Learning Goals
Students will be able to investigate Día de los Muertos altar traditions at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park by analyzing museum artifacts, images, and guided observations for symbols, materials, and meaning.
Students will be able to empathize with a loved one’s memory by gathering firsthand story-circle notes and identifying visual details that honor that person’s identity and story.
Students will be able to synthesize user evidence from story circles, sketch swaps, and critique feedback by organizing patterns in symbols, colors, and objects for a family tree altar concept.
Students will be able to define a clear design problem for a family tree altar by writing a user-centered problem statement that connects a loved one’s story, cultural tradition, and intended viewer understanding.
Students will be able to prototype a layered mixed-media altar in a box by producing thumbnails, symbol studies, and portrait drafts that communicate meaning through composition, color, and materials.
Students will be able to test and refine altar design choices by using peer critique and audience feedback to improve clarity, symbolism, and cultural coherence.
Students will be able to justify an artistic statement and exhibition talk that explains how their altar’s symbols, images, and objects represent personal, cultural, and artistic perspective.
Products
Individual Día de los Muertos Research Portfolio and Prototype Plan
Each student creates a personal research portfolio grounded in direct user evidence from story circles, guided observations, and sketch swap feedback. It includes a refined problem statement, annotated research notes, and an individual altar prototype plan or maquette that shows how insights will shape the final design.
Collaborative Family Tree Altar Showcase Model and Exhibition Pitch
Teams combine individual insights to produce a higher-fidelity family tree altar model or serviceable display version with a shared problem statement and presentation narrative. The product is designed for authentic exhibition, clearly showing how research, iteration, and design decisions respond to the needs of the loved one being honored and the intended audience.
No rubric has been generated yet.