Fifth Grade at El Museo Del Barrio

Yesterday, fifth grade boys went with their Spanish teachers to El Museo Del Barrio on 5th Ave.

The boys, who have been taking Spanish through our Spanish immersion program since they were in Pre-K, continue to study not only the Spanish language, but also the cultures of Spanish speaking people.

At the museum, they learned about the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a holiday observed in Mexico and other regions with Hispanic populations, on October 31, November 1, and November 2.

Museum guides led the boys in observations of three typical, private ornate altars that families build to honor the deceased. The altars feature marigolds, butterflies, sugar skulls, day of dead breads (pan des muerto) and items that would be significant to the loved one.

The boys also saw Catrina, the skeleton female who is an icon of the holiday. Boys answered questions about the exhibits in Spanish, sketched features of the altars, and discussed the meaning behind many of the items they saw.

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