Día de los Muertos WebQuest

Part of learning another language is learning about its people and their culture. Analyzing customs and traditions are an integral part of understanding another's culture. What do they celebrate? How do they celebrate it? Why do they celebrate the holidays that they do?

The days of October 31st (Halloween), November 1st (All Saints Day), and November 2nd (All Souls Day) are celebrated differently in Latin America than in the United States. The origins of the Latin American celebration can be traced back to its pre-Colombian peoples who recognized the passing of their dead ancestors during this time of the year.

For this Web Quest, you will research the origins, customs, and traditions of El Día de los Muertos in order to complete three Quest Sheets. Afterwards, you will help build a classroom oferenda.

Your job is to explore various web sites to help you better understand Day of the Dead. You will research information to answer questions and to take notes.

At the computer -- **Read all directions before you click**

Activity One 

• Choose your group. No more than 3 people to a group.
• Print the Day of the Dead Quest Sheet
• Click on the Day of the Dead Information site. Answer the questions on your Quest sheet.

Activity Two

• Print the Food Quest Sheet.
• Click on the Dia de los Muertos site. Once there, click on food. Answer the questions on your Food Quest Sheet.

Activity Three

• Print the Wordplay Quest Sheet.
• Click on the Dia de los Muertos site. Once there, click on glossary. Using the glossary of words, complete the Wordplay sheet.

Do the following activities on the back of the first three. (Be sure to label them)

Activity Four

• Click on the Dia de los Muertos site. Once there, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on photos (below the yellow box). In the large window, click on next to look at all the pictures. Be patient, the pictures may take a long time to download.
• Choose a (1) picture and write a paragraph that answers the following questions:

1. How does the photograph make you feel?
2. What are some of the objects you see in the pictures?
3. What do you like or dislike about the photograph? Be specific.

Be sure to write the name of the photograph on your paper. This is located at the bottom left hand corner of the photo.

Activity Five

• Click on the Dia de los Muertos site. Once there, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on altar (below the yellow box). In the small window on the left is a photograph of an altar with numbered areas. Click on the numbers to find out each item.
• Take notes!!! You will be constructing your own authentic altar.

Activity Six

• Click on the Dia de los Muertos site. Once there, click on events (below the yellow box).
  
• Using the information provided on that page and what you have already read, create an illustrated timeline of the activities that occur on el Día de los Muertos (Oct. 31 - Nov. 2).

______________________________________________________

Student's work will be evaluated on the following areas:

    -Written work

    -Altar

Using the following criteria:

     -Work is done cooperatively.

    -Work is done in a timely manner.

    -Information is accurate and appropriate.

    -Altar object is appropriate and well thought out.

After completing the Quest sheets, decorating the class altar, and viewing drawings and photographs, you should have a better understanding of Day of the Dead and everything that is involved with this holiday.

Día de los Muertos WebQuest was designed and researched by Mary K. Taylor, a Spanish Teacher at San Diego High School, School of Science and Technology (San Diego County), San Diego, CA.

(Last updated October 2014)