Cops and robbers - What do you know about the Maya?

The "Cops and Robbers" activity is a collaborative and interactive learning game designed to engage pupils in sharing and expanding their knowledge about the Maya civilization. In a group of four, each pupil starts by spending two minutes jotting down everything they can recall about the Maya on the left side of a table. This initial phase allows students to individually document their current understanding without influence from their peers.

Following this, each pupil is given 60 seconds to review the contributions made by the other three members of their group. During this time, they're on the lookout for any information that they hadn't already noted down in their own recall. They then have the opportunity to 'steal' this new information by adding it to the 'stolen knowledge' section of their table. This exercise not only encourages pupils to learn from each other but also promotes active listening and quick information processing. The game is scored by awarding 2 points for each piece of new information recorded, turning learning into a fun and competitive experience that lasts about 15 minutes in total. The activity aims to enhance the pupils' understanding of who the Maya were and what we have learned from them, fostering a collaborative learning environment.