Are you studying the Gingerbread Man this month? Well then, here are a few activities you need to be sure to try this year. Maybe some of them will be new favorites that will be repeated year after year. Enjoy!
1. Gingerbread Man Game Board
Use different playing cards and recording sheets to practice reading, math, and social skills. Students can identify emotions as they listen to holiday stories, read CVC words, and solve math problems using this colorful game board, gingerbread pieces, and cards. Different recording sheets help students stay accountable as they play to learn this holiday season. This game board was featured on Teachers Pay Teachers in 2016. You can find a downloadable version here.
2. Favorite Gingerbread Story Graph
Read several different versions of the Gingerbread Man. Three of my favorites are "The Gingerbread Man", "The Gingerbread Girl", and "The Gingerbread Baby". After reading the stories have students choose their favorite story. Students will color and cut out their favorite character. The characters can be placed in a pocket chart or poster paper to make a graph. Students can copy the graph on their own paper. This is perfect as a whole group or small group lesson.
3. Gingerbread Man Retelling
Retell the story of the Gingerbread Man using pictures. Students can use the character pieces to retell the classic story, or change the story to give a new twist on the original. These retelling pictures are available in my TPT store.
4. Gingerbread Man Size Comparison
Use the story of the Gingerbread Man to do a little size comparison. Start by cutting out the Gingerbread Man. Then look around the classroom. Find an object. Is it larger, smaller, or the same size as the gingerbread man? Draw a picture under the correct heading. Older students can write the name of the object.
5. Gingerbread Addition and Subtraction
Continuing with the math activities, students can practice addition and subtraction using the gingerbread man and buttons. There are two worksheets included (one for addition and one for subtraction), or you can create your own problems specific to student's needs. Students will use the gingerbread man and buttons for manipulatives to solve each math problem. The worksheets have pictures students can use but this activity can easily be done without any pictures or graphics.
6. Gingerbread Character Traits
Identifying the main character and attributes of the man character is often a difficult task for students to learn. The gingerbread stories make this skill much easier because the entire book focuses on this main character. Using the different versions of the gingerbread man identify character traits from each book character. Use clues from the book to learn about each character and who they were. After completing each character map students can compare/ contrast the different gingerbread characters. Who do you like the most? Who do you like the least?Who would you want to be friends with? Why or why not?
7. Gingerbread Man Alphabet Match
In this fun game students will put together the gingerbread man's body and head so the upper and lowercase letters match. Matching upper and lowercase letters is an important part of alphabet knowledge and help students build pre-reading skills. This game as well as all the other games and activities are available here in my TPT store.
These are just a few of the activities and games available for The Gingerbread Man. For other games and activities to use in centers, small groups, and even whole group instruction make sure you check out my TPT page.
