How to Paint Cempasúchil Flowers
Día de Muertos is a meaningful holiday celebrated in Mexico and by many families around the world.
During this time, people remember and honor loved ones who have passed away.
Bright orange and yellow flowers called cempasúchil, or Mexican marigolds, are used in many family displays.
Follow these simple steps to paint your own vase filled with these fluffy blooms.
Materials
- Thick white paper
- Washable paint (orange, yellow, green, and one favorite color for your vase)
- Medium paintbrush
- Cup of clean water and a paper towel
- Scrap paper to protect your work space
Steps
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Lay your scrap paper flat on the table. Put your thick white paper on top to keep your desk clean.
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Choose a color for your vase. Paint a wide cup shape near the bottom of your paper.
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Rinse your brush in water and wipe it clean. Dip your brush into orange paint and make three round dots above the vase.
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Dab your brush around each dot using yellow and orange paint. Tap gently to make lots of tiny, fluffy petals that look like marigolds.
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Dip your brush into green paint. Paint lines down from the blooms into the vase for stems, then add small leaves.
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Let your colorful painting dry completely before you share it with others.
- honor:
- To show special respect or love for someone.
- displays:
- Arrangements of things set out for people to see.
- blooms:
- Flowers that have opened up.
- protect:
- To keep something safe from being hurt or made messy.
- stems:
- The long, thin parts of a plant that hold up the flowers.
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- 1What holiday is celebrated in Mexico and by families around the world?
- 2Why do people celebrate Día de Muertos?
About this how-to / procedural passage for Lower Elementary
“How to Paint Cempasúchil Flowers” is a how-to / procedural reading passage about Cempasúchil Painting, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 1 minute to read (222 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.