Curriculum designed by LiveArts Studio
OBJECTIVES: To learn about the Mexican cultural celebration of Dia de los Muertos. To understand the crafts
that contribute to this cultural celebration, and; To learn new art-making techniques through this culturally
relevant celebration.
National Core Art Standards:
Anchor Standard: CREATING Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and
work.
A. Enduring Understanding: Artists and designers shape artistic investigations,
following or breaking with traditions in pursuit of creative art-making goals.
Essential Question: How does knowing the contexts histories, & traditions of art
forms help us create works of art & design? Why do artists follow or break from
established traditions? How do artists determine what resources are needed to
formulate artistic investigations?
B. Enduring Understanding: Artists and designers experiment with forms, structures,
materials, concepts, media, and art-making approaches.
Essential Question: How do artists work? How do artists and designers determine
whether a particular direction in their work is effective? How do artists and
designers learn from trial and error?
C. Enduring Understanding: Artists and designers balance experimentation and
safety, freedom and responsibility while developing and creating artworks.
Essential Question: How do artists and designers care for & maintain materials,
tools, & equipment? Why is it important for safety & health to understand & follow
correct procedures in handling materials & tools? What responsibilities come with
the freedom to create?
Vocabulary
Symmetry/same
Asymmetry/different
Color
Design
Beautiful
Celebrate
Cultural
Ancestor
Mexico
Line
Pattern
Shape
Texture
Balance
Form
Huichol
Order
D. Enduring Understanding: People create and interact with objects, places, and design that define, shape,
enhance, and empower their lives.
Essential Question: How do objects, places, and design shape lives and communities? How do artists and
designers determine goals for designing or redesigning objects, places, or systems? How do artists and
designers create works of art or design that effectively communicate?
Anchor Standard: PRESENTING Select, analyze and interpret artistic work for presentation.
A. Enduring Understanding: Artists and other presenters consider various techniques, methods, venues, and
criteria when analyzing, selecting, and curating objects artifacts, and artworks for preservation and
presentation.
Essential Question: How are artworks cared for and by whom? What criteria, methods, and processes are
used to select work for preservation or presentation? Why do people value objects, artifacts, and
artworks, and select them for presentation?
Anchor Standard: RESPONDING
Perceive and analyze artistic work.
A. Enduring Understanding: Individual aesthetic and empathetic awareness developed through engagement
with art can lead to understanding and appreciation of self, others, the natural world, and constructed
environments.
Essential Question: How do life experiences influence the way you relate to art? How does learning about
art impact how we perceive the world? What can we learn from our responses to art?
Anchor Standard: CONNECTING Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to
make art.
A. Enduring Understanding: Through art-making, people make meaning by investigating and developing
awareness of perceptions, knowledge, and experiences.
Essential Question: How does engaging in creating art enrich people's lives? How does making art attune
people to their surroundings? How do people contribute to awareness and understanding of their lives and
the lives of their communities through art-making?
Anchor Standard: CONNECTING Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical
context to deepen understanding.
B. Enduring Understanding: People develop ideas and understandings of society, culture, and history
through their interactions with and analysis of art.
Essential Question: How does art help us understand the lives of people of different times, places, and
cultures? How is art used to impact the views of a society? How does art preserve aspects of life?
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS:
A digital and oral presentation will be presented to students on the history and aesthetic of Dia de los
Muertos. Instructor should be well versed on topic to generation rich discussion and field questions.
• Students will practice, then begin developing their design idea before using selected materials for
each project.
• Listen to lecture; follow instructions; practice process of making object
Las Calaveras (skulls): color, shape, form, balance
Los Cadaveres/(corpses) Los Esqueletos (the skeletons): implied
Materials: pencil, markers, cardboard,
line, movement, balance
Huichol (Yarn painting): implied line, movement, shape, color,
scissors, construction paper, yarn, tissue
texture
paper, markers, crayons, glue, sticks,
Me Cara Bonita (My beautiful face). To be introduced using a
potentially a variety of found or reclaimed
short story.
items.
Activity 1: Huichol (Yarn painting) • rhythm, movement, texture,
color, form, implied line
Activity 2: Papel Picado (paper cut-outs)•shape, form
Activity 3: Las Calaveras (skulls)• pattern, line, color, balance; symmetry
Activity 4: Los Esqueletos (the skeletons) • ): movement, symmetry, balance, form (2D & 3D)
Activity 5: Ojo de Dios (The Eye of god) • repetition, pattern, texture, color
a) Extended Activity: Dia de los Muertos puzzler
b) Extended Activity: Write a dedication to an ancestor. Share their background; important aspects
of their life.
c) Extended Activity: Tribute to artist Frida Kahlo: drawing, background, foreground, pattern.
Videos about the artist may be viewed.
•
RESOURCES: The following resources may be used to enhance knowledge of Dia de los Muertos.
1. Spanish words: https://quizlet.com/7366401/day-of-the-dead-spanish-words-flash-cards/
2. Short video 3mins (animated): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCQnUuq-TEE
3. Yarn painting demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIpaHn8J4NY#action=share
4. Huichol projects:
https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEV7uYcg1YBz0APFwPxQt.?p=huichol&fr=yhs-elm001&fr2=piv-web&hspart=elm&hsimp=yhs001&type=hdr_s_16_41_orgnl#action=view&id=49&vid=701021c1d71d24222e4c4a163dc48a55
Students may transition from one activity to another as each one is completed during the month.
Name:______________________________________________ Grade:_____________ Date:__________________
Able to guide yarn
filling in shape.
Able to guide yarn filling
shape inconsistently or
partially.
Unable to guide yarn or
fill in shape.
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Alter
(Las) Calacas
(Las) Calaveras
Catholic church
Cemetery
Creativity
Cultural celebration
Dance
Dead
(El) Dia de los Muertos
Family
Foods
Hispanic
Huichol (yarn painting)
Music
Tradition
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October thirty-first
Pan