Image of a beautifully decorated skull surrounded by candles and flowers
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Grammar,

Secrets of the Skulls

How a sugar skull artist celebrates the Day of the Dead

From the November 2023 Issue

Learning Objective: to practice using the commonly confused words there, their, and they’re

Featured Skill: Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics,
Common Core Standards
  • Anchor Standards
    L.1
  • Grade 6
    L.6.3
  • Grade 7
    L.7.3
  • Grade 8
    L.8.3
TEKS Standards
  • Grades 6, 7, 8
    2b, 10c, 10d (ix)

Presentation View
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Directions:

Read the hint below. Then read the blurbs that follow. Pick the correct word in each bolded word pair.

There, Their, or They’re?

  • There refers to a place, as in Get there by noon.
  • There can also refer to the existence of something, as in There is a soccer game tomorrow.
  • Their shows possession, as in They cleaned their house.
  • They’re is a contraction of “they are,” as in They’re the best tuba players in town.
Courtesy of Laura Martinez

Works of Art

Does the thought of seeing a skull send shivers down your spine? For Laura Martinez, it’s just another day as a sugar skull maker.

There/Their/They’re is nothing scary about Martinez’s skulls. There/Their/They’re
colorful works of art that she sells through her business, East Los Sweets.

Sugar skulls are popular decorations during Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. This holiday is celebrated on November 1 and 2 in Mexico and other places around the globe. During the celebration, people remember there/their/they’re loved ones who have passed away.

 

Honoring the Dead

For more than a decade, Martinez has crafted sugar skulls in a corner of her father’s bakery in Los Angeles, California. The skulls are placed on Day of the Dead altars, called ofrendas, that honor the dead.

The altars are commonly decorated with photos of loved ones who have died, as well as there/their/they’re favorite foods and drinks. People also scatter marigolds around the altars; there/their/they’re bright color and strong smell are believed to help guide the dead back to their families.

Courtesy of Laura Martinez
Check out these Dodgers-themed skulls! Martinez made them for a Day of the Dead celebration at the baseball team’s stadium in Los Angeles.

Making Skulls

To make her skulls, Martinez presses a sand-like mixture of water, meringue powder, and sugar into skull molds. Once the sugar skulls harden, she pops them out of the molds. Now there/their/they’re ready to decorate!

Martinez carefully adds round eyes, grinning mouths, and flower crowns. The detail work can take hours, but she considers it an honor. “It’s very touching,” Martinez says. “I’m helping you to celebrate your deceased relative.”

 

This article was originally published in the November 2023 issue.

video (1)
Activities (2)
Skill-Building Activities
Answer Key (1)
video (1)
Activities (2)
Skill-Building Activities
Answer Key (1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

Download the Lesson Plan

Table of Contents

1. Prepare to Read

2. Read and Discuss

3. Write

1. PREPARE TO READ (5 MINUTES)

Watch a Video

  • Watch Grammar Hack: There, Their, or They’re?, a short animated video with tips about how to use these commonly confused words. 

Set a Purpose for Reading

  • Direct students’ attention to the directions and the hint box on page 2 or at the top of the digital story page. Read each aloud. 

2. READ AND DISCUSS (10 MINUTES)

  • Have students read the three boxes of text independently or with a partner, circling the correct word in each bolded word group. Optionally, share the interactive version of this article, which contains drop-down menus. Then discuss the answers.

  • Find an additional skill-reinforcement activity in your Resources tab: There, Their, or They’re?

3. WRITE (5 MINUTES)

  • Have students practice using this grammar skill in context. Project this Exit Ticket prompt on your board for students to respond to on a sticky note before they leave class:

    Write a short note to the principal explaining why a chocolate fountain should be installed in the lobby of the school. Use there, their, and they’re in your note.

Text-to-Speech