Lesson: Day of the Dead Paper Collage
Benefits of Teaching this Lesson:
The Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) is a holiday celebrated in Mexico in which people
honor and remember and celebrate the lives of people who have died. It takes place over three
days (Oct. 31 to Nov. 2nd) and is a time of great celebration for the people of Mexico. Teaching
this lesson introduces students to the rich and diverse culture of the Mexican people.
Grade Level: 1st to 5th Grade (with modifications)
Length: 1, 60 Minute Lesson
Materials:
9 by 12 inch White Drawing Paper
9 by 12 inch Black Construction Paper
Black Sharpie Markers
Scissors
Glue Sticks
Tacky Glue
Sequins
Scraps of Metallic Paper (or Foil) and Decorative Paper
Glitter Glue and/or Glitter
Colored Markers
Pan de Muertos (optional)
Learning Objectives:
Art Production:
Students will learn about the art of collage, and will learn a little about the anatomy of
the human skeleton by drawing a skull and a femur.
Artistic Media:
Students will create a collage of papers, decorated with marker and glitter and
sequins, emulating the festive colors and style used by Mexican artisans for the Day of
the Dead.
Teaching/Learning Process:
It should be noted that this lesson is a time specific one, and I’ve found it’s best to plan on
teaching this lesson in the week leading up to Dia de los Muertos. It should also be noted that
this holiday is rich with cultural significance, and a lot of religion as well. I stay away from
religious implication, and focus on the cultural -- and the book I choose to read to students,
also takes that same tack. I start the lesson by reading the book “Day of the Dead” to the
students. This book is perfect for introducing students to this holiday. Depending on the
students, I sometimes ask questions during the story, and other times, I wait until the end to
ask students questions like, “There were a lot of Spanish words in this story, did anyone
recognize a word or phrase?” -- and “Dia de los Muertos comes around the same time as
Halloween, how are the two holidays different?” I next move on to the visuals that I’ve
brought, asking the students to tell me what they see. I want students to see the difference
between the skulls that maybe they’ve been used to seeing around the time of Halloween
(scary and spooky) and the ones that are depicted during the Day of the Dead (festive and
colorful and not at all scary -- mostly funny!) I show the students what we are going to do and
then, instead of the usual demonstration where they watch me first, then go to their seats and
make the project themselves, I use guided practice for very young students, but turn older
students loose to create their collage themselves.
(Guided Practice for younger students) Each student has at their seat a sheet of black and a
sheet of white paper along with a black sharpie marker. I’m at the front of the classroom with
a sheet of white paper attached to an easel or the board. I ask that each student turn their
white paper just as I have mine on the board (horizontally). I tell them that we are going to
draw a skull on half of the white paper and two femurs on the other half of the white paper. I
have the students watch me draw the outline of the skull first, then they do the same with
their sharpies. These are very stylized skulls, and in the style of Mexican Artisans. Then I add
the eyes -- nose and teeth. They watch me draw, and then they draw on their own paper. I
have a model of a skull that I use during this so that they can see what part of the skull they
are drawing. I use the correct terminology for the parts of the skull, eye sockets, temples, and
mandible. While these vocabulary words are not essential to the lesson, I refuse to dumb-itdown for students. They know that if they don’t understand a word I’ve used, they need only
ask, and I will explain it for them. The model of the skull is great to have right there so
students can see exactly what I’m talking about. The eyes, and nose will need to be filled in
black -- remember to tell them. Then on the second half of the white paper, I have them draw
two femurs -- and make sure that they know where their own femurs are!
After the skull and bones are drawn, they can be decorated with patters and designs. I make
sure to tell the students to not fill in, or cover up all the white of the paper -- and encourage
them to use hearts, flowers and floral motifs like they’ve seen in the visuals. Then students cut
out the skull and bones and arrange them on the black paper. I encourage them not to do a
“skull and bones” type of Jolly Roger arrangement. We’re not creating pirate flags! Students
are then given scraps of papers and sequins to further decorate their collage. If glitter glue or
glitter is used, make sure it is at the very end of the lesson, as it can get rather messy. I
usually limit the students to two colors of glitter glue and make sure they don’t puddle the
glue, and instead use it like a marker (“The tip of the glue needs to touch the paper!” and “No
Okeefanokee swamps!” are things that I usually say to students with regard to the use of glitter
glue.)
If desired, Pan de Muertos can be made, and while the students are finishing their work, each
student can be given a piece. I’ve not had a student who didn’t like the sweet, sugary bread -and it’s a nice way (I think) to round out the experience for the students and help them draw
their own connections between Dia de los Muertos and Halloween -- each holiday has special
treats!
Closure:
At the end of the lesson, I usually have the students do a ‘gallery walk’ then return to the front
of the room and sit on the floor -- or return to their seats. I ask what we learned about, and
what kind of Art we made -- and also about the vocabulary words I hope that they’ve learned -I ask for these in Spanish and English. Most students enjoy this bilingual component to the
lesson, and I’ve found that ESL students really enjoy sharing with their classmates the
meanings of Spanish words and phrases. While discussing the lesson, some students may have
personal stories to share of how their own family celebrates Dia de los Muertos. If these
students want to share with the class, I heartily encourage them to!
Book:
“Day of the Dead” by Jeanette Winter
“Calaveras Abecedario” by Jeanette Winter
Visuals:
Pictures showing people celebrating the Day of the Dead, Sugar Skulls (you can get real ones
here in New Mexico), Marigolds (pictures or the real thing), Model of Human Skull (or pictures)
and examples of the collage
Vocabulary:
Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), Sugar Skull (Calaveras de Azucar), Skull, Femur, Pattern,
Decoration, Collage, Half, Fill
Scope and Sequence:
Standard I: Perceptual and Sensory Awareness, 1.1, 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4, 1.2, 1.2.1, 1.3,
1.3.1
Standard 2: Media Skills, 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.2, 2.2.1
Standard 3: Art Reflection and Interpretation, 3.1, 3.1.1, 3.2, 3.2.1
Standard 4: Personal Art Expression, 4.1, 4.1.3
Standard 5: Interpersonal Development, 5.1, 5.1.1, 5.1.3, 5.2, 5.2.1, 5.2.2
Standard 6: Historical and Cultural Understanding, 6.1, 6.1.1, 6.1.2
Modifications:
It should be noted that there are some students who for religious reason will be unable to
participate in this lesson. I have students with religious objections to the subject of the lesson
do a paper collage of their own choosing, allowing them to use the same materials as the rest
of the class. On occasion, there have been students who for these same religious reasons feel
that they are unable to stay in the classroom while I’m teaching this lesson. Make sure to speak
with the Classroom Teacher before teaching this lesson, so that arrangements may be made for
the student to work on another project (same materials), or work away from the Art room
(again with the same materials, and supervised by an adult) -- or (in one instance for me), have
an area of the classroom devoid of Dia de los Muertos visual references, and a table with
supplies set up for the student -- and with enough room so that the student may turn his/her
chair away from the lesson visual, but so that they might hear.