Day of the Dead Discussion Prompts and Pause Points

Before the Movie

What are the holidays in your culture that honor the dead? (Tap prior knowledge)

What do you hope to learn about Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead? (Set goals)

During the Movie (Pause Points)

Stop at the following times in the movie and ask questions or prompt a discussion to keep students focused and to assess their understanding before moving on:

Timecode 1:48:  How are Día de los Muertos and Halloween similar and different? (Compare/contrast)

Timecode 3:51:  In what ways did the Aztec traditions of the holiday change or stay the same after the Spanish arrived? (Identify cause/effect; Make connections)

Timecode 5:16:  What are some things you can put on an ofrenda? (Identify details)

After the Movie

Look at the four related movies at the bottom of the page. Explain how each is connected to the Day of the Dead topic. (Make connections)

Why do you think holidays change over time? (Apply new knowledge)

BrainPOP recommends reading  the movie description that appears on the Day of the Dead Topic Page to your class. Then show the movie once through without pausing.  Watch it again, this time using the discussion prompts.

*BrainPOP’s Discussion Questions and Prompts align to CCSS Speaking and Listening Standards.