El Día de Muertos is one of my favorite things to teach my students about because it is such a beautiful, misunderstood holiday. Do you also want to teach your students about el Día de Muertos but you are overwhelmed with the idea of spending hours creating activities for your students? Here are some easy and fun Day of the Dead activities you can use in Spanish class, including some freebies! 🙌🏻

#1. COLLABORATIVE POSTERS

Looking for a unique Día de Muertos activity for your Spanish class? Check out these Spanish collaborative posters! Not only will they provide a great team-building activity for your students, but you can also use the finished poster to decorate your classroom, door, or hallway!

Best part? Students will also learn about Día de los Muertos with the included extension activities! Each of these Day of the Dead collaborative posters comes with a comprehensible reading passage and 10 reading comprehension questions for them to answer about what they read. The reading passage and questions come in both Spanish and English!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Students will each color one square of the poster and cut it out. After they finish coloring and cutting, use the included guide to put the pieces together like a puzzle to create a beautiful 2′ x 3′ poster!

WHAT’S INCLUDED WITH EACH POSTER:

• 1 poster
• 3 poster options to fit your class needs (18, 24, and 36 squares)
• Detailed student instructions
• Assembly directions with grid
• Optional extension activities (reading passages and comprehension questions in Spanish and English)

COLLABORATIVE POSTERS ARE GREAT FOR:

• Hallway displays
• Door decor
• Bulletin boards
• Sub plans
• Brain breaks
• Ice-breakers
• Team-building activities
• Fast-finishers

Buy it HERE.

Buy it HERE.

Buy it HERE.

Buy it HERE.

Buy it HERE.

Buy it HERE.

Buy it HERE.

Buy it HERE.

Buy it HERE.

Or grab the bundle and save over $10 on all five sugar skull posters! Buy it HERE.

#2. READING COMPREHENSION MYSTERY PICTURES

Want to teach your students about Día de Muertos in a fun and engaging way? You need this no-prep digital mystery picture activity! Your Spanish students will improve their reading comprehension skills as they read a passage about the Day of the Dead and answer a variety of questions about what they read in the Google Sheet.

This Spanish pixel art activity is self-checking Google Sheets! If a student’s answer is correct, part of the hidden picture will be revealed. If a student’s answer is incorrect, the picture will not change. That lets the student know he/she needs to try again. The instant feedback really helps students improve their skills! Students love trying to guess what the picture is as they complete the activity. Hint: it always has to do with the reading passage!

There are two versions of the activity included with the mystery pic- one that is 100% in Spanish and one that has instructions, hints, and some questions in English. Perfect for differentiation or use with different levels! With one purchase, you’d be set for lesson/sub plans for Spanish 1-4. Buy it HERE.

Buy it HERE.

3. THE BOOK OF LIFE QUESTIONS

This emergency Spanish sub plan will not only save the day because it is print-and-go, but the animated movie will also teach your students about some of the customs and traditions around Día de Muertos. The Book of Life follows the story of a bullfighter who, on the Day of the Dead, embarks on an afterlife adventure to fulfill the expectations of his family and friends. These 38 questions in Spanish and English will keep your students engaged throughout the entire 1hr 35m movie. The Book of Life is rated PG.

Check out the trailer on YouTube HERE.

There are two versions of the questions and answers included in the file, one in English and one in Spanish. Perfect for use with different levels!

This PDF file includes:

• 3 questions for students to answer before watching the movie
• 35 questions for students to answer while watching the movie
• Spanish version
• English version
• Answer keys 
• Links to watch or purchase 1hr 35m video on Disney+ or Amazon Prime

These no-prep questions are great for:

• Sub plans
• Choice boards
• Independent activity while you catch up on grading or need to take a breath (we’ve all been there!)

Buy them HERE.

4. COCO QUESTIONS

Do you have emergency sub plans on hand for October or November? Are you stressed about coming up with different activities for every level you teach or having something on hand a non-Spanish-speaking sub can do? Check out these questions for students to answer while they watch the movie Coco! The 41 questions in Spanish and English will keep your students engaged throughout the entire PG-rated movie.

Check out the trailer on YouTube HERE.

There are two versions of the questions and answers included in the file, one in English and one in Spanish. Perfect for use with different levels!

This PDF file includes:

• 4 questions for students to answer before watching the movie
• 35 questions for students to answer while watching the movie
• 2 questions for students to answer after watching the movie
• Spanish version
• English version
• Answer keys 
• Links to watch or purchase the movie on Disney+ or Amazon

Buy them HERE.

5. FREE READING ACTIVITIES

Teach your students about Día de Muertos with these FREE no-prep printable reading activities! There are three print-and-go activities to go along with the comprehensible reading passages for you to choose from- task cards, a crossword puzzle, and worksheets. Talk about an easy Spanish sub plan!

There are three versions of each activity included in the file- one that is 100% in Spanish, one that is 100% in English, and one that has instructions, hints, and some questions in English. Perfect for differentiation or use with different levels! With one download, you’d be set for lesson/sub plans for Spanish 1-4.

The PDF file includes:

• One reading passage
• 32 task cards
• 1 crossword puzzle
• 3 worksheets
• 3 VERSIONS OF EACH ACTIVITY- one that is 100% in Spanish, one that is 100% in English, and one that has instructions, hints, and some questions in English
• Answer keys
• Ideas for using the task cards in Spanish class

Click the image below to grab the freebie. 👇🏻

6. READING ACTIVITIES

Do your Spanish students think Halloween and Day of the Dead are the same holiday? These no-prep printable reading activities will help! Students will love learning about the similarities and differences between Halloween and Día de los Muertos as they complete the print-and-go task cards, crossword puzzle, or worksheets that go along with the comprehensible reading passage. Talk about an easy Spanish sub plan for October!

There are three versions of each activity included in the file:

• 100% in English
• 100% in Spanish
• Scaffolded with instructions, hints, and some questions in English

Buy them HERE.

Are you looking for a great way to tie culture into the spooky season this October in your Spanish class? These no-prep printable reading activities about La Llorona will help! 

Buy them HERE.

Buy them HERE.

7. MYSTERY PICTURES

Looking for a fun Día de Muertos activity to help your Spanish students practice conjugating regular verbs? Check out these engaging digital mystery picture activities! Students will get a ton of practice, and a dose of culture, as they answer a variety of questions to reveal a picture that has to do with the holiday.

Best part? Like the reading comprehension mystery pic above, these Day of the Dead pixel art activities are self-checking! If a student’s answer is correct, part of the hidden picture will be revealed. If a student’s answer is incorrect, the picture will not change. That lets the student know he/she needs to try again. The instant feedback really helps students improve their skills!

Buy it HERE.

Buy it HERE.

Here’s a FREE mystery pic for regular present tense verbs! 👇🏻

Save 20% on all these fun activities with the Día de Muertos Activities Bundle! Click HERE to see it.

Parents requesting alternative assignments for a Day of the Dead lesson? Don’t make extra work for yourself! These no-prep reading activities about monarch butterflies and their annual migration don’t mention Día de Muertos but can be easily tied into a lesson if needed.

I hope these Día de Muertos activities help! As always, if you loved this post, I would greatly appreciate you re-pinning it for me so others can enjoy it, too. Thanks and have a great day! ❤️

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