4FN9 – Geography – Central America: Guatemala

How do FreeNode lessons work?

FreeNodes are instructor-led schooling lessons with a unique approach, granting you the freedom to independently teach using a personalized lesson plan. This autonomy enables you to tailor your lessons to suit students’ individual needs, learning styles, and interests.

To use a FreeNode, read the provided class outline & follow the formatting provided for each class. Make sure to touch on the Theocratic Connection in each class. Follow the outline closely so it is aligned with our main at-home curriculum.

How Do I Use the FreeNode?

Read this lesson plan before class to familiarize yourself with the ideas and concepts you’ll be teaching the students. You may print this page out if you need to use it as a reference point during live classes.

This lesson is a guide, but feel free to expand on the content or decrease/increase what you teach depending on the learning levels of the students in your class or the amount of time you have to cover the material.

Can I show videos in FN classes?

Yes, feel free to include additional material to supplement the class lesson material. Videos, Physical Objects, Games, Activities, etc. are okay to share in live classes.

Videos should have no advertisements or logos and should be viewed by you before showing them to the students to ensure no offensive or questionable content is included.

The video should make up only 1-3 minutes of the live class and should not take the place of instructor-led instruction. Videos should be supplementary only.

How do bookmarks work?

Bookmarks help you keep track of lessons you’re going to teach in future live classes. The bookmarks you see are for all your bookmarked lessons across all grades.

You can bookmark a lesson by visiting the lesson you want to bookmark and clicking the “bookmark” button in the bookmark section.

You can remove a single bookmark by visiting a lesson you’ve bookmarked and clicking the “bookmark” button again to unbookmark it.

You can clear all of your bookmarks by clicking the “clear all bookmarks” button. Be careful, this will erase all of your bookmarks.

Class Lesson Plan

Objectives:

Understand the geographical features, climate, and cultural diversity of Guatemala.
Explore the natural landmarks, rivers, lakes, and the people who live in Guatemala.
Learn about Guatemala’s key industries and traditional foods.

Materials:

Whiteboard
Visual aids (maps of Guatemala, images of landscapes, landmarks, and traditional foods)
Short video clip about Guatemala (optional)

Introduction (5 minutes):

Introduce Guatemala as a country in Central America bordered by Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. Mention Guatemala’s location between the Pacific Ocean on the east and the Caribbean Sea on the west.

Explain that Guatemala is divided into 22 departments, with Guatemala City as its capital. Discuss the country’s tropical climate and cooler mountain areas. Mention the size of Guatemala (42,042 square miles or 108,890 square kilometers) and its population (about 16 million people).

Note that the name “Guatemala” comes from a Nahuatl word meaning “place with many trees,” reflecting the country’s rich biodiversity.

Theocratic Connections:

Discuss significant theocratic events and the advancement of the good news in this region.

Activity 1 – The Land: The Basin, The Volcanic Highlands, and the Pacific Coastal Plains (7 minutes):

Highlight the three main geographical zones: the Petén basin, the volcanic highlands, and the Pacific coastal plains:
– The Petén basin: Lush tropical rainforests, home to jaguars, pumas, tapirs, and colorful birds.
– The volcanic highlands: Active volcanoes like Pacaya, Santiaguito, and Fuego, and mountain ranges such as the Sierra Madre and Cuchumatanes.
– The Pacific coastal plains: Popular tourist destinations like Tilapa and Playa Blanca with beautiful beaches and scenic views.

Highlight the country’s freshwater resources, including 18 major rivers and over 20 large lakes such as Lake Petén Itzá and Lake Izabal.

Activity 2 – People of Guatemala (7 minutes):

Discuss the cultural heritage of Guatemala, with many Guatemalans being descendants of the Maya people. Briefly explain the significance of traditional Mayan clothing (traje) and its symbolic colors and patterns. Mention the linguistic diversity, with 22 different Mayan languages and two other Indigenous languages (Garífuna and Xinca), alongside Spanish.

Discuss at least two of the key industries in Guatemala:
– Coffee: Known for high-quality coffee plantations, a significant export product.
– Bananas: Major agricultural product, especially along the coast, primarily exported to the United States.
– Sugar: Important part of the economy, providing employment and exports.
– Jade: Renowned for producing high-quality jade jewelry.
– Tourism: Popular for its Mayan ruins and archaeological sites.

Activity 3 – Places to See and Food to Eat (7 minutes):

Describe some of Guatemala’s most famous natural and tourist attractions:
Las Fuentes Georginas: Hot springs heated by thermal water from the Zunil volcano.
Semuc Champey: Turquoise pools and caves surrounded by jungle.
Monterrico: Black sand beach formed from basalt, known for its unique wildlife and scenic coastline.

Highlight Guatemala as the birthplace of chocolate, with dishes like Pollo en Mole (chicken in chocolate sauce) and Pepián de Pollo (chicken stew with tomatoes and spices).Mention other traditional foods like Hilachas (stew with shredded beef and potatoes) and fresh tropical fruits (mangoes, papayas, bananas, oranges).

Introduce unique fruits like Guanabana, used in juices and smoothies for its sweet yet tangy taste.
Ask students which Guatemalan food they would like to try and why.

Conclusion (2 minutes):

Summarize the key points about Guatemala’s geography, climate, people, industries, and foods.
Emphasize the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty of Guatemala.
Encourage students to explore more about Guatemala and appreciate its diversity and traditions.

Assessment:

Assess student understanding through participation in discussions, completion of reflection questions, and identification of key concepts presented.
Evaluate students’ comprehension of Guatemala’s physical features, climate, cultural heritage, and industries through informal observation and discussion.