Description

Looking for Day of the Dead activities, a Día de los Muertos reading and video lesson, or a Hispanic culture activity that goes beyond sugar skulls and costumes? This Day of the Dead resource teaches the true meaning behind Día de los Muertos with a reading, a video analysis, and a self-checking Little Lucky Lottery scratch-ticket game.

Instead of a coloring page that oversimplifies the holiday, students explore remembrance, family, and cultural celebration through accurate content, then design their own sugar skull. It’s a no-prep Día de los Muertos lesson for upper elementary and middle school.

What Students Will Do

• Read about the history and traditions of Día de los Muertos and complete a reading summary
• Watch a video on Día de los Muertos and complete a video analysis
• Self-check their answers in the Little Lucky Lottery Google Sheet, scratching a virtual lottery ticket as they go
• Design their own sugar skull

What You Get

• History of Día de los Muertos reading passage with summary activity
• Video analysis activity with video link included
• Self-checking Little Lucky Lottery Google Sheets game
• Create Your Own Sugar Skull page
• Digital annotation toolkit for reading in Google Slides
• Print AND digital versions (Google Slides force-copy link included)

Why Teachers Love It

• No prep: ready for November 1 and 2
• Teaches the real meaning of the holiday, not just the decorations
• The self-checking lottery game gives instant feedback and means less grading
• Works individually, with partners, or in small groups, in one or two class periods
• Print or digital, so it fits any classroom setup, including Google Classroom
• Created by a veteran history teacher and school administrator who uses these in real classrooms

Perfect For

• Day of the Dead activities for grades 4–8
• Día de los Muertos lessons (November 1–2)
• Hispanic Heritage and Mexican culture lessons
• Spanish class, social studies, and world cultures
• Holidays around the world units
• Sub plans and homeschool families

Frequently Asked Questions

What grade is this Day of the Dead activity for?
It’s written for upper elementary and middle school, grades 4–8.

Is Día de los Muertos the same as Halloween?
No. Día de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday on November 1–2 that honors and remembers loved ones who have died. This lesson helps students understand the difference.

How does the self-checking game work?
Students type their answers into the Little Lucky Lottery Google Sheet. Each correct answer scratches off part of a virtual lottery ticket, so they know right away if they’re right.

Is it print or digital?
Both. You get printable pages plus a Google Slides version and the Google Sheets game for Google Classroom.

Want all your November holiday lessons at once? Grab the November Holiday Bundle and save.

This purchase is for use in one classroom. For school or site licenses, please reach out directly.