Do you know the words "Calaveras", or "Papel Picado"? Ask a our students and they can tell you! The Spanish and art classes collaborated to teach our students about the popular Mexican holiday called "Dia de los Muertos" or "Day of the Dead" which takes place place October 31 - November 2. Far from being a sad time, it is a celebration of the lives of those who have died. It pays tribute to the circle of life and death and ensures that the stories of ancestors are passed down. Families gather and put out favorite foods, flowers and candles for the spirits' yearly visit.
The students at the school have built an "ofentda" or "altar" to show honor and to celebrate those who have died. It is located down by they school office.
- Kindergarten used coffee filters to create colorful marigolds, also called cempasúchitl, symbolize death. Their strong fragrance also help lead the dead back to their altars. Marigold petals may also be sprinkled on the floor in front of the altar, or even sprinkled along a path from the altar to the front door, so that the spirit may find her way inside.
- First grade created candles to welcome the spirits back to their altars and families.
- Second grade studied how bones worked to create poses for their calacas, skeletons doing everyday activities.
- Third grade painted rocks to appear as sugar-skulls, calavera, which are used as offerings and tasty treats.
- Fourth grade drew images of people or pets they would like to honor for the holiday. They included a small paragraph about who they chose and why.
- Fifth grade built monarch butterflies out of mix-media. Why butterflies? Monarch butterflies arrive at their winter home around the same time as Day of the Dead. They symbolize the souls returning to earth for their yearly visit.
- Sixth grade learned how to create papel-picado, paper cut images, banners depicting Day of the Dead symbols.
- Seventh grade worked metal foil to create a relief of calavera images.
- Eighth grade built relief sculpture masks.
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