Día de los Muertos in the Classroom - 3 Simple Decor Ideas and a No Prep Activity

Incorporating Día de los Muertos into your classroom is a beautiful way to honor tradition and bring cultural richness into your students' learning experience. While decorating and lesson planning for every holiday can feel like a challenge, this particular celebration offers more than just festive fun—it’s a way to engage students with history, art, and community values.

Let’s explore three key reasons why Día de los Muertos belongs in your classroom:

1. Cultural Awareness
   Teaching students about Día de los Muertos helps them understand the importance of honoring family and traditions in Mexican culture. It opens their eyes to different ways people celebrate life and remembrance around the world.

2. Creativity & Expression
   The vibrant colors, unique symbolism, and beautiful decorations—like sugar skulls and marigolds—are perfect for encouraging creativity. Students can express themselves while learning about the significance behind these symbols.

3. Inclusive Celebrations
   Día de los Muertos focuses on love, respect, and remembering those who came before us. It’s a positive and inclusive way to reflect on themes of life and legacy, which can be meaningful for students from diverse backgrounds.

Quick & Easy Classroom Decorations

I know it’s tough to decorate for every single occasion, but I’ve got a quick solution for you—my three Día de los Muertos lettering kits!

They’re easy to print and instantly brighten up your classroom with little effort.

Plus, one of the kits features a Papel Picado option in various vibrant colors that bring all the lively energy of this holiday to life. These kits will save you time and keep your space festive without much fuss.

And now for the no prep activity that my students always enjoyed around this holiday.

If you’re looking for an engaging way to tie Día de los Muertos into your classroom activities, the Coco Movie Companion is exactly what you need! 

This companion adds depth to your movie screening and helps students get more out of the experience.

With over 20 activities spread across six sections, this resource guides students through fun and educational exercises, from predictions before the movie to thoughtful reflections after the credits roll. Here’s a peek inside:

• Before Watching:
  Get students thinking with prediction exercises and a poster analysis that sets the tone for what’s to come.

• Comprehension:
  Keep everyone on track with 20 comprehension questions, character analysis (for key figures like Miguel and Hector), and a chronological ordering of major events.

• Vocabulary:
  Help students learn new words with definitions, a Wordsearch, a Crossword, and a special page on Spanish words found in the movie.

• Let’s Dig Deeper:
  Dive into cause and effect, create story maps, analyze the settings, and fill out a KWL chart (Know, Want to Know, Learned) to expand students' critical thinking.

• Further Research:
  Fact sheets on Frida Kahlo and Papel Picado come with questions to encourage further exploration of these iconic figures and art forms.

• Extras:
  Add some fun with storyteller headbands, discussion cards, and creative activities like designing your own spirit animal or decorating a guitar. You can also spark meaningful conversations about the film’s ending.

There’s so much value in incorporating holidays like Día de los Muertos into your lessons, and with these easy-to-use resources, you’ll save time and effort while making the day memorable for your students. 

By joining my email list, you'll gain instant access to a LOT of free resources from my exclusive freebie library. But that's not all! As a member of the community, you'll also receive (almost) weekly emails packed with even more freebies, the latest news, exclusive deals, and special sales.