Sneak peek: A Day of the Dead Social Justice Unit for advanced Spanish class- Ofrendas por una causa. This is perfect for juniors and seniors!
As heritage Spanish teachers, we have the unique opportunity to engage our students in meaningful cultural experiences, while at the same time developing their language skills. Day of the Dead is such a rich and vibrant holiday that is certainly worth exploring with your class. This twelve-day unit Ofrendas por una causa focuses on Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), allowing students to explore the symbolism of the components of an ofrenda while simultaneously addressing social justice issues that impact the Latino community.
Photo credit: Hannelore Schultz
This unit is designed for high school heritage Spanish class or an advanced level class like Spanish 4 of 5. Ideally your students would be at least sophomores, because this unit dives into some serious topics that require a certain amount of maturity. Many high school Spanish classes build ofrendas for Day of the Dead. Sometimes those ofrendas are loved ones or celebrities that have passed. What makes this unit unique is that students build ofrendas in small groups for Latinos that have died from unfortunate causes related to social injustice. This unit both raises awareness of social injustices and promotes research skills. Students also develop their collaboration skills by working in a small group on a large project.
Here’s how to guide your students through this engaging and educational journey.
Before You Begin the Unit
Before diving into the lessons, it’s essential to prepare your students and their families. Consider sending home a parent letter to inform them about the topics covered, including the cultural significance of Día de los Muertos and any sensitive social justice issues. Customize the letter with your name and provide an alternate assignment for students who may opt out of this unit (I have provided these in this unit download).
*This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click through to one of the product links, I’ll earn a small percentage, at no extra cost to you.
Materials Needed
To create authentic altars, gather the following materials:
- Cardboard boxes or risers (for levels)
- Fabric table covers or table runners
- Marigold flowers
- Calaveras (skulls)
- Skeleton figurines
- Food dishes
- Fake candles
- Papel picado (decorative paper) and paper cut-outs
- Other Mexican decorations
- Plastic glassware
- Picture Frame or Display
- Encourage students to bring items from home to personalize their altars.
- Optional add- more calaveras wedding couple
- Optional add- more calavera figurines
- Optional add- table topper
Note: Initially, acquiring all these materials is an investment. You could put together an Amazon Wish List and share it with parents or just slowly add to what you have each year. You could also ask for donations as families may already have some of these items that they can donate to the classroom.
Day-by-Day Breakdown
In the full unit download, we provide more detailed lessons but this will give you a snapshot of what the overall scope and sequence is.
Day 1: Understanding Altars
- Objective: Students learn about the components and symbolism of a Day of the Dead altar.
- Materials: Guided notes packet, slideshow.
- Activities: Distribute notes packets and present the slideshow. Emphasize the upcoming test on this material.
Day 2: Exploring Social Justice
- Objective: Students choose a social justice topic relevant to the Latino community.
- Materials: Project instructions and rubric, topics research guide, list of possible topics, group organization spreadsheet.
- Activities: Distribute handouts, discuss project expectations, and allow students to form groups based on their interests.
*Some of the topics from the list we provide students include Personas que han muerto mientras migran and Agricultores: muertes debido a peligros químicos o calor extremo.
Day 3: Group Collaboration
- Objective: Students divide project tasks among group members.
- Materials: Group planning sheet.
- Activities: Guide students in brainstorming and assigning roles for their project.
Photo credit: Hannelore Schultz & Monica Morana
Day 4: Research and Prioritization
- Objective: Students prioritize tasks to ensure timely project completion.
- Activities: Allow time for research and emphasize the importance of teamwork. Students must be sure to include the requirements from the project instructions & rubric.
Day 5: Creating Presentations
- Objective: Students develop a slideshow presentation about their chosen topic.
- Activities: Guide students in organizing their slides and ensuring each member contributes.
Day 6: Building Altars
- Objective: Students construct their Day of the Dead altars.
- Materials: Decorations for altars.
- Activities: Facilitate the construction process, ensuring students understand presentation timelines.
Days 7-9: Presentations
- Objective: Students present their projects to the class.
- Materials: Presentation packet.
- Activities: Group presentations, focusing on delivery skills and engagement. Students that are watching the presentations must take notes in the presentation packet.
Day 10: Assessment
- Objective: Students demonstrate understanding of altar components and their symbolism.
- Materials: Exam on altar components.
- Activities: Collect notes, administer the exam, and use peer grading for immediate feedback.
Conclusion
This twelve-day unit plan not only immerses students in the cultural significance of Día de los Muertos but also encourages them to engage with pressing social justice issues. By the end of the unit, your students will have created meaningful altars and developed a deeper understanding of the Latino community’s experiences.
This structure is designed to be engaging and informative for both teachers and students, fostering a respectful understanding of cultural traditions. Adjust any sections as needed to fit your classroom dynamics!
You can even show off your students’ altars to other classes by inviting them to come for a tour.
You can purchase all the instructional materials for this unit here- Ofrendas por una causa.
And just for fun- how cool are these glow in the dark Day of the Dead temporary tattoos?! These could be a cool prize for the group that creates the best ofrenda!
We would love to see photos of your students’ altars! You can send them to courtney@heritagespanish.com or DM @profenygaard on Instagram. Happy teaching!
Join us inside the Heritage Spanish Club for full curriculum and more support!
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Photo credit: Monica Morana
