El día de los muertos:
Personas famosas de México
In class we’ve read about the Mexican celebration of El día de los muertos and about the ofrendas that people create in their homes to honor their dead loved ones. In honor of this holiday, we will be doing our own version.
There are three parts to the project. You will each chose a famous person from Mexican history from the list below and do research about that person. For the visual component you will put together a skeleton and decorate it as that person. You must dress the skeleton in a historically accurate manner, based on some picture you find of that person.
The second component of the project is your oral presentation. You will first give a brief biography about this person. You should include information such as: where he or she lived, what time period he/she lived, and why he/she is an important historical figure. The, imagine you are honoring this person for El día de los muertos. What would you leave on his or her alter? Chose three objects you would use to decorate the alter. You will decide this based on your research. You do not have to bring in these objects, only describe what they are and why you would include them. They can include types of food, drinks, clothing, or anything else that adequately represents his or her life.
The third component is a written brief biography and description of what objects you are including and why. You must also include a bibliography.
The project will be due on ______. We will spend a day in the library when you will be able to look online or in books for pictures of and information about your person.
Things to remember for the oral presentation:
- During your presentation you may not read. You may have index cards with notes on them.
- Speak loudly and clearly so that all of your classmates can hear you.
- Look up at your classmates, not at your notes.
The rubric for the project will be as follows:
Oral Component – 10 pts.
10 –You are obviously well prepared. You do not read from a piece of paper and you occasionally make eye contact with your peers.You speak slowly and clearly and transition smoothly from one sentence to another. You are well behaved and respectful while your classmates are presenting.
9/8 - It is obvious that you prepared, but there were still some areas for improvement. You were fairly well behaved during your classmates’ presentations, but could have been more respectful.
7/6 – You are somewhat prepared, but need improvement. You speak quickly and it is difficult to understand some of what you are saying. You stumble moving from one sentence to another. Your behavior during other presentations is satisfactory, but needs improvement.
5 - It is obvious that you did not prepare at all. You read from your notes and did not address your classmates. Very difficult to understand. Your behavior during other people’s presentations was unacceptable.
Written content - 10 pts.
10 - You included all accurate and relevant information about your figure. You picked accurate, unique objects to decorate and alter honoring your person and give a detailed description as to why you chose those objects.
9/8 - You included relevant information about your historical figure. You picked objects relevant to your person’s life and described them adequately.
7/8 – You provided some inaccurate information. It was difficult to understand logical reasoning behind the objects you chose to represent your person’s life. There was little description for your decisions.
5 – Completely missed the point of the project.
Visual – 15 pts.
5 points for completion of visual
Full credit: You hand in a complete skeleton dressed as your person.
5 points for neatness
Full credit: The skeleton is neatly constructed. All pieces are there and stay together
5 points for historical accuracy of outfit
Full credit: The outfit accurately reflects how someone of that time period would dress and suits your person’s economic/social status.
Historical Figures (in chronological order):
- Moctezuma (Montezuma) (Aztec Emperor)
- Doña Marina or La Malinche (Aztec translator for Cortés)
- Father Hidalgo (Independence Fighter)
- José María Morelos y Pavon (Independence Fighter)
- Santa Ana (Army General during Mexican American War)
- Juan Seguín (Tejano who fought for Texan independence)
- Maximiliano (French Emperor)
- Carlota (Empress)
- Benito Juárez (First Indigenious President)
- José Guadalupe Posada (19th Century artist)
- Porfirio Díaz (19 – 20th century Dictator)
- Pancho Villa (Revolutionary Fighter)
- Emiliano Zapata (Revolutionary Fighter)
- Francisco Madero (Revolutionary leader and Mexican President)
- Venustiano Carranza (Revolutionary leader and Mexican President)
- Frida Kahlo (20th century artist)
- Diego Rivera (20th century muralist)
- José Clemente Orozco (20th century muralist)
- José David Alfaro Siqueiros (20th century muralist)
- Octavio Paz (20th century writer)
*If there is a historical figure that you know of that I have not included, you may research that person with my permission.
*We will spend a day in the library doing research.