Celebrating Day of the Dead in Your Classroom {Making an Altar}

Hi everyone! Today I'm going to be telling you a little about how I have celebrated Day of the Dead in my classroom in the past. Don't be afraid of el Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead)- this is a happy holiday!

In years past, during our report writing genre I chose to study the country of Mexico. My class learned so much about the country to become experts for their reports. One aspect we studied and really enjoyed were the holidays, particularly Day of the Dead. This unique holiday (celebrated November 1 &2) is a celebration to honor and remember people's friends and loved ones who have died. There are many wonderful traditions and symbols of the holiday that I think your students would really dig! One of those traditions is creating an altar to honor the loved ones of your students who have passed. Offerings (ofrendas) are laid out on the altars for the dead.

Create an altar in your classroom to honor loved ones who have died and celebrate Day of the Dead (or Dia de los Muertos)!
Create a simple altar in your classroom.  You can use a table top or desk exclusively for the altar.  Use crates (like the ones you find at Walmart for files folders) if you want to make your altar 2 tiers. Drape the table and crates with a tablecloth.  Have your students bring in photos of deceased loved ones to place on the altar.  

You can include:
  • photos
  • marigolds
  • paper flowers
  • sugar skull deocrations
  • traditional foods (pan de muerto)
  • favorite foods of deceased loved ones
  • water
  • favorite items of the deceased
  • papel picado
  • candles (electric!)
The year we made an altar in my classroom the students really enjoyed it.  I built my in front of a bulletin board so we could also attach photos and decorations to the board around the alter.

Create an altar in your classroom to honor loved ones who have died and celebrate Day of the Dead (or Dia de los Muertos)!

I'm just a *little* bit interested in Day of the Dead, so I have a few other resources in my store if you are looking for some more ideas to intrigue your students.



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Easy Witches Hat Cookies


It's October!!! Now is the perfect time to start thinking about some fun Halloween ideas, so you won't be thinking about those costumes, crafts, center ideas and treats at the last minute!  Today, I'm excited to share with you all a super easy little Halloween goody for your kiddos!

These easy Halloween witches hat cookies are a great treat or procedural writing activity for your students.

I liked to make these for my class and bring them in on Halloween most years for a little treat for them at lunch.  They loved it when I brought in special goodies that I made myself!  (And I got to use it as a way to keep them behaving all morning by promising them a special treat at lunch!)  These are fun and literally the easiest thing to make.  

You only need 3 things:
Hershey Kisses
1 package fudge-striped shortbread cookies 
1 container orange or red decorating icing

All you do is glue the Hershey kiss to the back of the fudge cookie with the icing.  Then, you pipe a little icing around the base of the Hershey kiss.  That's it!  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy (as my students would say)!  This is also something that you could have your students make themselves and have them write a quick procedural writing paper about how to make witch hat cookies.

If you're looking for some fun Halloween resources to keep your kids engaged in math centers try these Halloween Word Problem Task Cards!  There are 12 spooky Halloween stories using addition and subtraction (and multi-step).  There are 2 sets- they have identical stories, but different numbers so you can differentiate for your kiddos!

Halloween Addition & Subtraction Story Problem Task Cards are a great math center for fall!

I also have these super fun Array Task Cards with Halloween emojis (because- emojis!!!).  These 24 arrays include repeated addition and multiplication.

Halloween Emoji Array Task Cards are a great math center for fall!

Also, be sure to snag this FREE simple Halloween basic facts sheet with a few story problems too!

Halloween FREEBIE addition and subtraction fact worksheets and story problems.

Happy Halloween!


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