How to celebrate the Day of the Dead with your class
The Mexican tradition El Día de los Muertos offers hands-on learning activities while broadening cultural knowledge
Every culture has its own way to celebrate or pay respects to relatives and friends who have passed away, and Mexican culture is no exception with The Day of the Dead used to celebrate and remember the lives of loved ones.
The celebration was recognised by Unesco in 2008 for its importance to cultural heritage. Despite its name, the Day of the Dead, or El Día de los Muertos, is associated with happiness and respect, combining ancient indigenous Aztec traditions with Catholicism into a belief that the souls of the dead will come back to the living dimension for only one day of the year, to be together with their relatives and friends that are still on Earth.
With the festival fast approaching - taking place between 31 October and 2 November - it could serve as an interesting, thought-provoking and alternative way to get pupils engaged in cultural customs from another part of the world in a fun, memorable and hands-on way.
Here are five facts and activities you can try with your class to celebrate the Day of the Dead.
1. Learn about the history of the Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead facts are a good way into the subject. You could start by exploring the story of the Day of the Dead in class, from its origins as an Aztec celebration to how it was adapted following the Spanish conquest through to the modern day.
There are plenty of videos and stories online that can help bring this to life, such as this article on National Geographic or the following YouTube video.
Using this as discussions points, you could ask pupils to consider how the event is similar to those they celebrate in the UK, and how it is different, too - to get them thinking critically about how cultures vary across the world yet are often linked by similar ideas or beliefs.
You could even compare the ways in which traditions have changed over time, such as comparing it to Christmas or Halloween, which have also been adapted over the years as cultures have changed.
2. Draw a sugar skull
One of the most iconic and most recognisable symbols of the Day of the Dead are the colourful and intricate sugar skulls or “Calaveras”. This symbol offers a great opportunity for some fun, hands-on learning by decorating the classroom with students’ own interpretations of this Mexican tradition.
Continuing the skull theme, “Calaveras” is also used as a term for good-humoured satirical poems that people write as part of the festival that both celebrate and affectionately mock either prominent individuals - such as politicians - or family and friends.
You can challenge students to make up their own rhymes - perhaps setting some ground rules first to only focus on those outside of the classroom. Or if you want to bring the Spanish language into the classroom, then have a go at practising some authentic Mexican Calaveras together.
4. Cook up Mexican treats
Get creative in the kitchen with a food workshop that shows students how to make Mexican food, and learn how much effort Mexicans put into the creation of dishes and drinks for the one-day festivities. For a typical Mexican treat linked to this festival, you could try cooking up your own Sugar Skull Calaveras de Dulce.
5. Make an altare
An altare is as important in Mexican homes as a Christmas tree is in the UK. You could cover a table with a white cloth and ask students to create their own altare. Your class could display photos of famous people from history or bring in pictures of family members and pets no longer with us.
The day of children is 1 November, so you might like to decorate the altare with offerings of sweet treats, little glasses of milk, miniature toys and other things the class will enjoy. This website offers information on how to create your own altare, and a checklist of what to include.
If you allow pupils to really use their imagination, it will engage them all the more with the festival. A competition for the most imaginative “altares” is also a good way to teach students about the festivity, as everything on the “altar” has a meaning. This activity can be developed so that students are encouraged to stand up and provide a little explanation about what they have chosen to include on their altare.
