In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Wantagh Middle School sixth grade art students studied the popular Mexican holiday Dia de Los Muertos or Day of the Dead. Observed on Oct. 31-Nov. 2, the holiday signifies the remembrance of the deceased souls of friends and family. In addition to reading about this significant celebration, students in Joanna Osman’s class designed and painted sugar skulls, decorative skulls which represent the departed.

The students first discussed symmetry, creating patterns on half of a skull. The images were then recreated on a printing plate and rolled with bright ink colors. The students also learned to construct tissue flowers to adorn their skulls, popular with the Mexican culture. After the skulls were completed, they were displayed for all the students to admire.