Gonzales said she started the lesson by having her students watch the movie, “The Book of Life.” She said it was a good way for the students to have fun, while also learning more about Día de los Muertos.
“The movie has many lessons for the students that we talked briefly about,” Gonzales said. “One is to be yourself, one is to follow your dreams and passions, one is learning not to force others to do anything they don't want to do or believe is wrong, and students also learned about Día de los Muertos and the reasons it is celebrated in certain cultures.”
Gonzales said the next part of the lesson is learning more about sugar skulls and how they tie into different culture’s Day of the Dead celebrations.
“I have always loved the art, color and festivities of Día de los Muertos,” Gonzales said. “Throughout the year, I try to introduce the students to various artists, cultures and types of art.”
Gonzales explained that her students learned when Día de los Muertos is celebrated and the holiday’s origin.
“They learned that Día de los Muertos is celebrated on November 2nd,” Gonzales said. “Students learned that it is a cultural holiday that began in Mexico and that the holiday is centered around remembering the lives of family members who have passed on, and that it is a day to be joyful, not to mourn or be sad.”
Gonzales said that her students have worked diligently on their sugar skulls, first sketching their skull shape, then outlining it with a toothpick and dyed glue, and finally using a watercolor technique to fill it in.
“This project teaches students about other cultures,” Gonzales said. “This project teaches history, and hopefully, an appreciation for new ideas that they may not have known about. I hope that I introduced them to something new, and that they have a new appreciation for a culture different from their own, or even to learn about something from their own culture.”