Día de los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back and celebrate the souls of their loved ones who have passed away. They mark the occasion with traditional food, family gatherings, and rituals.
Help students understand the cultural significance of Day of the Dead and its differences from holidays celebrated around the same time with these Día de los Muertos activities:
Whether your students celebrate Día de los Muertos every year or hear about it for the first time in your classroom, you can help them build background knowledge of the holiday by exploring its history. Use these social studies lessons as a guide:
Teach elementary-aged students about the history of Día de los Muertos and its importance in Mexican culture with resources like:
Halloween can trace its roots to the Gaelic festival of Samhain, while Día de los Muertos originated with the Aztec and Nahua people. Help students explore the differences between these two holidays with resources like:
Día de los Muertos is just one of many cultural holidays celebrated throughout the year in the United States. Teach a lesson about famous cultural celebrations worldwide and see how they compare and contrast in traditions, food, and representation. Students will read about:
Though traditionally celebrated in Mexico and parts of Central America, Día de los Muertos is becoming a more popular holiday in the United States each year. Students can learn about some of these celebrations and representations happening right here with articles on topics like:
People who celebrate Day of the Dead have a variety of traditions and customs they use each year to celebrate the lives of their loved ones. Students can explore the science behind some of those traditions with the following activities:
Bones, especially skulls, are popular symbols associated with Día de los Muertos. Students can learn more about their skeleton with articles on topics like:
During Day of the Dead, sugar skulls are displayed to honor the souls of the departed and celebrate their lives in a colorful way. Your students can learn more about the science behind confections with this rock candy experiment:
Another Día de los Muertos tradition is to decorate graves and altars with flowers, especially marigolds. Students can explore how flowers grow and thrive with articles on topics like:
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