Día de los Muertos Lesson Plan for Spanish Class

Día de los Muertos is coming, and you know you want to do something meaningful to help your students learn about this celebration. Sometimes your curriculum or pacing guide doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room, which is why I put together a one-day Día de los Muertos lesson plan for Spanish class that lets you recognize the day without falling behind. It’s short, intentional, and your students are going to love it!

Watch the Video

Background Info:

I have used this lesson with 6th-12th grade students, in exploratory, Spanish 1, and Spanish 2 classes. I have never tried a virtual field trip with elementary students, but if you teach upper elementary and have students who are very comfortable with technology, you might try it with your upper el ed students. This fit well in a 45-50 minute class period, but if your classes are much longer, you might like these activities instead!

Día de los Muertos Lesson Plan for Spanish Class

1. Start of class routine – click here to learn more! (10-15 minutes)
2. Share link to the map for them to explore – learn more about virtual field trips here (5-8 minutes)
3. Pass out graphic organizer or comprehension questions to let them gather the information – (25-30 minutes)
4. Fast finisher! Choose from Geoguessr, a list of YouTube videos, or another activity to reinforce what your students learned!

Take a Closer Look at the Virtual Field Trip

Countries Explored: 

• Mexico
• Guatemala
• Bolivia
• Ecuador

Click here to grab this activity!

Make the Most of a Single Class Period

If you are short on time but still want your students to walk away with something meaningful, this Día de los Muertos lesson plan for Spanish class gives you the best of both worlds. It blends culture, language, and visuals in a way that feels festive but still focused.

A good way to frame the day is to tell your students upfront that this lesson is all about experiencing and honoring culture. Use the first few minutes to activate background knowledge or curiosity. Ask what they’ve heard about Día de los Muertos, or have them do a short warm-up where they describe what they see in an image or short video clip. From there, they’re ready to dive into the virtual field trip or short reading with purpose.

Fast Finisher Options

As students finish the virtual field trip at their own pace, it’s nice to have a fast finisher. Check out these options:

• Geoguessr
• Halloween vs. Día de los Muertos Comparison Sorting Activity
• Chumba la Cachumba- Canción
• Las Calaveras y Las Calacas Reading and Glyph
• Design a Calavera Activity and Classroom Display

Need more ideas?

Check out these posts for more ways to celebrate Day of the Dead with your Spanish students!

• Day of the Dead
• Digital Day of the Dead Activities for Spanish Class
• 10 Day of the Dead Items Every Spanish Teacher Should Have
• Día de los Muertos Lesson Plan: Build an Ofrenda Challenge
• Stations for Day of the Dead

Add Meaning Without Overloading Your Plan

Sometimes all it takes is one strong anchor activity to make your Día de los Muertos lesson plan for Spanish class feel complete. Whether that is the virtual field trip, a glyph activity, or a song breakdown, pick one core piece and build around it. Students can work independently, then share what they noticed or learned with a partner or small group.

You can also add a personal connection at the end of class. Ask students to reflect in Spanish or English: What traditions do they or their families have that honor loved ones? This quick moment of reflection helps students see the connection between cultures, which is exactly the kind of learning that sticks.

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Spanish Teacher Tees

If you’re looking for a fun tee to wear during your lessons, check these out!

The ol’ classic, “I’ll just wait until it’s quiet” classroom management technique. Check out these options:

• Doodle Calavera
• Frida Calavera
• Flower Calavera

They each come in different colors, too!