Highland Springs HS

Ofrenda de Dia de los Muertos

Henrico Learner Profile (HLP) 6C Focus

9-10 Grades  - Spanish 

SOL/Standard  

1.NM Identify typical products and practices related to familiar, everyday life in native and other cultures to help understand perspectives.


6.NM Request and share simple oral or signed information on familiar or everyday topics.

Learning Experience

In Spanish classes, students embarked on a captivating journey into Latin American culture by crafting Ofrenda de Dia de los Muertos. This immersive project combined language acquisition, cultural exploration, and global awareness.


The cultural exploration component involved delving into the customs, symbols, and rituals associated with Día de los Muertos. Students researched altars (ofrendas), sugar skulls (calaveras), and papel picado. Understanding the significance of these elements allowed students to appreciate the rich tapestry of Latin American traditions.


From a language perspective, students expanded their vocabulary by learning specific terms related to Día de los Muertos. This enriched their Spanish lexicon. Additionally, the project introduced preterite and imperfect tenses. Students described past actions (preterite) and ongoing habits (imperfect) in Spanish.


Beyond language and culture, this project fostered global citizenship. By creating Ofrendas, students transcended borders, appreciating how different cultures honor their ancestors. As they assembled their altars, students reflected on their own heritage and the universal themes of life, memory, and connection.


This project not only deepened their language skills but also fostered empathy, making them global citizens who appreciate the beauty of diverse traditions.

What did the student(s) learn about this experience:

"The project was fun to learn about and do.  I recently lost my great grandma, and it was really nice to be able to do this about her.  I also enjoyed learning about the different traditions and how they came to be." - Oleander

"It was a cool project because I got to talk about my Granddad and learn more about him from my Mom " - Omar

Additional Pictures, Media & Artifacts

Thank you to the innovators who helped make this experience possible: