Learn about Dia De Los Muertos and the Monarch Migration through Art!

Every fall, around 500,000 Monarch Butterflies from United States and Canada fly 3000 miles to get to their warmer winter climate in Southwestern Mexico. Can you imagine being in in Southwestern Mexico when 500,000 butterflies (mariposas, in Spanish) arrive? It is quite the sight to see! Since this migration often happens close to Dia De Los Muertos, many people dress up as butterflies during parades and celebrations! Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a day of remembrance for loved ones who have passed. Many American children know about this day because of movie Coco and the song Remember Me! In Mexico, the monarchs represent the souls of deceased ancestors returning to visit for Día de Muertos!

We celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at Sayre Elementary by making mascaras de mariposas!

We would love to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos and the migración de las mariposas with you through an art project! See directions below.

Materials needed:

1. Card stock or cardboard for the mask. We love the way color looks on black card stock!

2. Mark making tools- this could be paint, oil pastels, markers, colored pencils, or crayons! We love the way gel markers and acrylic paint markers look on the black paper!

3. A stick for the mask handle- you can use a twig found in your neighborhood, or a dowel rod!

4. Pipe cleaners for the antenna!

Step One:

1. Trace your outline of the butterfly on your card stock paper or cardboard. You can make your butterfly as big or small as you want, but if you make it as large as the 8.5 x 11 paper, it will cover your face like a real mask!

2. Cut out the shape, and the eyes.

3. Begin making outlines of designs on your butterfly- you can reference the designs above, or make your own. We like outlining with white on black because it really pops, but you can use any color for the outline of the designs.

Step Two:

Color in the designs with your mark-making tools. We love the way it can look if you blend like-colors together, just like on a real monarch, but you can design your butterfly with any colors you like.

Once it’s completely colored in (and full of bright colors!) You’re ready to add the antennas and the stick so you can hold it to your face!

This design uses analogous colors- orange, red, gold, and yellow, are all close to each other on the color wheel!

Step 3:

1. Tape your stick to the back of the mask. You can color your stick if you have a plain dowel rod, or you can keep the organic look of a stick found in your neighborhood.

2. Curl the pipe cleaner around your fingers to make two loops on the ends of one pipe cleaner. Fold the pipe cleaner in half, and tape the crease to the back.

3. Turn your mask around and admire it! Can you see through the holes?

4. Tell your friends and family about Dia De Los Muertos, the Monarch Migration, and about your mask!

   Feliz Dia De Los Muertos!

Grandma and granddaughter made butterfly masks together at Music House’s art table at Sayre Elementary!

Ms. Allison with the mask that Ms. Charisse made. Thank you, Ms. Charisse for this beautiful and fun project!