does the course take?

About 10 minutes in total, split into 3 short levels. Most kids finish it over two or three sessions. Progress is saved, so they can stop any time and pick up where they left off.

Is this course free?

Maya, Aztec & Inca is part of SkillBloom Premium, which unlocks every course in every subject. Each subject also has free courses, so your child can try SkillBloom before you decide.

Does my child need to read well to use it?

No. Every lesson has a friendly read-aloud voice, questions are read aloud too, and the pictures help kids follow along. Confident readers can turn the voice off.

Can we use it for homeschool?

Yes. SkillBloom is built for homeschooling families. Kids work through lessons, games and quizzes on their own, and the parent dashboard shows what they finished and which skills need more practice. It works on phones, tablets and laptops.

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