As world language teachers, October provides an excellent opportunity to explore Día de Muertos, Halloween, or both with your students. If these topics aren’t permitted in your school, consider focusing on the migration of monarch butterflies instead.

While these celebrations share some similarities, their cultural roots and significance are quite distinct.

Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, a time when people believed that the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred. It evolved over centuries, incorporating various customs and traditions. Today, Halloween is often centered around spooky themes, trick-or-treating, and playful scares, with a focus on costumes, candy, and fun. Read more here!

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), on the other hand, is a deeply meaningful celebration in Mexican culture that honors loved ones who have passed away. Rooted in ancient indigenous traditions, it merges elements of Aztec rituals with Catholic influences. Families create altars, share stories, and offer favorite foods to remember and celebrate the lives of those no longer with us. This celebration is a beautiful way to teach respect for other traditions. Read more here!

This is a fantastic opportunity to explore the similarities and differences between these two celebrations. I’ve created a Venn diagram that you can use in your classes. While I’m not an expert on these topics, I encourage you to take some time to familiarize yourself with these celebrations before sharing them with your students, no matter the level or grade you’re teaching. We do better when we know better! Feel free to add your own visuals to the slides.

Click here to get your copy on Google Slides.You’ll notice that the images are stacked on the left side. Just move them to where they correspond on the diagram. When using the presentation in class, make sure to select the full-screen setting; if you enter presentation mode, the images won’t appear. After discussing the content with your students, you can switch to presentation mode and review it again. This Venn diagram is perfect for novice students starting in 2nd grade. Some of these conversations might take place in the students’ L1 or the common language for clarity.