In
any Spanish class I teach, one of my favorite topics to teach is holidays
celebrated in the different Spanish-speaking countries. One of my favorite cultural
celebrations to teach is Día de los Muertos. I normally spend about one week
prior to Día de los Muertos (November 1st and 2nd)
teaching students about the history and traditions of Day of the Dead. We
explore Day of the Dead through art, music, video clips, and food.
At the end of the week, we make a
class altar with ofrendas (offerings)
to honor and celebrate loved ones students have lost. Students are asked to
bring a picture of someone that has passed away in their family (if not family,
than a friend or a pet), and one object that represents that person. I start
the class by explaining the picture and object I brought to represent someone I
have lost, and students then share their pictures with the class. After
sharing, all pictures and objects are placed on the class altar, which is
decorated with orange and purples candles, cempasúchiles
(orange merigolds—the traditional flower of Day of the Dead), and papel picado and calaveras (sugar skulls) made by students during the week. On
Friday of that week, we have a Día de los Muertos party. Students bring in
traditional Mexican food (homemade or bought) that is traditionally eaten on Day
of the Dead in Mexico, and I make a pan
de muertos for the class to share.
The
end result of the combination of lessons and the class altar is a very powerful
lesson for students, and often sparks further interest into other cultural
holidays. Day of the Dead is one of the most (if not the most) important
holidays in Mexico and is often misunderstood by non-Mexican’s. By the end of
the week, students have a clearer understanding of both how and why people
celebrate Day of the Dead, and actively participate in a sacred tradition of
Día de los Muertos—the ofrenda.
Throughout
the series of lessons I teach on Dia de los Muertos, there are several resources
I use in order to enrich students’ understanding of the traditions, meaning,
and importance of the holiday. One resources I have used in the past is the Smithsonian
Latino Center’s website (http://latino.si.edu/dayofthedead/) on Day of the Dead to do a web
quest. To introduce the holiday, I break students up into groups. Each group is
given a set of questions that they must answer using the information on the
website (under the “About Day of the Dead” and “Glossary” links at the top).
They must then report back to the class what they found. The questions for each
group are divided into categories (history, important vocabulary, traditions,
meaning, and how it is celebrated in Mexico). I have found that this is a great
way to get students involved in learning about the history of Día de los
Muertos and how it is celebrated today.
Another
resource I use during the week to teach students about Day of the Dead is a
virtual, online picture book (http://www.miscositas.com/miabuela.html) called Mi Abuela Ya No Está.
The short story is about a young girl who has lost her grandmother, and learns
to celebrate her life through the Day of the Dead festivities. Although the
story is somewhat complicated (grammar, vocab. etc.), we spend time as a class
and in partners telling the story through the pictures first, scaffolding
vocabulary, and deciphering the meaning together. Depending on the level of the
class (Spanish 1, 2, 3, or 4), I use the story book to different extents.
I
also use video clips to show students what Day of the Dead celebrations look
like in Mexico, and to help students better understand the history and
traditions of Día de los muertos. This link is a video a series of photos and
video of Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico to the Café Tacuba song “Dame
la Muerte Chiquita.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fTySU0FxNA&feature=fvsr.
I show the clip in class to
help students see what the different aspects of the celebration look like (the
altars, skulls, etc.). We also spend time looking at the lyrics of the song,
what they mean, and how they relate to Día de los Muertos. Another clip I like
to show is a video of a Day of the Dead mass in a cemetery in Mexico on Day of
the Dead followed by video and images of the celebration that precedes the
mass. There is also a short interview with someone honoring a loved one. This
video is great for showing students what actually occurs on Day of the Dead in
Mexico, and the importance it holds in the Mexican culture. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QXY2TI5jrs
One
of my favorite reference sites for Day of the Dead crafts and project
ideas/examples is http://www.mexicansugarskull.com/.
Interdisciplinary teaching is valuable in ways to both students and teachers that we yet to even know for ourselves. It allows students to make higher-learning connections and gives students an opportunity to see the "bigger picture" of education. It also deepens understand of a subject matter. In foreign language, bringing things like art, music, stories, realia, etc. to help teach vocabulary, grammar, and culture forces students to use the language they learn in authentic and practical contexts, and to see the real-life value in what they are learning.
Interdisciplinary teaching is valuable in ways to both students and teachers that we yet to even know for ourselves. It allows students to make higher-learning connections and gives students an opportunity to see the "bigger picture" of education. It also deepens understand of a subject matter. In foreign language, bringing things like art, music, stories, realia, etc. to help teach vocabulary, grammar, and culture forces students to use the language they learn in authentic and practical contexts, and to see the real-life value in what they are learning.
*See my responses to colleagues:
Yadira Zapata
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