Poems &
Songs

Oh, will you bake a gingerbread boy,
A gingerbread boy,
A gingerbread boy,
Oh, will you bake a gingerbread boy
Then put him in the oven.
Oh, will you eat the gingerbread boy,
The gingerbread boy,
The gingerbread boy,
Oh, will you eat the gingerbread boy,
Then take him out right now.

Gingerbread children
Stand in a row--
Very good children
Always, you know.

They never will jump
Or kick or leap,
Or start to cry when
It's time to sleep

They never run off
Or look around
And no one has heard
Them make a sound.

Gingerbread children
Are fine to meet;
But, much better still,
They're good to eat.

Do you know the Gingerbread Man,
Gingerbread Man, Gingerbread Man?
Do you know the Gingerbread Man,
Who ran and ran and ran?

He said, "Catch me if you can,
If you can, if you can."
He said, "Catch me if you can!"
Then ran and ran and ran.

The Gingerbread Man
(Tune: Wheels on the bus)

The gingerbread man ran
through the town,
through the town,
through the town.
The gingerbread man ran
through the town,
Singing,
"You'll never catch me."

He ran away from  a
/c/ /ow/,
/c/ /ow/,
/c/ /ow/
He ran away from a cow,
Singing,
"You will never catch me."

He ran away from a
/sh/ /ee/ /p/,
/sh/ /ee/ /p/,
/sh/ /ee/ /p/,
He ran away from a sheep
without a peep,
Singing,
"You will never catch me."

He ran away from a
/d/ /o/ /g/,
/d/ /o/ /g/,
/d/ /o/  /g/,
He ran away from a dog,
Singing,
"You will never catch me."

Then he came to a
/f/  /o/ /x/,
/f/  /o/  /x/,
/f/  /o/  /x/,
The fox sat on a box and said,
"You can trust me"
Then he ate him,
yes sir - ee.

The cookie man ran past a cow
Who said, "I want to eat you now!"
The cookie man just laughed and fled.
Here is what the cookie said: (CHORUS)
A farmer saw the man go by.
He chased him low, he chased him high
The cookie man just shook his head.
Here is what the cookie said: (CHORUS)
He finally reached the river wide,
A fox asked, "Would you like a ride?"
The cookie sat on the fox's head,
Here is what the sly fox said:

"You can't run!  That's my plan!
I'm going to eat you, gingerbread man!
You can't run"  That's my plan!"
And he ate the gingerbread

Gingerbread Baby
by Jan Brett

Cajun Gingerbread Boy
by Berthe Amoss

Shared Reading
Maisy Makes Gingerbread

Show the book to the students.  Let them look at the pictures as you turn the pages.  Ask them questions about what they think is happening, who are the characters, how is this different than other stories.

       Read the story. During the reading, ask students questions about specific words, punctuation (commas in a series, capitals, periods at the end of a sentence). 

Guided Reading
ABC Gingerbread

Purchase gingerbread man border from your local teacher store. On a strip of border program lower case alphabet letters. Take another strip and program upper case letters. Cut up one of the strips. Students can match lower case and upper case. This works well with a pocket chart, also.

Independent Reading

Students may read all poems, songs and chants used for shared reading.   If a student is reading at an advanced level
(Level J),
read The Gingerbread Man (Rigby)

Shared Writing
The Gingerbread Man
by Brenda Parkes
(A Rigby big book)

  Rewrite the story and choose someone/something that chased the gingerbread.  Use the following poem:

Run run as fast as you can!
You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man.
I ran away from the ____________
And I'll run away from you!

Each student illustrates their picture  make it into a class big book.

Gingerbread Math

Paint egg carton cups then place stickers programmed with numbers on the bottom of each cup. The student can roll a dice or spinner to get a number. Then place the correct amount of gingerbread men erasers in the matching cup.

Gingerbread Stamps

Use a die cutter (Ellison, Accu-Cut, etc.) and a mini-gingerbread pattern to make easy stamps. Just cut them out of "wonder foam" and glue to the bottom of an old film canister. You can also glue those mini-erasers to a film canister. Students can use a dice or spinner and then stamp the correct number of gingerbread men.

Gingerbread Man
Estimation

Materials:
*Large drawing of the gingerbread man.  One for large chart as a model.   Copy the same pattern on 8 1/2 x 11" paper for each student.
*   Rulers
Directions:
1.  On the large gingerbread man poster and student copy write the words "estimate" and "actual" under the following body parts of the drawing:
a.  arms - arm span measured
b.  height
c.  legs - leg span measured.
2.  Students estimate the measurement first.   Then measure each area indicated on the drawing.  Write the prediction/estimate and actual measurement found with a ruler.
3.  Compare the student answers with the measurements on the large poster which you measure together.  I also use this as a center.  Each group estimates the measurements of the poster and writes down their findings.  At the end of the day, we compare the estimated figures with actual measurements.

Additional Activities
for Measurement

       1.  Copy small gingerbread men on copy paper.  Place about 8 on each page.
        2.  Copy the pattern on brown construction paper.
        3.  Have the students cut out  the gingerbread men patterns.  Place in a zip-lock bag.   Give each student about 12 gingerbread men.
        4.  Have students write their name or initials on the back of each gingerbread man pattern that they cut out.
        5.   Students can work with partners to measure different objects or distances.
        6.  On chart paper - I use this as a math work station - write the activities or things the students are going to measure in the station.  Use pictures whenever possible for nonreaders or ESL students.   Examples may include:
a.  How many gingerbread men do you need to go from the teacher's desk to the door?
b.  How many gingerbread men do you need to cover the length of your desk/table?
c.  How many gingerbread men do you need to cover the length of this chart paper?
d.  How many gingerbread men do you need to cover a pencil.
       7.  The measurements can be converted to measured lengths as the lesson when all students have made their estimations.
        8.  Graph the responses.

Graphing

Use the same gingerbread boy patterns on construction paper.  This time copy the gingerbread men on different colored paper.  Have students group by color.  Then graph how many of each color.  Make sure you vary the number of gingerbread men in each color.

Take a survey and graph:  How many like gingerbread men with icing, raisins, plain, etc.  

Gingerbread Play Dough

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. vegetable. oil
• cinnamon & ginger

Mix all ingredients and cook in a heavy saucepan over medium heat while stirring frequently.  When it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, remove from the heat and knead until smooth. Store in an air tight container.

Writing Center

      Copy two gingerbread man shapes on brown construction paper.  (One is the cover of the book.. one is the back.)   Cut white paper shaped the same for the inside pages of the book.  Students write their own stories about the gingerbread man.

Literacy Center

Run!  Run! 
As fast as you can!
You can't catch me!
I'm the Gingerbread Man!

Use this as a pocket chart center. 
Change the verb from run, run, to "jump, jump" etc. as fast as you can.. you can't catch me, I'm ______________ (add name here). 
Find the words that begin with ____; 
Find the words that sound like the /a/ in man;
What two words make I'm; what two words make can't? 

"Read the Room" Center

As the story is read with the students, complete a graphic organizer with these components: 
Characters
Where they were
What the Gingerbread Man did
What was the end?
At the end of the story, students can retell the story from the chart.  This can also be used for a "read the wall" activity in partners.

Senses Gingerbread

• fine grain sandpaper
• old scissors
• paper punch
• ribbon or cord
• cinnamon sticks
• spices such as the following: whole cloves, star anise, ground ginger, cardamom seed pods, sesame and poppy seeds
  
  Trace gingerman/lady cookie cutter shape on to sandpaper and cut out with old scissors. Punch hole using paper punch in top. String ribbon or cord through top.Have students use their sense of sight to describe what shape they see. Have students feel the sandpaper and describe how it feels to them. Next, using the cinnamon stick, rub it all over the gingerbread shape till it is covered. Have the students describe the smell to you. Using the spices, glue them on the gingerbread to make eyes, noses, buttons, etc.

Journal Center

Draw a cookie in the shape of a person.  What would this cookie look like?  Add body parts, clothes, and other decorations that you would like to make this cookie special.  Imagine that this cookie will become a real person.  What would you say to it?  What name would you give it?

Decorate a Gingerbread Man

Cut a large gingerbread man out of brown construction paper. Use puff paint ( equal parts, water, flour, salt) in a squeeze bottle to duplicate frosting. Color macaroni with food coloring and alcohol for decorating. Wheel macaroni looks like buttons. Add shells, spirals, and bows.

Cinnamon Clay Ornaments

• 1 1/2 cups ground cinnamon
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1/3 cup white school glue
• 1 medium sized bowl
• Flat surface for kneading
• Wax paper
• Rolling pin
• Cookie cutters - various types
• Knife
• Straw
• Nonstick cooling rack
• Ribbon, Puffy paints, etc.

  (Double this recipe for a class of 20.)

  Directions:  Mix cinnamon, applesauce, and glue together in a bowl. Remove from the bowl and knead the mixture until it turns into a firm clay. It will pull away from the sides of the bowl. Let sit for about 30 minutes. (Clay is best used at room temperature.)
  Dust your rolling pin, hands, or working surface with cinnamon, or use wax paper as a working surface. Roll out clay with a rolling pin to approximately 1/8 of an inch thick. Use cutters to cut out desired shapes. If you are going to hang your shape, use a straw to cut out a hole near the top of the shape.
  Place shapes on a non stick cooling rack or wax paper. Turn them over occasionally so that they dry evenly and dry shapes for approximately 5 days. When completely dry you may put a ribbon through the hole for hanging.

 
More Ginger Friends

Find a cute, plain gingerbread pattern to trace. on brown paper.  Give each child a gingerbread pattern to cut out.  Supply each table with different candies that are light weight to glue on their gingerbread man.  Use this time to encourage students to make patterns around their gingerbread man with the candies.   Set the timer for about 15 minutes and when it goes off the students stop and the gingerbread men go to the counter top to dry.  This usually takes all day (sometimes I let them dry overnight).  Then we hang them up around our door frame. 
Candy Suggestions:  M&M's , Marshmallows, Raisins,  Red hots, and other small candies
Use white tempera paint to let them "Frost" lines on their gingerbread boys/girls.

Gingerbread Men

• 1/2 Cup shortening + 1 tbs.
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 package Butterscotch pudding mix
• 11/2 cups flour
• 11/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Cream the shortening and sugar, add eggs and mix well. Add dry pudding mix and flour and spices. Mix well. Have the children roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick and cut with gingerbread man cookie cutter. Bake on greased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

How to Build
a Gingerbread House.

First you will need your base to build on, 4 graham cracker halves and icing. Using your knife, spread the icing on the bottom edge and one side edge of one graham cracker.

Decide where you want your house to stand on the base, and gently stand it in place. (Sing “Frosty the Snowman” while it hardens).

Then, take a 2nd graham cracker and spread icing on the bottom edge and on both sides. Connect this cracker to the first cracker at a right angle (Name Santa’s reindeer while it hardens).

Next take the 3rd graham cracker and follow the same procedure as with the 2nd cracker (Count up to how many days there are ‘till Christmas).

The last graham cracker also has icing on 3 sides and is placed between the 1st and 3rd cracker to form a square. (Eat a gingerbread boy while it hardens). Wait at least 2 hours for the walls to become firm. While you are waiting, plan how you will decorate your house. Think about how you can use gumdrops, M&M’s, peppermint candies, and candy canes to create doors, windows, a wreath, and Christmas lights. 

Gingerbread Baby
by Jan Brett

Make gingerbread house shaped folder from brown construction paper.  Decorate the outside with construction paper shapes, stickers, and rick-rack.  On the inside, glue a felt gingerbread baby.

Gingerbread
Story Element Activities

*Web story elements on butcher paper.

* Change the ending - what would happen if the Fox did not trick the Gingerbread Man?

*  Summarize - Beginning - Middle - End

*  Make a story necklace.  Use white construction paper divided into thirds.  On each third the student draws about what happened in the beginning, middle, and end of the story.  Put yarn through a hole punched in the top of the cards.  Put together and tie.  The students can retell the story in their own words.

* Make story rolls -You need rolls from gift wrap or paper towels.  (Use rolls left over from laminating film.  They are sturdy and can be used over and over again. ) Use butcher paper for each story roll... enough that the students can draw the events of the story for a retelling.  Attach an end of the butcher paper to each roll.  The student can retell the story as he/she spins the other roll turning the story events in order. 

Lots of Language Activities

  *Using chart paper, have students dictate the sequence of events.  Write their sequencing responses.

  *  Write the sequence of events on sentence strips.  Mix up the sentence strips as you put them in the pocket chart.  Have the students put the sentences in order.

  *  Copy pictures of the story.  Glue on tag board.  Laminate.  Place at a literacy center.  Students can arrange the pictures in order.  Then, write a sentence about each picture. 

  *  Copy gingerbread men outlines on  brown construction paper.  Write a letter on each one.   Make few gingerbread men outlines on another color of paper.  Write vowels on these.  Students can also have their own set of these "ginger letter men" for phonemic segmenting and blending activities.

  *Make word families using the same gingerbread men outlines on brown construction paper.  On each one write a word family /an/  /ack/  /ick/  etc. based on the words found in the story.  
 
  *Make a list of these words (students can find the words in the text).   Place the gingerbread word family men on the board in a row.  Students can place the words from the story that fit each family under each heading.

   *  Blends - Find words that have /sh/ /gr/ /ch/ (butcher, grab, shoulder)  How many sounds do you hear?   Blend the words.

      *  ed and ing -    Use examples from the story to reinforce this concept.  Write them on sentence strips.  Also, you can change the sentences to be present, past and progressive tenses.
    a.  They dressed him in a fancy suit of clothes.  (what sound of ed do you hear?  is this now or an action that is over?)
    b.    They shaped the little arms.
    c.  They mixed the batter
    d.  They put the gingerbread man in the oven and they waited.
    e.  They opened the oven door, out popped the Gingerbread Man.

     *  Use the same sentences.   Write them on sentence strips.  Leave out the ed verb.  Write the verb on index cards in present, past and progressive tense.  Read the sentences and have students decide which form of the verb belongs in the space.  Laminate the strips and put Velcro on the blank part of the sentence and the index card. Example:

They were _________________ him in fancy clothes.
They _______________________ him in fancy clothes
They will ___________________ him in fancy clothes. 

More "Maisy" Ideas

Interactive writing
       Using chart paper, have the students sequence the story.  Begin by writing the title.  Ask guided questions, "where was Maisy at the beginning of the story?" Then have the students put their responses into sentences.  "Who can start this sentence?"  What sound does the word _____ begin with?"  "What do we need to do at the beginning; end?"  Have students write on chart paper a LIST of events.

Compare and Contrast
       On chart paper, ask students how this story was different from the Gingerbread Baby and the Gingerbread Man versions.  Write down their responses.  Have them summarize using a comparison chart the story of Maisy.   Who ate the cookies in this story?

Art and Independent Writing
       The students then draw pictures of the scene and write about the events and how it was different.  They then design a cookie that they would make for their friend as an art project.