Día De Los

Muertos

María Paula Ramírez, M.Ed.

María Diana Gonzales, Ph.D.

©2013 Creative Expressions

Images@GraphicsFactory.com

www.about.com

Objective:

The purpose of this unit is to provide information about the Mexican celebration of life, Día De

Los Muertos.

Materials:

Día De Los Muertos article

Vocabulary Match

Fill in the Blank Sentences

Feliz Día De Los Muertos Cards

Instructions

Review El Día De Los Muertos Vocabulary with the students.

Read the article about Día De Los Muertos with the students.

Have the students fill in the blanks with the sentences provided.

Discuss the Mexican holiday with the students after reading the article.

Have the students decorate and color one of the skulls.

Have students decorate and color one of the cards for Día de los Muertos.

A grade can be administered for one, some, or all of the activities.

You may want to send a letter home letting parents know about Día De Los Muertos if

your community is not familiar with this celebration. You can attach the article in this

lesson and a list of the activities that the students will be completing.

Día De Los Muertos

Article

Día De Los Muertos is considered a Mexican holiday even though it is celebrated by many

Americans of Hispanic descent living in the United States. The Day of the Dead is celebrated on

November 1st and 2nd, and it is not to be confused with the American Holiday of Halloween.

November 1st is El Día de los Angelitos, Day of the Little Angels in which the lives of the

departed babies are celebrated. The second day of November is El Día De Los Difuntos, All

Soul’s Day in which the lives of all departed individuals are celebrated.

For many families, El Día de los Muertos is celebrated by family members visiting the graves of

departed loved ones. The graves are weeded and cleaned of debris. Fresh or silk flowers are

left at the gravesite. Some family members will leave items related to the hobbies of the

departed loved one. For example, if the deceased was musically inclined, a ceramic musical

instrument may be left on the grave of the departed one. Or, if the individual liked to fish, a

fish and hook may be left at the grave side. If horseback riding was a past time of the deceased,

a ceramic horse can be found at the departed one’s grave side.

Wreaths can often be found at graves of parted ones. The wreaths are usually made of

3tyrofoam and decorated with silk flowers of a variety of colors. Gold, yellow, and orange are

popular colors used on El Día De Los Muertos and the most popular flowers used during the

holiday are marigolds.

To celebrate El Día De Los Muertos, many families will decorate altares, altars to celebrate the

life of the deceased. A picture of the deceased will be found on the altar along with items to

represent the likes and dislikes of the individual. The favorite foods and items representing the

hobbies of the departed loved one will be placed on the altar. Fresh flowers or silk flowers will

be placed on the altar along with candles and colorful skulls, calaveras and skeletons,

esqueletos. These are considered some of the most popular icons of El Día De Los Muertos.

The most popular foods during El Día De Los Muertos are pan de muerto, mole, and sugar

skulls. The bread of the dead can be baked at home or purchased at bakeries. The mole can

be found in Mexican restaurants or cooked at home, especially it was a favorite meal of the

departed loved one. The sugar skulls can be found at stores, Mexican markets, or made at

home by several individuals. Water and salt can be found at the graves during El Día De Los

Muertos because these food items are considered crucial for the continuation of human life.

Día De Los Muertos has become such a popular celebration that in several countries, especially

the United States, individuals will send cards with skulls and skeletons on it. The cards will wish

friends and relatives a Happy Day of The Dead, Feliz Día De Los Muertos. Thousands of tourists

visit Oaxaca Mexico to participate in the celebration of life and to learn more about this favored

Mexican holiday.

Vocabulary Word Match

_______ 1. Dia De Los Muertos A. different, several

_______ 2. descent B. symbols

_______ 3. Día de los Angelitos C. a brown sauce

_______ 4. Día De Los Difuntos D. Bread of the Dead

_______ 5. Wreaths E. dead

_______ 6. Variety F. calaveras

_______ 7. Marigolds G. Happy Day of the Dead

_______ 8. altares H. styrofoam with flowers

_______ 9. Deceased I. gold flowers

_______ 10. skulls J. Day of the Dead

_______ 11. Skeletons K All Soul’s Day

_______ 12. Icons L. esqueletos

_______ 13. Pan de muerto M. Day of the Little Angels

_______ 14. Mole N. part of another group

_______ 15. Feliz Día De Los Muertos O. altars

Fill in the Blank Sentences

1. Día De Los Muertos is the Spanish meaning of _________________________________.

2. The Day of the Dead is celebrated in the United States by many individuals of

Hispanic______________________________.

3. The Day of the Little Angels is the English meaning of ____________________________.

4. All Soul’s Day is the same as _______________________________.

5. ____________________ are made of styrofoam decorated with fresh or silk flowers.

6. A ____________________ of colors are used during El Día De Los Muertos.

7. The popular flower used on the altars and graves are _________________________.

8. The Spanish word for altars is ____________________________.

9. People who have died are _________________________.

10. Some of the most popular _________________ or symbols used during Day of the Dead

are 11.____________________ and 12._______________________.

13. Bread of the Dead are the English words for _________________________________.

14. One of the most popular foods, ______________, eaten during The Day of the Dead is a

brown sauce served with chicken and rice.

15. Cards given to friends and relatives during El Día De Los Muertos have the written

message, ___________________________________________.

Answer Keys

Vocabulary Word Match Fill in the Blank Sentences

1. J 1. The Day of the Dead

2. N 2. descent

3. M 3. El Día de los Angelitos

4. K 4. El Día de los difuntos

5. H 5. Wreaths

6. A 6. variety

7. I 7. marigolds

8. O 8. altares

9. E 9. deceased

10. F 10. icons

11. L 11. skulls

12. B 12. skeletons

13. D 13. Pan de Muerto

14. C 14. mole

15. G 15. Feliz Día de Los Muertos

Skull/Calavera

Decorate the skull using vibrant colors.

Calavera/Skull

Decorate the skull using vibrant colors.

Feliz Día De Los Muertos

Feliz Día De Los Muertos