A lesson examines the holidays, Día de los Muertos and Halloween. After an exciting clip from the movie Coco, class members review vocabulary and discuss what they know about Halloween. The conversation leads into the history of Día de los Muertos in preparation for small groups to research and compare both holidays and share their findings with the class. Groups go on to create an altar to honor a loved one who has passed away. Participants reflect on their learning experience with a written response to a writing prompt.

Concepts

halloween, Holidays, holiday celebrations, culture, cultural traditions, traditions, dia de los muertos

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Instructional Ideas

• If learners celebrate Día de los Muertos, ask them to bring in pictures of their celebration that they can show their peers
• Instead of alters made by groups, allow individuals to create their own alter
• Conduct a gallery walk to view all finished products, and leave sticky notes with compliments

Classroom Considerations

• Día de los Muertos takes place November 1st-2nd, Halloween is on October 31st
• Requires internet access and projection for videos and images, devices for online research, and supplies to build altars

Pros

• The opening hook is guaranteed to catch learners' attention
• Allows pupils to practice their research skills with print and online resources 

Cons

• None

Common Core

CCRA.W.2 SL.3.3 SL.3.4 SL.4.4 SL.5.4