Tag Archives: gingerbread

Gingerbread Field Trip

Not only have the students been listening to different versions of the Gingerbread Man, but they have been studying architecture in Art Class. Students created their very own gingerbread house with the help of Mrs. Guay, our art instructor.

Mrs. Guay and I thought it would be incredible for the students to see a large-scale gingerbread house in person.  A special thank you to the Four Seasons Biltmore for making this happen for us! We hopped on the bus and headed over to see the magic.

The theme for the Biltmore’s gingerbread house this year was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The children were amazed at the amount of detail!

We even had a chance to speak with the head baker who designed the gingerbread house!

 

This is what was needed to create the gingerbread masterpiece!

Then, we went on a tour of the kitchen where all the baked goods for the hotel are made. The highlight of the kitchen tour was of course…

getting to go inside the freezer AND

the refrigerator!

Next, students were taken to the dining room and given hot chocolate and a giant chocolate chip cookie! Who could ask for anything more?!

I was very proud to hear lots of “pleases” and “thank you’s.”

The trip ended with each student choosing a Beanie Boo keychain. This was definitely a trip to remember. Thank you Four Seasons Biltmore for giving such a special holiday experience.

 

The Kindness Cookie

We are off and running with our new monthly thematic unit…Gingerbread! When students arrived at school on Monday morning, I had a new center set up and ready for them to explore. This center utilized gingerbread scented playdough, differentiated skill mats, and letter stampers.

This mat has students identifying beginning sounds in words and stamping their playdough cookie to match.

Students spell CVC words on this mat.

Students match letters on this mat.

 

The children LOVED making these “cookies!” After recess, we came back into the classroom and discovered that our gingerbread scented playdough had been taken, and I had received a suspicious email with this video attached:

Wow. Were we surprised …..and disappointed that our new playdough was gone. Minutes later, one of the students saw another surprise:

The Kindness Cookie was sitting on our SMART Board with a special message. We decided that this Kindness Cookie must have come to our classroom because we needed some extra kindness after our playdough was taken. So far we have completed two kindness missions.

Students were confused with this first mission. Why would cleaning up after yourself be kind? A student explained that if you clean up after yourself, then someone else doesn’t have to do it for you…and THAT is kind!

Our second mission has been very successful so far. Is it happening at home too?

I have a feeling this Kindness Cookie will be showing up with a new mission daily. As for the playdough? We made a new batch!

A Floating Gingerbread?

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If the Gingerbread Man (Boy, Girl, Baby, etc.) had just been able to float across the river, then the sneaky fox would not have gobbled that cookie up! As part of our monthly STEM challenges, the kindergartners were tasked this month with creating a floating gingerbread cookie using whatever materials they wished. They made their presentations today.

Students used a variety of materials including Styrofoam, wine corks, straws, balloons, plastic, foam, and wood to make their gingerbread creations float.

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I loved the excitement the students showed each time a classmates creation floated. Way to go!

On Friday, the Kindergartners will participate in another gingerbread man-themed STEM project with our third grade buddies. This project includes toothpicks and marshmallows as building materials….stay tuned!

Friday Fun

We were busy during today’s Friday Fun. In the kitchen, students made festive Santa berries to share with our third grade buddies later in the day at our buddy party.

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Here’s the easy recipe:

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At the craft station, students began the process of making gingerbread crystal ornaments! I am so excited about this activity. First students used a colored pipe cleaner to make the shape of a gingerbread.

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Next we measured a cup of Borax and poured it (while holding our breath!) into a mason jar. I then added three cups of boiling water, stirred it up, and placed the pipe cleaner creation in the solution.

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Here is what it is going to look like on Monday! (fingers crossed!)

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Yay for Friday!

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

The Gingerbread Unit has arrived, and on what a perfect day, Friday Fun Day! The activities today were all about the classic book, The Gingerbread Boy. In the Book Nook, students listened to the story on CD. The craft activity today was making a gingerbread boy/girl using a marble painting technique. We put paint in the corners of a box top, added a gingerbread cut out and some marbles, and created some fun gingerbread people!

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Next week students will decorate their gingerbread people….just wait and see!

In the kitchen we made gingerbread balls. Boy did they smell delicious!

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Friday Fun was followed by the formal introduction to the unit. We discussed the characteristics of a folktale and even the history of the gingerbread cookie! Next week I will begin reading aloud some of the many different versions of this classic tale.