Discover the Ancient Maya with Sandbox

About

Step into the role of an explorer in the Sandbox app and uncover the secrets of an ancient Maya ruin deep in the jungle. Investigate the architecture, environment, and hidden clues to infer the purpose and history of this abandoned site. Through scaffolded prompts, students will analyze setting elements, generate descriptive details, and engage in historical inquiry to construct a first-person journal entry from the perspective of an early explorer. This lesson integrates social studies and creative writing, helping students develop skills in historical analysis, evidence-based reasoning, and immersive storytelling. By comparing past civilizations to modern life, students will also reflect on change, continuity, and cultural legacy. This classroom activity is aligned to the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards and is compatible with Chromebook and iPad devices.