Arts Integration Project Inspired by Day of the Dead and much more at Don Bosco Technical Academy

Recently Patty Kaminski, art teacher at Don Bosco technical Academy, and Triada Samaras WP Art PIR created an arts integration lesson based on CRT/Culturally Responsive Teaching, SEL/Social and Emotional Learning, social studies and art. They chose the book, Gustavo the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago and the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration as their starting points. 

Gustavo the Ghost can also be purchased in Spanish HERE.

Ms. Kaminski asked her students to listen to WP Art-Professor-in-Residence Triada Samaras read this book on the LAH blog.  A discussion about students' shyness in the classroom, especially in the on-line Zoom classrooms emerged.

Next Ms. Kaminski introduced the cultural aspects of this lesson to her students: "The Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated in Mexico and elsewhere. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and to remember friends and family members who have died. It is commonly portrayed as a day of celebration rather than mourning." LINK

Día de Muertos altar commemorating a deceased man LINK

Ms. Kaminski's students also learned about one well-known artist, Jose Guadalupe Posada (1852 – 1913), who heavily influenced the way  death is depicted for this holiday. An illustrator and political satirist, Posada’s prints of skulls and skeletons left their mark on Mexican popular culture and have become a fixture of Day of the Dead imagery that appears every year around Nov. 1. LINK

The Calavera Maderista, in the Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico City by Jose Guadalupe Posada

The final part of the lesson was artmaking. Ms. Kaminksi worked with grades 6 - 8. Students watched two videos first. Ms Kaminski instructed:

"Click the link to the first video to learn about a young Mexican Folk artist. He describes the turmoil going on in his country and how he uses art as an escape from the violence in his community." LINK Click the link to the second video to learn about about the history of Dia de los Muertos. LINK They researched images of the Day of the Dead and Mexican Folk Art. Lastly, she instructed the students in the use of the art materials and art methods used for each class. The lesson plans were divided for the different grades:

6th grade Mexican Folk Art Sun/ Moon Drawings

7th grade Mexican Folk Art Animal Drawings

8th grade Mexican Folk Art Day of the Dead Drawings

Below are some of the results of their work:  

In addition, Ms. Kaminski and Professor Samaras have started a new padlet for this project.  They hope this technology will increase class participation and self-confidence as well as provide new thecnology skills for the students.