7th and 8th graders/
ESPAÑOL 1
LILY SOLEDAD CORREA & SUZANNE TOMPKINS
TABB MIDDLE SCHOOL-YORK COUNTY SCHOOLS, VA.US
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/history/ link with
pictures
Introduction | Task | Resources | Process | Evaluation | Conclustion
INTRODUCTION
My dear students,
It's
October and you are ready for Halloween. It is the time of the year where you
wear your best costume and you go from house to house saying trick or treat,
right? However, in other parts of Latin America, spirits and treats are still
there, and you can observe a completely different celebration in El Día de los
Muertos (DEE-yah deh lohss MWER-tohss) or the Day of the Dead. I invite you to
this wonderful festivity, which is a caring way that families honor departed
loved ones.
Today,
it is October 28th and you have just arrived in Oaxaca, México for
the first time in your life. You work as a journalist for an important USA
newspaper. One of your journalist’s colleagues had given you the following poem
as an introduction to this special celebration. He had quit his job after he
tried to comprehend these lines. Will you be able to understand this poem after
this trip or will you quit too?
To the resident of New York, Paris or London
The word “death” is never
pronounced
because it burns the lips.
Mexicans on the other hand
frequent it, caress it.
They sleep with it. They
celebrate it.
It is one of their favorite
games and their most permanent love.
By
OCTAVIO PAZ
THE TASK
TSWBAT (the student will be able to learn):
-About the celebration of the Days of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico.
-About the influence history and tradition on the holiday as it is observed day.
-About specific aspects of the festivities: ofrendas, special foods and sweets, cemetery vigils, and unique folk art.
-About the design elements and media used in the creation of the folk art.
While you are staying in Oaxaca, your mission will be to report
one of the most festive cultural events which takes place every year from
October 28th through November 2nd. You need to collect as
much information as possible about this celebration. It is important that you
examine this information, make inferences and compile information in a
different way by combining elements in a new pattern. Later, you will create a
story board (poster) describing the events you experienced. Include items such
as your visit to the marketplace (mercado), items you need for the celebration,
and all the other activities of the past five days. Do not forget to include in
your story board information regarding altar (ofrendas), special foods and
sweets, cemetery vigils, and some examples of folk art. You need to include
pictures, drawings or your own work of art describing this exciting experience.
Start your journey by visiting the following resources in order to make the best use of your time. Remember you only have three class periods, before you go back to US, and turn in your final article.
1. -Web Site Search:
a) http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/feature/daydeadindex.html
Here you will read general information and different points of
views of this festivity.
b) http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/history/
Here you will find information about how these ancient beliefs have been combined with the modern church of Mexico. Also, you will read about the altar preparation (ofrenda), punched paper (papel picado), and basic foods needed in this celebration and its reasons.
c) http://www.dayofthedead.com/Photographs.html
Look
at the photographs and try to understand what they represent.
d) http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/recipes/puebla/kgpandemuertos.html
e) http://www.mexicansugarskull.com/mexicansugarskull/recipe.htm
Look
at these typical and exclusive recipes, ingredients, and
preparation
details during these traditional days.
2. –Videos (COMPLETED ON FRIDAY,
NOVEMBER 2ND)
a)
“El DIA DE LOS MUERTOS”: A Mexican citizen introduces this
celebration to an American citizen, who travels and
participates in El Día de los Muertos in another city of
México.
b)
“FLICKERING LIGHTS: DAYS OF
THE DEAD”: This documentary introduces
the celebration of the Days of the Dead as it is observed in Oaxaca,
México.
Choose one of these two videos and watch it. Once you click on one
of them, you automatically will deny your access to the other video.
3. - El Día de los Muertos
Folder:
Contents
a) The Day of the Dead
b) The Altar
c) Matching
d) 
Vocabulario – Crossword Puzzle
e) What did you learn?
f)
Cierto (true) o falso (false)
This is a resource folder. Please, ask your teacher for a copy of
these documents, if needed.
THE PROCESS
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·
Step 1: Visit all web
sites. They will give you a general view of this celebration, and specific
information about certain topics. ·
Step 2: Take notes on
the most important facts, its history and
background, altar (ofrendas), special foods and sweets, cemetery vigils, and
folk art. ·
Step 3: Watch ONE of
the videos. Take notes. ·
Step 4: On handout,
make sure you have enough information to answer the following questions: A) What purpose does the ofrenda serve? B) What special foods are created for the Days of the Dead? C) How are
the cemeteries prepared for the
celebration? D) What is
the purpose of the cemetery vigil? E) What are some examples of the Types of folk art created specifically For the Days of the Dead? F) What tools and materials are used To create folk art related to The Days of the Dead? G) What subject matter is commonly Used and why? ·
Step 5: Use your notes
+ your answers, and you may start your draft of your story board. ·
Step 6: For each
picture or topic of your story board write a paragraph that tells your
readers why the topic is important and /or significant. ·
Step 7: Before you turn
your assignment in, go to evaluation. You will find a scoring guide that will
help you know what points your teacher will be giving you. |
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You
will receive your grade based upon the following scoring guide. Your grade will
be the result of your performance in several areas. The following guide shows
both your self-score and what your teacher will contribute to the final total.
Please, check your work using these standards.
Excelente = 5 estrellas
Muy bien = 4 estrellas
Bien = 3 estrellas
Más
o menos = 2 estrellas
Mal = 1 estrella
Muy mal = 0 estrella
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Categories Does your story board… |
Self-Score |
Teacher-Score |
Total |
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Maintain
a clear, specific purpose. |
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Present
information that you (student) elaborate. |
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Include
specific details –to explain and show meaning of celebration. |
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Adhere
to the rules of grammar, spelling and punctuation. |
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Include
at least one of the following: a visit to the marketplace (mercado), or a
visit to the pantheon (panteón). |
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Give
information about the altar (ofrendas). |
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Give
information about special foods and sweets. |
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Report
on cemetery vigils. |
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Report
and give some examples of folk art. |
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Include
pictures, drawings or your own work of art. |
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Student
turns in assignment on time. Due:
Friday, November 16th. (No
late projects accepted) |
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Back to top
CONCLUSION
Congratulations!
You have successfully completed your article about El Día de los Muertos. Now,
you are going back to US, and you will tell your family and friends about this
great experience!
I hope during the last few days you have learned about the Days of the Dead, as an important celebration in México, and you were also able to grasp the Mexican’s believes about death. Even though this main festival takes place in México, there are other interesting types of celebrations, which take place on the same dates in different South American countries.
Finally, were you able to understand Octavio Paz’s poem?
To the resident of New York, Paris or London
The word “death” is never
pronounced
because it burns the lips.
Mexicans on the other hand
frequent it, caress it.
They sleep with it. They
celebrate it.
It is one of their favorite
games and their most permanent love.
By
OCTAVIO PAZ
Thank
you for your wonderful and unique works, and if you think of any topics for
research regarding Spanish traditions around the world, please, let me know. J
Lily
Soledad Correa Vera - Chilena de Corazón y Alma
lcorrea@ycsd.york.va.us
Tabb Middle School
ESPAÑOL 1
Last updated November 6th, 2007.
Based on a template from The Webquest Page.