How to Draw a Remembrance Portrait
During Día de Muertos, many families share stories to honor people who have died.
Special pictures and portraits help people remember a life and celebrate good memories.
In this classroom project, you will draw a portrait of a person from history, a made-up character, or someone special to you.
You do not need to share a personal loss.
Materials You Need
- 1 sheet of drawing paper
- 1 regular pencil
- A box of crayons
Steps to Follow
-
Pick a person to honor. Choose a kind leader from history, a favorite book character, or someone you know.
-
Sketch the head and hair. Draw a large oval in the center of your paper with your pencil.
Add hair on top, along with eyes, a nose, and a gentle smile.
- Draw the neck and shoulders. Make two short lines going down from the chin to create a neck.
Curve two wide lines out to the sides to show the shoulders and top of a shirt.
- Add one special object. Draw a small item next to the person to show what they loved or did.
You might draw a book, a paintbrush, a flower, or a musical note.
- Color your portrait. Use your crayons to color the face, clothes, and special object.
- honor:
- To show special respect, love, and care for someone.
- portrait:
- A picture or drawing of a person.
- memories:
- People, events, or things that you remember from the past.
- oval:
- A curved shape that looks like an egg.
- caption:
- A short sentence or note written under a picture to explain it.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Vocabulary
Practice words from the passage with a printable worksheet.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.
Ready to use this passage in class?
Start free with the Mixed worksheet and 3 PDF downloads each week. Focused skill sets depend on plan.
Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What holiday is mentioned at the start of the passage?
- 2What three materials do you need to make the portrait?
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About this how-to / procedural passage for Lower Elementary
“How to Draw a Remembrance Portrait” is a how-to / procedural reading passage about Remembrance Portrait, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (247 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.