MAGIC PRECOLUMBIAN GOLD ACTIVITIES
TASK 1. ANTICIPATION
a. Look at the title of this lesson
Discuss with another student what you think the article talks about.
b. Write down 10-15 words which you expect to find in the passage.
TASK 2: INTENSIVE READING
Read carefully the introductory paragraphs of the
article. In front of each of the
following sentences write T for true and F for false. For the statements that are false, provided
the correct information.
( ) 1. Spaniards got information about the location of mineral deposits from their Queen in Spain.
( ) 2. For the Indians gold had a religious and social value.
( ) 3. Spaniards preserved the Indian treasures by sending the art pieces to museums in Europe.
( )4. The only purpose of the gold the Indians processed was to pay for articles and food they needed.
( ) 5. Indians for Colombia are famous for the beauty and skill displayed in their metal works.
TASK 3: SYNTHESIZING
Read about the different Indian cultures in this selection. Fill in the chart with information from the
passage. The first one has been done for
you.
Culture
|
Significance
|
Representations
|
Muisca
|
favor to be requested
|
Men, women, children, ornaments and
scenes of daily life
|
Tairona
|
||
San Agustin
|
||
Sinú
|
TASK 4: INTENSIVE READING
Answer the following questions using information from the article
What was the most important use of gold in the Muisca culture?
What are the principal characteristics of the figures made by the
Tairona artisans?
What is the role of gold according to the Kogis?
What is the use of gold artifacts in the San Agustin culture?
How are the Muisca and the San Agustin uses of gold different from each
other?
What did gold represent for the Sinues?
What did the man advantage of the tumbaga alloy?
Why I did the Indians appreciate copper?
Why is the study of pre-Columbian gold objects and techniques important
for History?
TASK 5:
VOCABULARY EXPANSION
In the text are several adjective-noun
combinations. Look at the examples in
the table and, with a partner, find other combinations.
ADJECTIVE
|
NOUN
|
1. Metalworking
|
industry
|
2.Pre—Columbian
|
artisans
|
3. Technological
|
qualities
|
4.
|
|
5.
|
|
6.
|
|
7.
|
|
8.
|
|
9.
|
|
10.
|
TASK 6: SEQUENCING EVENTS
With a partner, rearrange in the correct sequence the following steps
that describe the melted wax method.
/ / the melted metal is
poured into the first opening and the melted wax is “lost” through the second
opening.
/ / the model of the
piece is prepared in clay and mixed with powdered charcoal.
/ / the finishing details
are carved on the wax.
/ / the metal sheet is
polished and the result is a perfect piece of jewelry.
/ / once the design is
finished, the model is covered with a very thin coat of wax.
/ / when the metal has
hardened, the mold is broken revealing the sheet of gold.
/ / the design is drawn
in detail over the model.
/ / when the wax has
dried, the entire design is covered with more clay and charcoal, leaving a
small opening for the wax and another
for the melted metal.
/ /the metal which has
entered the clay mold occupies the space left by the melted wax.
TASK 7:
DICTIONARY SKILLS
A. Write on the
lines 5 words taken from the text that you have never seen before.
B. With a partner guess the meaning of each word according
to the context.
C. Look up the word in the dictionary and write the
definition in the space provided. Then
compare both definitions.
1.
A.
----------------------------------------------
B.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
2.
A.------------------------------------------------
B.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
3.
A.-------------------------------------------------
B.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
4.
A.-------------------------------------------------
B.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
5.
A.-------------------------------------------------
B.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
TASK 8: INTEGRATING SKILLS- PROJECT WORK
With the other students in your class plan an art exhibition of pre-
Columbian art samples to be placed in a visible area of your school
Each small group of students will be assigned a specific culture. The group will be responsible for gathering information,
making explanatory/descriptive posters and setting up the exhibit.
Taken from the text: READING ENGLISH IS FUN 9. UNIVERSIDAD DE CALDAS, Fondo Educativo Panamericano, 1996.