Go to Teacher Notes

The Culture of the Inca

The empire of the Inca existed for many centuries in Peru. Today the descendants of these people continue many aspects of the culture, including traditional language, stories, folk songs, dance, and farming practices.

The descendants of the Inca still live in Peru. Visit them, listen to their songs, read their jokes, and try out a bit of their language at http://www.andes.org/.

Begin by looking at the photographs. You can click on the word "Pictures." Look at the pictures, then return to the home page. How did you get back to the home page?



From the home page, scroll down to find Basic Quechua Lessons. Pick one of the pictures you looked at before. In the space below, tell which photo you picked, then list as many Quechua words as you can find that you could use to tell about the photo. If you can, print out a copy of the picture as well.

Did you notice llamas in the pictures you looked at? The llama was the most important animal to the Inca, and is still important today. To find out why, go to http://www.llamapaedia.com/origin/domestic.html. List at least three ways the Incas used llamas.

Extension Activity

Llamas are also popular in the United States. You can find out much more about llamas at http://www.llamapaedia.com/index.html. Work with your classmates to research and report on different aspects of llama care, llama behavior, and how llamas are used today.

The Culture of the Inca Teacher's Notes

Grade Levels: 2–5

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about another culture
• Navigate through a Web site using hyperlinks
• Use Internet sources for research

Time Required: 1–2 online sessions