1. Curriculum of Place Unit
By Velda Schneider

2. “Day of the Dead Project”
Background: This was a unit project that I did for my Effective Teaching class. I used this project with my Spanish I-IV year classes. I made this a community project by having my high school Spanish students teach it to the elementary and share it with the community of Chester.

3. What is Day of the Dead? “El Día de los Muertos”
A traditional, religious holiday honoring the deceased and remembering their loved relatives.
A beautiful ritual celebrated in Mexico and other Latin countries.
A three day celebration from October 31-November 2nd, focusing on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Similar to our Memorial Day and All Souls’ Day.
A time to remember loved ones in a celebration of their life and remember their spirits by making alters, decorating gravestones in cemeteries, feasting together in honor of those who have died.

4. Project Overview 10-12 day unit of 50 minute classes
Researching Day of the Dead
Gathering Materials/Making Analogies
Make PowerPoints/Presentations
Make Teaching Resources
Present Materials/Teach lessons
Post Pictures and Information/Chester Newsletter/Mrs. Schneider’s Website

5. Philosophy/Rationale Statement
The study of this cultural unit of Day of the Dead is to help students:
1) Understand another culture and the importance of this day to that culture.
2) Understand similarities and differences between our celebrations and those of Mexico.
3) Learn and strengthen their language skills and better understand how another culture thinks and perceives life and death.

6. Project Goals & Significant Outcomes:
1. Students will learn about this celebration.
2. Students will research for information.
3. Students will find, organize and create different projects and PowerPoints.
4. Students will learn how to educate the community of Chester through multiple tasks.
5. Students will communicate about Day of the Dead with pictures and words/Chester Newsletter/My website.
6. Students will teach 1st-6th grade about this celebration and create awareness of this religious holiday.
7. Elementary up to high school students will share what they learned with their families at home.

7. Types of Lessons Used: Discovery Lesson (find & share information)
Synectics Lesson (make comparisons/contrasts, form analogies, learn new information and give a new analogy based on their information found)
Circles of Knowledge & Partners and Presentations Lesson (pair/share, group work making posters, PowerPoints, Venn diagrams and presentations)
Memorization & Presentation Lesson (Teach elementary students, publish pictures and information on my website, publish information in the Chester School Newsletter.)

8. Spanish I – IV teaches Chester elementary about Day of the Dead:
Posters and Venn Diagrams
Posters and Bulletin Board Door Design
PowerPoints and Handouts
Day of the Dead Picture/Word Books
Day of the Dead Masks
Day of the Dead Hanging Skulls
Day of the Dead Song
Day of the Dead Scavenger Hunt
Day of the Dead Skeletons

9. Personal Reflection of Lessons
It was wonderful to see high school students teaching elementary students. The learning experience was enormous for all groups involved.
At the end of the year my Spanish students said that teaching the elementary about Day of the Dead was one of their favorite things that they did in class.
The students did lots of hands-on activities that helped make the learning real to them. Also my students found out what it was like to be the teacher.
I also had wonderful feedback from parents about this project. They thought it was great!

10. Adaptations for Next Year
I would once again have my Spanish II-IV teach the 2nd through 6th graders, not 1st grade.
I would have my Spanish classes watch an introductory film on Day of the Dead.
I would have my Spanish classes explain in even more depth why this is an important celebration.
I would have my Spanish classes send out information ahead of time so that some parents could experience them teaching their young ones about Day of the Dead, since it has such an unusual name.

11. Spanish II working with 2nd graders making skulls.
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12. Spanish I with their posters
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13. Spanish I with posters and bulletin board design
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14. Spanish III on scavenger hunt with 5th grade
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15. Spanish II working with 3rd graders on skeletons.
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16. Spanish IV working with 6th graders on a scavenger hunt & teaching them a song.
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17. Spanish III teaching 1st graders with booklets
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18. Spanish IV helping 4th graders make Mayan skull masks
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