Don’t miss the Día de los Muertos Celebration at Old Town Library on Saturday, November 4 from Noon-3:30PM. The entire community is invited to celebrate the Day of the Dead and learn about th…
November 1st and 2nd is Día de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead), a Mexican holiday that is celebrated all over the world, especially where people from Mexico have settled. Here in San Francisco it’s a huge celebration, complete with a wild, candle-lit parade through the Mission district ending in an altar exhibit in a nearby park.
The Mexican folk art of tin painting is eye candy for little kids, such a fun medium to play with, and it’s perfect for El Dia de Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead, November 1 & 2). I used to lead this activity when I taught art in Los Angeles elementary schools, and I’ve seen […]
When we talk about Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) we also need to learn about the Components of a Day of the Dead Altar.
Inspiring creativity with Latina style and sparkle - crafts, DIY, recipes, and storytelling by Kathy Cano-Murillo, The Crafty Chica!
Día de los Muertos is coming soon! Day of the Dead is celebrated annually on November 1-2. I know that I am always looking for fresh ideas to help students understand elements of this holiday and to steer them away from thinking that the celebration is just "Mexico's Halloween". Here are 5 ideas for infusing this holiday into your classroom! 1. Share an INFOGRAPHIC: The infrographic on this website is a great visual and gives a very basic intro to how and why the holiday is celebrated. I also like that students can see where the holiday is also celebrated in the US. Review the infographic as a class or have students write down their top 3 most interesting facts which they learned from the graphic. Who celebrates Día de los Muertos in the United States? - The Other Side of the Tortilla 2. Make PAPEL PICADO: This is a great YouTube tutorial that I used last year, and plan to use again this year. It includes a link in the description to download free templates for making your own papel picado. It turned out great and served as awesome addition to classroom decor! How to make Papel Picado for Day of the Dead - Dia de los Muertos! 3. Watch the making of SUGAR SKULLS: I recently came across this video clip which explains the process of making calaveras de azúcar. I found it super interesting and I'm looking forward to sharing this clip with my students to spark some discussion about the tradition. Watch the video by clicking here. 4. Explore the elements of OFRENDAS by reading in the target language: Don't you love Pinterest? I can always find some great ideas on there. These graphics detail various elements found on ofrendas and their significance. Better yet, this is all explained in Spanish. I plan to save these these images and add them to PowerPoint slides in order to project them in class. I will then have students work in pairs or small groups to try to identify different elements. I'll have students in lower levels use their dictionaries to identify key words. Here are the links to the images on one of my Pinterest boards: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/472878029597748452/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/472878029597748462/ 5. Need some ready to go ideas? I have created 2 resources that are ready to print and use in your classroom. The first is a Día de los Muertos Poster Set. Get ready for the celebration by adding these to the your classroom walls or bulletin board to spark student interest. I've also added a Día de los Muertos interactive vocabulary flip book.. Students will create a flip book of images and definitions in order to better understand important key words associated with the holiday! Hope you enjoy celebrating in your classroom! Emilie This post was written by Emilie from Island Teacher. Blog link: http://www.islandteacherblog.blogspot.com/ Store link: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Island-Teacher
Celebrating Day of the Dead in Mexico is an unforgettable experience, as long as you know the right and wrong ways to do it.
Create your own nicho box, or three dimensional shadowbox frame inspired by the Latin American holiday the Dia de los Muertos. #dayofthedead #diadelosmuertos
Creating an altar to welcome back loved ones who have passed is a fun, traditional Day of the Dead DIY. There are so many elements that go into creating an altar, including various food and objects specific to Day of the Dead, so we've highlighted a few basic items you'll need to create one and their significance: -a place to set up your altar (we used a wooden crate), whether it be a table, shelf, or any space that can contain and show off your items-think of this as a mini exhibit celebrating your passed loved ones. -candles -marigolds -water -a picture of the deceased -sugar skulls -food (we placed a nectarine in our altar) -papel picado What each item means: Candles: The purpose of creating an altar is both to celebrate the dead and to invite them back home, so lit candles are used to welcome them back. Marigolds: Marigold flowers (cempasuchil) are used in altars for their scent, which guides the dead back home (supposedly, the scent of marigold flowers is reminiscent of bone, and that is why these particular flowers are used). Water: Placing water on an altar helps quench the thirst of the dead, after their long journey home. Sugar Skulls: Sugar skulls are an iconic memento mori placed on DoD altars. They represent both life and death, as they are placed on altars, but also given to the living. Food: Because the dead will be hungry on their long journey home, it's fitting to add a few pieces of food. You'll see fruit, special bread (i.e. Pan de Muerto, or bread of the dead), and other snacks on many altars. Papel Picado: Papel picado banners are festively strung across Day of the Dead altars. Additionally, items belonging to the deceased or items they liked, small skeleton figurines, and other items are placed on a Day of the Dead altar. Here are examples of some awesome altars: Image via. Image via. Image via. Image via. Image via.
Fall is my favorite time of year. Learn how to how to set up a magical Samhain Altar!
