In the last few weeks of course work in Texas History, the seventh-grade students have been learning about the Native tribes of Mexico, as well as the changes that came about in the culture after Spain colonized this part of North America. One of the lessons was over how the Day of the Dead is a combination of Aztec and Spanish Catholic traditions and how it has transformed into the celebration it is today. 

Terra Vista Middle School students in Stephen Cloud’s class received a presentation about the different aspects of the Día de los Muertos celebrations from the Texas Tech University Cultural Center. They went over the history of the celebration, including how the Marigolds and skulls came to be involved in the holiday. 

To round out the lesson with hands-on activities, the presenters had students make marigolds and paint sugar skulls. This allowed them to showcase their creativity and make their own celebration to take home and show their friends and family. 

Cloud has worked with the Cultural Center for the past few years, helping them bring different presentations and activities for his classes. He believes that giving the students a chance to engage with lessons is vital to the students’ overall absorption of the curriculum.  

“Adding hands-on activities allows students to explore a lesson with their hands, eyes, and minds through the creation of their own art pieces,” said Cloud. “These art pieces may not last long, but they help tie the lesson to their memory, so that what they learned about the Day of the Dead stays with them in the long term.” 

All seventh-grade students at Terra Vista had the opportunity to participate in this project. Teachers and students alike expressed their gratitude to the cultural center for the materials for the art project and the informative presentation. The library was buzzing with excitement as each group of classes came in.