World Language

Mexican Day of the Dead: El Dia de los Muertos

Students delve into the popular and fun-filled Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. The pre-Columbus roots of the holiday are explored, along with Spanish and Catholic influences. In October and November, a large altar featuring modern Mexican crafts will be on display and samples of traditional Mexican drinks and/or candies will be available. This unit is best utilized during an extended period, but it is possible to complete in 45 minutes.

Upper Paleolithic Quiz

Students learn about the Peabody’s collection of Upper Paleolithic artifacts from France, including collections acquired in the 1920s from Louis Didon. A quiz-game format allows students to test their knowledge of French as they solve riddles involving real Paleolithic artifacts, some more than 200,000 years old. Prior to class, students may peruse electronic copies of vintage correspondence regarding the collection, as well as a brief biography of Didon in French.