The Year 8 'Day of the Dead' Project 2018
The Year 8 'Day of the Dead' Project is a whole term cross-curricular project run by the Art Department. It has been running for at least the last six years. The Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico on 1st and 2nd of November. This 2-day national festival involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and helping support their spiritual journey. The Year 8 ‘Day of the Dead’ involves the following activities:
• students have an introductory session on the Day of the Dead festival with an examination of the invitations that are created to invite both the living and the dead to the festival
• students explore the Spanish language elements associated with the Day of the Dead
• students design and paint posters for the Day of the Dead festival
• students create traditional bunting or 'Papel Picado' to decorate classrooms
• students create decorative clay skulls, in imitation of the sugar skulls that are made in Mexico
• students experience a mini Day of the Dead celebration in school that is close to the 1st and 2nd November when it is celebrated in Mexico, allowing them to contrast the celebratory and party atmosphere with our Halloween
• students create collages based on sugar skulls, to explore the traditional bright colour and decorative elements associated with the festival
