Cultural connections fuel cognitive learning

In celebration of Day of the Dead, a traditional holiday observed in Mexico, Spanish teacher Veronica Guevara put together a Dia de Muertos altar for the Middle School’s collaborative space. She shared with her 7^th grade students photographs of loved ones who have passed away and encouraged them to consider who they would commemorate. The students also designed their own altars to share. Throughout the lesson, Guevara reinforced Spanish and Aztec words. “Vocabulary and grammar that’s connected to an authentic cultural event,” she said.