Señor Bedell’s third, fourth and fifth grade students at Cherokee Street Elementary recently learned about El Dia De Los Muertos during their Spanish “lunch and learn” classes. As an exciting culmination to all they’d learned, Cherokee Street welcomed a special Mariachi band performance during the students’ arrival on Nov. 6.

El Dia De Los Muertos or the Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday in which families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives. In learning about the holiday, students immersed themselves in Mexican culture by collaborating and building an authentic ofrenda, an altar built to honor lost loved ones. Beforehand, they completed grade-specific crafts, reading and writing activities and watched cultural video clips.

Fifth grade art students contributed to the display by creating symmetrical sugar skull paintings. Students from Connetquot High School’s international club even contributed marigolds, ceramic pumpkins and other gifts for the elementary students, which were raffled and given to the winners of different “lunch and learn” classes.

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Date Added: 11/15/2023