Alternate Activities for Day of the Dead

Sometimes we run out of ideas for what we can do to plan one more thing when you’ve already planned for several preps to teach about Día de los Muertos. I wanted to give you alternate activities for Day of the Dead that students can work on independently! Even though many of us Spanish teachers LOVE to teach about Day of the Dead in our classrooms, sometimes a student requests an alternate activity for Day of the Dead . While this can feel frustrating, it is important to respect the guardians’ wishes and provide an option for those students. Check out this list of alternate activities for Day of the Dead!

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Alternate Activities for Day of the Dead

1. Research Poster Project – 40 templates with names of famous Hispanics filled in, perfect for lots of choices! Students learn about and recognize contributions made by Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States and world.
2. Research the artist José Guadalupe Posada – who was he, what type of work did he do, etc. Here is an artist research poster project to help with the format if you’d like!
3. Have them learn about monarch butterfly migration instead
4. Create an informative presentation on a family member including similar information that you have students put on an ofrenda project
5. Write a persuasive essay about why Día de los Muertos is against their religion or beliefs
6. Introductions and Personal Descriptions of Gente Famosa – 24 short readings about famous people of Hispanic heritage written in comprehensible language. The readings are a basic introduction and personal description of each person! There’s also an activity to do a comparison between one person and themselves!
7. Complete a research poster project on a different holiday celebration of their choice
8. Read about the Festival de Barriletes in Guatemala
9. Have them do a cultural comparison between Día de Los Muertos and Memorial Day
10. Complete a virtual field trip activity on their own

Download the freebie!

Sign up with your email address below to grab a free foldable craft you can use with your students. This would be great to pair with any of the videos I linked in this blog post, or you could even give them a list of videos and websites to explore, then have them complete the foldable on their own for a sub plan!

Alternate Activities for Día de los Muertos

You might have noticed that the activities above are in varying ranges of including elements of Día de los Muertos, to avoiding it entirely. You know your students and your community best – some might just not want to participate in a celebration, but are okay with reading about it, while others might not even feel comfortable with it being mentioned. Hopefully this list gives you some good ideas and a place to jump from if you need a quick alternative assignment!

Creative and Respectful Alternatives for Day of the Dead

When you’ve already planned lessons for multiple preps and then remember you still need something for Día de los Muertos, it’s totally normal to feel a little stuck. And while so many of us absolutely love teaching about this beautiful celebration, sometimes a student or their family asks for something different. When that happens, it’s totally okay. Our job is to respect where our students are coming from and still help them learn in a meaningful way.

One great alternative is to have students explore the monarch butterfly migration. It ties beautifully into the season and still feels connected without diving right into the holiday itself. Another easy win is a research poster project. Let students learn about someone from Hispanic heritage and reflect on their impact. There are so many amazing people to choose from and your students might even discover a new hero.

Got an artistic student? Let them learn about José Guadalupe Posada. His artwork has such a strong visual style and it opens the door to a conversation about symbolism in Mexican art. For students who need a completely different focus, give them a project about a family member or another holiday that’s meaningful to them. The goal here is to stay inclusive and respectful while still creating a great learning experience.

Simple Swaps That Keep the Learning Going

If you’re anything like me, sometimes you just need something that works. No overthinking, just grab and go. These alternate activities for Day of the Dead are great for that. You can use them for independent work, sub plans, or just to mix things up.

One more idea to love? Have students write a short essay or opinion piece about why Día de los Muertos may not align with their personal beliefs. It gives them a voice and lets them process their thoughts in a structured way.

Every student is different, and every classroom has its own vibe. You know your students best, and with a few thoughtful tweaks, you can make sure everyone feels welcome and respected during this unit.

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 the tee color options and sizes here!

Looking for more? Check out these posts!

• Digital Day of the Dead Activities
• Day of the Dead Activities
• Day of the Dead Lesson Plans
• Easy Day of the Dead Craft

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