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Explore visiting and performance artists' work and background.

Skeletons, Candles, Marigolds

In this lesson, students will investigate, through looking at three Diego Rivera paintings and writing a personal narrative, some of the practices associated with the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday and the diverse cultural forces that have shaped it.

GRADE LEVEL: grade 5 and up

TIME ALLOTMENT: 2-3 periods  

SUBJECT MATTER: Mexico, Day of the Dead, folk traditions, Diego Rivera

NYS LEARNING STANDARDS

Social Studies: II 1-4, III 1-2
English Language Arts: I-IV
Arts: I, III, IV
See Complete NYS Learning Standards

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Students will:

• Be able to investigate, analyze, and discuss a work of art by using visual evidence to support assumptions about its content and message.
• Have a basic understanding of the beliefs and customs surrounding the Day of the Dead.  
• Use a work of art as an inspiration for writing a personal narrative.