The document is a webquest about Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations in Spain and the US. It asks the student to answer questions to demonstrate their understanding of how Semana Santa is celebrated. It is celebrated through religious processions featuring brotherhoods who carry statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. The processions are very emotional and serious occasions for locals. Traditional costumes and respectful silence are observed. Confetti-filled eggs called cascarones are also associated with Easter celebrations in Spain, Mexico and the southwest US.

1. Semana Santa Webquest Nombre__Tomás Chavez
Answer the following 3 questions in English based on your own knowledge.
1. What is the origin of the holiday known as Easter?
Where Jesus arose from the dead
2. How do some people here in the U.S celebrate Easter? (secular and religious)
they hide eggs and have people find them
3. What do you know about how it is celebrated in Spain?
Something to do with decorating eggs maybe? I really have no idea.
Now answer these specific questions by reading at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semana_Santa_en_Sevilla
Type your answers in a different color.
4. What does Semana Santa mean?
Holy week
5. When is it?
holy week
6. Where are the processions going and why?
They leave their home churches and go around the town then return
7. What are brotherhoods and what is their purpose?
They are associations of Catholics and they perform public acts of religion. Almost act
out scenes from bible.
8. What happens during Semana Santa?
People come and watch the processions and just celebrate jesus. There is music,
games, and food.
9. Who are Nazarenos and how are they dressed?
The earliest known brotherhood called the silence. they where cloaks with points at the
end, that are green or blue in color.
10. What is at the beginning of the processions? In the middle?
A great cross is carried at the beginning, and in the middle The paso comes around,
which is a giant portrait of the Passion or another painting.
11. What is a Paso?
a giant portrait of the Passion or another painting.
12. What are 3 possible pasos? How old are some of them?
The Passion, Christ, Virgin Mary
13. Who are costaleros and what do they do?
A team of men called literally “sack men” because of their headdress. They lift and
lower the Paso.

2. Semana Santa Webquest Nombre__Tomás Chavez
14. What is the traditional dress of women for this? for men?
For women La Mantilla. For men they wear a dark suit, black necktie, and shoes.
15. How do people behave as the processions go past?
They behave as normal beings as the people pass but when the paintings pass it is just
silent.
Look at the various photographs/slide shows at these 2 sites to see more:
http://semanasantaonline.com/
http://gospain.about.com/od/semanasantaeaster/ss/semana_santa_3.htm
16. What is your impression and why? (3-4 thoughtful sentences with insight)
To me it seems like an average parade. That is until I saw the faces of the people.
Some got very emotional and I see how much this week really means to them and how
they feel a strong connection with God and Jesus. My impression is that this is a very
important and serious holiday while also being joyous at the same time because of how
the people reactions and faces were like.
Children and Easter
Read at this website, then answer the following questions.
http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/do/cascarones.html
17.What are cascarones?
confetti filled eggs that are decorated.
18.In which countries are they played with?
Mexico, Spain, Southwest U.S.
19.How are you to break them?
over a friends head
20.Why do you break them?
For good luck
¡Felices Pascuas!

3. Semana Santa Webquest Nombre__Tomás Chavez