Create Papel Picado to Celebrate the Day of the Dead
The Day of the Dead combines the ancient Aztec custom of celebrating ancestors with All Souls’ Day, a holiday that Spanish invaders brought to Mexico starting in the early 1500s.
The holiday, which is celebrated mostly in Mexico on November 1 and 2, is like a family reunion—except dead ancestors are the guests of honor. The Day of the Dead is a joyful time that helps people remember the deceased and celebrate their memory.
To celebrate the Day of the Dead in your school, create your own papel picado! Using tissue paper, scissors, hole puncher, and a paperclip you and your students will be able to decorate the halls or the classroom with vibrant designs.
Take the celebrations a bit farther and create your own version of a sugar skull! Check out the lesson plan, and learn about Billy Hassel’s Day of the Dead inspired painting Game of Chance, here: