Seventh grade students in Miss Nadia Kohler’s Spanish class visited the Old Jail Art Center in Albany, Texas for a virtual field trip at the end of October.
The students learned about the Day of the Dead – or Dia de Los Muertos – an annual Mexican celebration when family members remember loves who have passed away.
A highlight of the celebration is the ofrenda (offering). The ofrenda altar includes the photos of the deceased, their favorite foods, and other items.
The celebration also is known for pan de muerto (cinnamon sugar bread), music, papel picado crafts, marigold flowers, and the burning of incense.
During the field trip, the students were shown how to create a triptych panel using a wooden stylus to make impressions in copper. They then made their own triptychs that featured popular Day of the Dead designs, such as marigolds, sacred hearts, papel picado, and candy sugar skulls.
Day of the Dead celebrations were held November 1-2 in Mexico this year.
Miss Kohler also showed the students this humorous video: