Explain to students that in celebrating "El Día de los Muertos" in the Hispanic culture, recognition is given to the occupation of the deceased individual by way of a calaca, a handmade "Day of the Dead" figurine, to honor the deceased. Students will design either a three-dimensional calaca, or a mask representing the individual (see "Dough Recipe Sheet"). When the dough is dry, add skeletal features with black magic marker. Students will present their models to the class explaining: which person the model represents, the occupation of the individual, and why the student chose this particular person.
Culture, memorial, death, play dough, modeling dough, Calacas, art, Halloween, Venn diagram, clay model, El Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, Hispanic