Virtual School Workshops
Dr Diane loves sharing her passion for the Maya and inspiring the next generation of archaeologists. Drawing on her real archaeological work in Guatemala, she has created a range of engaging videos and live question-and-answer sessions that bring the Maya, the rainforest and the world of archaeology directly into the classroom.
Available to schools worldwide, these virtual workshops provide an interactive and memorable learning experience for pupils. Sessions can be adapted for UK schools, international schools, American curriculum schools and IB programmes, ensuring that content is appropriate for different ages, grade levels and topics of study.
Why Choose a Virtual Maya Workshop?
Virtual workshops offer schools a flexible and cost-effective way to access Dr Diane’s expertise while providing a rich and engaging learning experience for pupils.
✔ More learning time
Schools receive over 5½ hours of Maya content and activities, equivalent to a full day of classroom learning. This allows topics such as Maya mathematics, calendars and artefact enquiry to be explored in much greater depth than is possible during a typical school visit.
✔ More opportunities for questions
Live Q&A sessions give children the chance to ask questions after working through the videos and building their knowledge, leading to more thoughtful discussion and deeper understanding.
✔ Flexible teaching
Videos can be used throughout the Maya topic at the most appropriate points in your planning, rather than fitting all of the learning into a single day.
✔ Learning beyond the classroom
The videos can also be accessed at home on laptops, tablets and mobile devices, allowing children to revisit key concepts and share their learning with family members.
✔ Excellent value for schools
The workshop package is suitable for a wide range of school budgets and can be used with multiple classes, making it a cost-effective resource that benefits pupils across the school.
Thank you so much for the virtual sessions. My pupils were absolutely enthralled and loved it all. I can honestly say your sessions are by far the best of any educational visitor I have known in my 8 years of teaching. Your passion and knowledge are second to none and provide such as rich experience for pupils.
Julia Anderson, Great and Little Shelford Primary, Cambridge
Maya Workshop
The KS2 virtual workshop package consists of a series of engaging videos that can be streamed for six weeks and used with any number of classes within your school. The resources are suitable for children aged 7–12, including Key Stage 2 (UK), Grades 2–7 (US) and Grades 3–5 (Australia).
1. Introduction to the Maya, the Rainforest and the Life of an Archaeologist (Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes of classroom learning)
Through a combination of photographs, videos, audio clips and real archaeological discoveries, Dr Diane brings the world of the ancient Maya to life.
Children will discover how archaeologists use artefacts and other clues to understand the past, explore the remarkable achievements of the Maya in architecture, art, writing, mathematics, astronomy, calendars and even chocolate, and learn what it is really like to work as an archaeologist in the Maya rainforest.
Drawing on her own fieldwork in Guatemala, Dr Diane also shares some of the fascinating artefacts and discoveries she has made and explains how archaeologists use this evidence to learn more about Maya civilisation.
Throughout the presentation, pupils are encouraged to think critically, answer questions and develop their historical enquiry skills as they investigate one of the world’s most fascinating ancient cultures.
An example of the many videos Dr Diane shows during her presentation.
We thoroughly enjoyed the ‘live’ workshop last year, but Dr Diane has done a great job of transferring all that information to a virtual experience. So far we have watched the presentation which was excellent and really whetted everyone’s appetite. She is a really engaging presenter!
Claire Edgar, Hollymount Primary School, London
2. Historical Enquiry: Investigating Maya Artefacts (1hr 30 mins of classroom learning)
Can your pupils think like archaeologists? Dr Diane presents over 20 intriguing artefacts from her collection and challenges children to uncover their secrets. By examining clues, pupils work out what the objects are made from, how they were used and who may have owned them.
Dr Diane then reveals the answers, bringing each artefact to life with stories of how it was used by the Maya. The winner of the challenge will receive a very special reward from Dr Diane!
The workshops are amazing! The children are loving the work that they’re doing (and are loving listening to someone other than the teacher for a while!).
Sara Parker, Grange Primary School
3. The Maya Maths Challenge (1 hr of classroom learning)
Children will discover how the fascinating Maya number system works, from simple numbers under 20 to much larger values in the hundreds and beyond. Dr Diane explains the system step by step before challenging pupils with a variety of activities and exercises to test their understanding.
Once they have mastered the basics, children will explore how the Maya used their number system for addition and subtraction through worked examples, quizzes and practical challenges. To finish, they will put their new skills to the test by deciphering calculations from an ancient Maya codex (book), just as Maya scribes did hundreds of years ago.
Thank you for creating such fun videos. I loved them and they were so interesting. You have taught us so much about the Maya!
Year 4, Witham Hall Prep School, Lincolnshire
4. Maya Calendar Challenge (1 hr of classroom learning)
Children will explore the fascinating Maya calendar system and discover how the Maya tracked time. Using Dr Diane’s specially designed Maya calendar resource, they will create their own working calendar to keep and learn how the different Maya calendars fit together.
With the help of these resources, pupils will work out today’s Maya date and even calculate Maya dates in the future. To finish, they will use their own birth date to discover their Maya spirit companion and learn about its significance in Maya culture.
Thank you so much for all your hard work in putting the online workshop together, I know Oak Class got so much out of the day and the Live Q and A – it was amazing!
Joseph Ockelford, Fordcombe C of E Primary, Tunbridge Wells
Meet a Real Archaeologist: Live Q&A Session (30 minutes)
Dr Diane will join your class live via the platform of your choice to answer questions from both pupils and teachers. Children can ask about the Maya, archaeology, the rainforest, the presentation, artefacts or any of the workshop activities, making the experience highly interactive and personalised. These sessions are always a highlight for children, giving them the unique opportunity to meet and question a real archaeologist.
The package includes one live Q&A session. Schools with multiple classes may choose to bring classes together for a shared session, although this will naturally reduce the number of questions that can be taken from each class. Additional Q&A sessions can be arranged for an extra fee, ensuring that more pupils have the opportunity to interact directly with a real archaeologist.
I just wanted to let you know how much the class enjoyed the Q&A session today. Your answers were very well received and the children themselves commented on how fully you answered each question. They felt really ‘pleased’ that they each got their own ‘moment in time’ to speak to you and funnily the ones who might have felt shy to ask a question, ended up being some of the ones to show you their masks. Thank you for allowing them that moment.
Liz Masters, Nancy Reuben Primary School, London
Take the Adventure Home
Many of the stories, discoveries and experiences shared during Dr Diane’s workshops have inspired her new children’s book, The Adventures of a Maya Archaeologist: Snakes, Scorpions, and Jungle Discoveries.
Set in the Guatemalan rainforest and based on real archaeological fieldwork, it allows young readers to experience the excitement, challenges and discoveries of a Maya expedition for themselves.
During the live Q&A session, children are welcome to ask Dr Diane about the real-life adventures behind the book and discover which events were inspired by her own experiences in the rainforest.
Alternative Option
All videos are available individually, giving schools the flexibility to choose one or more topics to suit their needs and budget.