Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits

Introduction

The pursuit of a foreign language is an unavoidable encounter with the culture of the people who speak that language.  We cannot separate the two because our language is a reflection of our culture and, in essence, a reflection of who and what we are.  For that reason, we are always to remember that what we encounter in our exploration of the language or culture should never be considered backwards or wrong, but rather, different.  El día de los muertos (The Day of the Dead) is a celebration that may seem strange or even odd, but before jumping to conclusions, let’s just explore this important Latin American holiday.

Essential Question: What are the cultural implications of “El día de los muertos” and how is it celebrated in Mexico and parts of the United States?

The Task

By the end of this WebQuest, you will have a deeper understanding of how The Day of the Dead is celebrated and the cultural practices, products, and perspectives associated with the holiday.   The tasks associated with this WebQuest include:

• providing an explanation of the historical context of the holiday
• providing an analysis of the cultural features of the holiday
• demonstrating knowledge of the altar and what customarily goes on it.
• reflecting on the day based on your personal opinions and questions
• viewing student-created samples of memorial boxes that commemorate famous people who have died

The Process

To accomplish these tasks, you must review the websites posted to answer the questions in each sections.

Día de los muertos Glossary:

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/glossary/

A. Historical Contexts:

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/articles/dead-history.html

What are the origins of “El día de los muertos”? 

How did the day start? Who started it? 

How was the day celebrated originally?

What happened that caused the holiday to be celebrated when and how it is celebrated today?

When is the day celebrated and how?

B. Cultural Implications: Create a chart like the one below to list examples in each of the cultural contexts as you watch the videos and read the articles provided in the links below.

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/video/

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/photos/

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/articles/dead-food.html

Practices	Products	Perspectives

C. Día de los muertos: View the interactive memorial altar provided on the webpage posted below and create a list of the items that are traditionally included in the Día de los muertos altar.  

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/altar/

D. Personal Reflections:

What is your perception of Día de los muertos after completing the first two tasks of the WebQuest?

What did you not know about the holiday prior to completing the first two tasks of the WebQuest?

How would you explain The Day of the Dead to someone who has not heard about it previously? 

What perspectives about death are revealed through the Mexican people’s celeberation of Día de los muertos?

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated based on the responses provided in each task.  Responses marked exemplary are those that are accurate, thorough, and meaningful and demonstrate enhanced knowledge the holiday.

Conclusion

By the end of this WebQuest, I hope that you will have gained a deeper understanding of how The Day of the Dead is celebrated and the cultural practices, products, and perspectives associated with the holiday.   As you expand this Webquest to the creation of your memorial box, continue to consider the cultural perspectives that are imbedded in this fascinating Latin American holiday.

Credits & References

azcentral.com – Día de los muertos website

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/

Diá de los muertos photo

http://picture-book.com/taxonomy/term/874

Last updated on November, 2010

 Based on a template from The WebQuest Page