We should not be trapped by an excessively restrictive definition of what constitutes science, for the definition one chooses will determine what is and what is not considered science. He found that many principles of native knowledge were scientific by this definition. Therefore, using culturally relevant material can enhance the scope of science taught. The following are examples of culturally relevant materials developed from a rich, but essentially untapped resource. Archeoastronomy has provided new information about how ancient civilizations perceived the heavens.
Astronomy is especially adaptable to primary school science.
The most sophisticated examples of Mayan thought are exemplified by their calendar and the mathematics which preceded it. Many years of astronomical observation and meticulous recordkeeping were necessary to achieve the accuracy which they attained. The structure of the calendar was determined by both their cosmological beliefs and by the nature of the mathematical system itself. Because of its complexity, the use of the calendar in the lower grades is limited. Teaching the Mayan mathematical system is especially appropriate for the primary grades.