Lesson Plan for Dia de Los Muertos

kirimoth.com

As promised, I am about to start posting lesson plans from my Sunday School curricula here. I hope you like them and share some of your own.

Today's lesson is on Mexico's Day of the Dead and is suitable for preschool and elementary school aged kids.

As this class is in a Unitarian Universalist context, the opening and closing may or may not be relevant to you, teaching about Day of the Dead out of a UU context.

If it is not, skip to the meat of the lesson further below. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for more lesson plans as I can get them posted!

Gathering: Where we get all the non-focused energy dispelled and we settle down.

Time to Sing! Sung to the tune Do Re Mi (from the Sound of Music)

One: Each Person is important

Two: Be Kind in all you do

Three: We help each other learn 

Four: And search for what is true

Five: All people need a say

Six: Work for a peaceful world

Seven The web of life’s the way

That will bring us back to me and UU!

 (repeat until all are singing and you feel you can stop and have their attention)

Commencement: Where we create sacred space in which to learn and share.

Light Chalice and say chalice lighting:

(Sung to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)

Flaming Chalice burning bright

Now you share with us your light

May we always learn to share

With all people everywhere

Flaming Chalice burning bright

Now you share with us your light

Joys and Sorrows: Where we talk about our previous week and share good and bad things that have happened to us.

Get Down to Business: Where we explain today’s theme or tell today’s story and start activities.

Materials needed:

1. Calavera stencil (easily printable from the internet)
2. Black Sharpie (for adults to trace stencil in advance)
3. Tracing paper
4. Colorful Markers
5. Tape (for hanging them)
6. Salt Dough (recipes here)
7. Readings (below) and books (Clatter Bash! or similar age-appropriate book about the holiday)
8. Build an altar with calaveras, pictures of ancestors, ashes/urns, mementos of loved ones, statue/picture of Santisma Muerte.

(PREP: Adults should have traced stencils in advance for kids to color in while stories are being read).

Did you know that in many cultures around the world, they believe that this time of year is the best time to communicate with the dead (dead relatives, friends- also called ancestors)? While some people think of seeing dead people, or ghosts, is scary- many others do not and welcome the chance to speak with people that they loved who have passed on.

Today we are going to explore one of those cultures- Mexico’s Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos (pronounced DEE-uh Day Los MWER-tose)

(Show kids altar- look, don’t touch! While you read words below)

Don't be afraid of El Dia de los Muertos - the Day of the Dead. This is a happy holiday! 

This ancient holiday began as a day of thanks for the harvest. It became a time put aside to remember our ancestors and people we love who have died. This is called ancestor veneration.

On the first day, relatives put flowers on graveyards or in vases with cards. Then they create an alter somewhere in the house. These alters are not places of worship. They serve the same purpose as a scrapbook or a photo album. Pictures of the departed, along with favorite loved objects and other mementoes are placed on the altar. The rest of this day is spent making the favorite foods of this person (or persons.) 

On the second day, families have big celebrations at their homes. They serve the food they made the day before. They eat candies shaped like skeletons. Friends stop by and people dance and sing. This is a very happy holiday.

Today, we are going to make two kinds of Calaveras- decorated skulls – flat ones to hang in our windows like stained glass decorations and sculpted ones to decorate our tables and altars!

(Go back to table and pass out salt dough for skull making to kids- show them how to make a skull shape and let them know next week we will be decorating real sugar skulls!)

On the third day of the Day of the Dead celebration, the holiday expands to the whole town. There may be parades and floats and costumed characters. Coffins are carried that have real people in them dressed in skeleton outfits.

(Read Clatter Bash! while they work- especially the end where it explains what is seen on the pages. Perhaps go back and flip through the pages to see if they can spot cultural items mentioned on final pages.)

Pass out stenciled tracing paper and markers for final calavera coloring activity.

Summation: Breaking down message, wrapping it all up.

Let’s hang our Calaveras in the windows and let the light shine through them!

What is ancestor veneration? What’s one way you can venerate your ancestors in your life?

I am going to give you a sheet for you to ask questions of your parents and/or grandparents (see below), and I would like them to talk to you as they fill out the answers. Be sure to bring it back next week so we can share!

Chalice extinguishing and closing words circle:

We extinguish the chalices here

That they may glow gently in our hearts

May it light your path

As you leave this place

May it guide your way

Until we are together again.

Day of the Dead Take home questions

Who are my ancestors? What are their names?

Where are they from? How did our family come to this place? How long has our family lived here?

Tell one interesting story about an ancestor.

Curriculum Writing

NUUC, where I work.

I am in the throes of writing out month one of my new curriculum. I am going to be using it at the church I work for as Director of Religious Education, and eventually a more embellished version will be part of Rowan's homeschooling experience.


This is a daunting task, because while I have accumulated many resources (many of which are on my Pinterest boards) to assist me, I need to make a curriculum that serves three different age groups- preschoolers, grade-schoolers and 12+ youth.


Because I want them all to be on similar pages (in regards to what they are learning about), I am adapting one unified curriculum and the associated activities to be age-appropriate for each level. I am also creating a take home page for parents, so that they can engage their kids in what they learned in church that day.


September's curriculum is all about church, UUism, and why we are here as UUs together. We will explore the value of questions and questioning, social justice, and beloved community.


October's curriculum is all about Halloween, Samhain, Dia de Los Muertos, ancestors, and family.


November, the month of Thanksgiving (which used to be a Christian holiday as formalized in the US and is now secular) is about developing a gratitude practice and performing acts of service.


December's curriculum is all about the winter holidays of light: Chalica, Hannukah, Yule, Christmas, and Kwanzaa.


As I write them, I will post some of them here. Anyone Interested?

And I'm Off (and Running)!

On Tuesday the 15th, I had my first day of working in a job with a real job description for someone other than myself in a long time. In 1998, stopped working for others (after a long stint of non-profit work and work at worker-owned cooperatives) and opened my own businesses (and worked as a contractor for others, sometimes).

While I love the flexibility of being a contractor and the freedom of running my own businesses, I am so glad to be back in a position within an organization bigger than myself.

As the new Director of Religious Education (and Administrative Assistant) of a local UU church, I have a wealth of gifted and experienced volunteers to assist me. I am free to fulfill my vision of multi-religious, multicultural education and have people cheer me on!

I am on my way to a training this weekend in Pittsburgh. It is for the Our Whole Lives sexuality education curriculum designed by the UUs and the United Church of Christ. It is one of the most comprehensive and thorough of its kind. I am thrilled that I get to teach this curriculum!

I am currently working on a summer curriculum that includes Midsummer, Father's Day, and the value of asking questions.

I will report back next week! Until then, have a great weekend!

I am a DRE!

Before moving out to Ohio, I met with my former grad school advisor one last time. I explained that I have not been pursuing a ministerial credential. I realized it was not my calling about a semester into my master's degree. But I was unsure about what I wanted until right before we left. I wanted to work with kids again.*

While I was evaluating my career goals, I volunteered. First, at First Unitarian Church of Oakland (which was so inspirational and awesome that it inspired me to become a member of their church, a first ever for me) in the Religious Education (RE) program. I helped out in the nursery, where my son played and also took on the "Club UU" kids- who were from 4th-6th grade. One RE position led to another as I asked to be a (paid!) RE summer school teacher at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists. It was a one room school house for all ages of kids. Those two experiences helped me decide that working with kids and youth again was for me.

Then we moved to Ohio, and I was delighted to join First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta. It is a bastion of progressive religious thought in its area and I was blessed with the 4th-8th graders and we had lots of fun. They were cool with my Witchy self and let me create my own curriculum! This was great, because I have been working on a curriculum for Rowan and it gave me a chance to test some things out.

When we finally made it to Columbus, I wanted to continue to volunteer, become a part of a church, and hopefully find a DRE position one day. I had 4 churches within 25 miles to choose from. I started with North Unitarian Universalist Congregation, as my current grad school advisor (Rev. Dr. Ritchie) is the minister there. When I met with her, I told her that I ultimately wanted to work in RE, and she offered me a volunteer position in the already established teaching schedule. Together, we worked out a grad-school-credit-for-volunteer-DRE-duties arrangement in the fall. Their church no longer had a DRE. Rev. Dr. Ritchie had taken on that role when the last one left, and she had stopped looking for a replacement, assuming one would "fall out of the sky" when the time was right. I was excited about proving myself within the congregation as a volunteer and hoping that they would want me and create a budget for the position one day.

Then Rev. Dr. Ritchie emailed me about a great opportunity at *another church*.

The biggest church in the Columbus area is here in my very own neighborhood- First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus. It is on par in size with Oakland's church and is very active. I interviewed there last month to be a summer Sunday School teacher, much like I was in Berkeley (but with a lot more kids!). But a couple days before my exciting interview, I got an email from Rev. Dr. Ritchie- there was a sudden opening in her staff, as her Administrative Assistant (AA) just gave notice. Was I interested?

Well, yes. We are just getting on our feet here in Columbus and a part time job (especially one that can mostly be done from home!) was most welcome. Then she let me know that she was re-crafting the position I would be the AA as well as a DRE- and as the position grew I could get more DRE hours. I had to interview with the Board of Directors of course and get their approval. I was so nervous!

I put on my only suit (a pinstripe skirt number) and reviewed the job description, the church's website and newsletters, and the UUA's guidelines for becoming credentialed in Religious Education. So long story short., I got the job!!!

I start May 14 and that following weekend I head to Pittsburgh, PA for a training in the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program. This training alone is super exciting. This is hands-down the BEST sexuality curriculum around. I wanted to get certified as an OWL educator even before I wanted to be a DRE. (I took a Sex and the Spirit class at seminary where I learned about it and was seriously impressed.)

Flow brought me here to Ohio for a reason. And I am following the Flow and benefitting from it.

---

*I say again because I have been a public school teacher, a youth mentor, a tutor, and a girl scout leader.

My Master's Degree

Many of you know that I am in seminary, getting an M.Div from Starr King School for the Ministry. Many people who go through this program become ministers or chaplains. What am I going to do with my degree? I have decided to once again work with children* and help others who do so.

I am slowly but surely creating a homeschooling curriculum for people that want their children to have a multi-religious, multi-cultural, social justice-focused, child-driven curriculum. Next semester, I will begin actually writing the units that will serve as the examples of what the rest of the book (yes, I hope to be published!) will look like.

The world's religions, countries, and inspiring activists and artists will be studied. Issues like civil liberties and volunteerism will be critical in this curriculum, which will teach children and youth to read, write, think critically, analyze issues, and learn the scientific method.

Yes, indeed my son will learn math and science, too**. I am writing units on those subjects as well. The evolution unit will discuss Darwin (and how his theories were misused by those in power in the eugenics movement and in capitalism) as well as Kropotkin- another biologist in Darwin's time who discusses evolution not in terms of competition but cooperation. The unit will lead into a civil librties and critical thinking exercise about how some people use their religion as a reason to not learn about things like evolution and do not want others to learn it, either.

Do you homeschool? Why or why not? Did you create the curriculum, unschool, or use someone else's? Why?

---

*I have been a public school teacher, a mentor and tutor, and Girl Scout leader, and a Sunday school teacher. I continue to volunteer at my local UU church in the religious education department.

**This curriculum will serve me as well- as I intend on homeschooling my son.

I'm Now on Pinterest

An example of some religious curriculum:
Moon phases using Oreos!

As I gather ideas for not only for making my life better (DIY and sustainability tips) but also for writing a book (on educating pagan children in a homeschool or unschooling setting), I needed a place to store all of these resources and ideas. One of the tools that I am using for this is Pinterest.

What is Pinterest? It is a new social networking site for the visually minded. Think of it as digital cork boards on whatever topics you choose (your interests) and then you pin the items to your board (hence the name "Pinterest"). You pin a picture that links to a site or article. You can also pin just a photo and write a description under it. I have been pinning items on the following boards of my own creation:

Homeschooling Resources (Printables, articles, tips, curriculum and units)

Religious Curriculum (Articles, images on all religions that I find are good for kids)

Homesteading/Sustainability

Witchcraft (Articles and images that evoke what I mean by Witchcraft)

Witchcraft DIY (Great ways to make things for Craft purposes!)

DIY for the Kids

DIY Inside (Home improvement)

DIY Outside (Home improvement)

DIY Toiletries and Home Care (Recipes for toiletries, cleaners, etc.)

DIY Apparel and Accessories (Sewing, knitting, crochet and more)

Tricks and Tips (Amazing shortcuts and ways of doing things I must remember!)

Building Community (Very important and as I find things to help do that, they go here.)

New Family Traditions (Things Rowan & I can remember fondly and look forward to)

Recipes to Try

Embroidery (I love to embroider, and these are potential projects)

Kitchy Witchy (I have a sentimental place for "witchy" things made by muggles.)

DIY Craft (All kinds of fun projects!)

Pinterest is new, so I expect that they will roll out new features to help people organize their boards better soon. In the meantime, I am happily pinning things I plan to use and be inspired by in creating my book, my son's education, and my new home!

I have added a new button here on the blog for folks to follow me on Pinterest if they so choose. Look to the right to check it out!

LibraryThing

Because I hope to instill a deep love of reading and literature in Rowan, I have started acquiring books for him already- even ones that are way above his age level for now. He has a bookshelf in his play area that is almost full already (three whole shelves)! Some of the books I had before he was born, as I have a deep love of children's books and when I see a good one, I get it if I can. I am especially a sucker for a story with a message. Books in this category include Sadako, The Sissy Duckling, The Sneetches, and Stone Soup.

I also kept several of my favorite books from my own childhood. These include a gorgeously illustrated Aesop's Fables (that my grandma, who worked at a Rand McNally book binding factory, got for me), a version of The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, and a science textbook that had experiments that I loved as a kid.

To this end, I want to be sure he has books on a variety of subjects and books at different reading levels to keep him challenged. I want chapter books to read to him at night or on my lap at special times and books he can read himself at all ages. This is where my new project comes in: I made Rowan a LibraryThing. Check it out!

This website is awesome- it will help me keep track of his library and what he has (and still needs). As I see his developing preferences, I will rate the books (not according to my likes and dislikes, but his). This will help me use the recommendations that LibraryThing has as a feature more accurately.

As I uncover more titles with the recommendations feature, I will add them to Rowan's wishlist. This will help friends, fans, and family get Rowan things he can actually use (rather than yet another thing mama will ultimately repurpose or donate- please, no more battery-powered plastic things, please!).

To the left are images of books on Rowan's wishlist. I have high hopes for him- loving reading and going on adventures in his mind.

Thinking About My Son's Education

I am currently compiling notes to create a year-long cyclical curriculum for my son. It is for his religious and mundane education- The best way to describe the spiritual aspects of it are "multi-religious, as seen through a witchy filter". As I learn about other religions and their traditions in seminary and out in the world, I am noting what rituals and traditions ring true for me and what I would like to incorporate into our lives (in addition to the wheel of the year and esbats).

One Jewish tradition I value and would like to start in our home is a Witchy version of Shabbat. Every Friday evening, a ritual to declare no more work for a full day! Friday evening would start with a ritual to start the experience and a good family meal. Then quality time with the family- reading stories, playing games, and good old fashioned conversation. Saturday would be a special time meant to be spent with family and friends- visiting, playing, going to places together (like the zoo or other fun educational places), and again- lovely meals. While my Witchy theological reasons would be different than a Jewish person's for observing a special weekly holiday like this, I feel that the tradition is easily adapted to both a religious Witch's outlook or even a secular one.

I have been thinking that when Rowan is old enough, we will work for the poor on Thanksgiving, and have our harvest feast of gratitude on the similar Witchy holiday, Mabon. Having an annual ritual of volunteering for those less fortunate is something that I would love him to remember and learn the value of.

Do you celebrate holidays from multiple cultures or religions? What caused that situation? How do you tech your kids about different faiths and ideas that may not be your own?