Fortnite and the History and Culture of the Aztec Empire - Videos + Activities

This course covers the Sunny Steps area in Fortnite, which was discontinued in October 2019. That is why I'm offering the class from now on for a very low price! Even if your students did not play Fortnite before October 2019, they will probably still enjoy the content! Learners who have never played Fortnite might also enjoy learning about the historical inspiration behind the creation of a popular video game map.

The release of season eight of Fortnite included Aztec temples, pyramids, and shrines, as well as subtle references to Aztec culture, with their weapons, gods, and sports. Students will explore all of these aspects of Aztec culture in the context of the Fortnite game. (Note: you do not need to have access to the Fortnite game to use this module.)

▬▬▬▬▬▬ VIDEOS, ACTIVITIES, AND MORE ▬▬▬▬▬▬

• This course has 4 parts to it. Each “part” consists of a downloadable video presentation (between 13 and 17 minutes long) hosted on Google Drive, along with some resources and project ideas to expand the students’ understanding.

• In a regular school setting, these materials are ideal for reverse instruction or a flipped classroom unit. For instance, you can assign the video recording to watch at home for homework, and then use the extension activities for class projects. The recordings also work well for sub days and much-needed sanity days!

• If you are using these materials in a home school setting, you could choose to do one part per day or one part per week, doing the projects as time allows. Feel free to have your child email me at lauren.rae.ard@gmail.com, if they have any questions or want to share what they’ve done with the materials.

• This unit also includes a link to my notes and Prezi presentation I use throughout the course, in case you want to give some of the presentation, or expand on the material yourself. Please keep in mind that the video may not match up exactly with the notes and lecture materials, because I do alter and add to my notes as time goes on.

▬▬▬▬▬▬ COURSE OUTLINE ▬▬▬▬▬▬

I've divided the content into three presentations/video recordings. (The minute length written for each section is the length of my video recording; if you choose to give the presentation yourself, you should allow more class time for questions, comments, and note taking.)

Part 1 (17 min recording)

Aztec Origins:

☀️ Who the Aztecs were

☀️ Where they lived

☀️ How their empire formed

Civilization:

☀️ The climate they lived in

☀️ Their agricultural practices

☀️ The architecture they had

Part 2 (13 min recording)

Religion:

☀️ An overview of their religious practices and beliefs

☀️ Xipe Totec (God of Vegetables)

☀️ Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent God)

☀️ Huitzilopochtli (Hummingbird/Sun God)

☀️ Mictlantecuhtli (The God of Death)

Part 3 (16 min recording)

War:

☀️ Their battle tactics compared to Fortnite

☀️ Armor of the different classes

☀️ Weapons used in battle

Part 4 (13 min recording)

Virtual Tour in Fortnite: Battle Royale

☀️ The Aztec temples in Fortnite

☀️ The noble houses in Fortnite

☀️ Bath in Fortnite

☀️ Sundial in Fornite

☀️ The Aztec setting (similarities and differences)

▬▬▬▬▬▬ LEARNING OBJECTIVES ▬▬▬▬▬▬

By the end of class, students should be able to:

☀️ Explain the basic origins of the Aztec peoples.

☀️ Describe Aztec warfare (including weapons, armor, and tactics), and how this compares to Fortnite.

☀️ Explain the different types of structures (temples, houses, etc.) you might find in an Aztec city, and compare/contrast those with the structures found in the "Sunny Steps" map in Fortnite.

☀️ Describe the basic agricultural practices of the Aztecs.

☀️ Name some of the Aztec gods that may have inspired some tools and skins in the Fortnite game.

☀️ Recount the fall of the Aztec empire at the hands of the Spanish Conquistadors.