Are you looking for some fun and festive ways to make your winter lessons a bit more engaging?! Check out these easy gingerbread activities for big kids! The following activities are great way to incorporate reading comprehension and math skills to your December activities for 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and even 4th grade kids!
1. Compare Favorite Versions of The Gingerbread Man
The Gingerbread Man, and all of its versions are great for teaching a multitude of reading standards for first, second, and even third grade. Plus, it’s so fun to compare the different versions of the story!
We want our students to question and think deeply as they read, but these skills don’t often come naturally to even our most fluent readers. Comparing texts helps to develop higher-order thinking skills. It requires attention to detail that improves comprehension in the process.
And, who doesn’t love Gingerbread Man books? Get this FREE Story Elements Booklet to compare favorite versions of The Gingerbread Man (or any books!)
Get a FREE Story Elements Booklet
2. Determine the Central Message of Gingerbread Man books
In addition to comparing the different versions of The Gingerbread Man, they are also all wonderful for teaching how to determine the central message. Throughout the stories, you’ll find central messages ranging from “little characters can do big things” to “be careful who you trust”.
Teaching about central message can be tricky. We can make this concept easier for our students to understand by using fun stories that children are familiar with and have an interest in.
3. Take the one-sentence summary challenge
One of my favorite gingerbread-themed challenges is the “One Sentence Summary”. All you need are some of your favorite books and this free template!
Then, have students read their book independently (or one out loud as a group) and challenge your students to write a summary in one sentence only! I always like using this as an easy winter-themed bulletin board as well!
4. Make Gingerbread Houses with Lunch Sacks
If you are looking for a way to tie festive crafts into your day, your students will LOVE creating a gingerbread reading village! Each student gets a paper lunch bag and gingerbread house decorations to design their own house.
Then, tie reading standards into the activity by having students write a summary (on an index card) of their favorite Gingerbread book and glue it on the back of the house. Students can then tour the “village” reading each other’s summaries!
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5. Decorate Gingerbread Cookies
If you really want to “wow” your class, making gingerbread cookies can be an excellent lesson in following directions, reading, and measurements. If you can’t actually make cookies, this FREE following directions activity includes a pretend recipe and comprehension questions!
6. Gingerbread Spelling Booklets
If you do weekly spelling words, use this FREE Gingerbread-themed spelling booklet to bring some holiday cheer to the weekly words. If not, you could still use it as a supplement to your gingerbread unit!
7. Make Pop Up Math Cards
These pop-up cards are not only a fun gingerbread craft idea, they are also a great way to incorporate gingerbread math! Have students write a math word problem on the bottom of the card, and then bring the solution to life with the picture.
All you need is a piece of printer paper and some crayons! Here are the simple directions:
- Fold a sheet of paper in half
- Make two cuts about 1 inch long in the middle of the fold.
- Open the paper and push the cut section to the front.
- Make a crease at the end of each cut to form a box.
8. Create a Candy Cane Cactus Ornament
These candy cane cactus ornaments are such a fun gingerbread craft idea! After reading the story “The Gingerbread Cowboy”, students can bring the story to life by making their own cactus ornaments. Here are the directions!
- Draw a cactus shape on red paper. Do not cut it out yet.
- Cut ¼ inch strips of white paper.
- Glue the strips across the cactus shape. Cut out the cactus shape and the strips along with it.
- Cut ½ in. pieces of green pipe cleaner and glue them to the ornament to look like cactus spikes.
- Punch a hole at the top and string yarn or rafia through the hole.
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Gingerbread Activities & Freebies Recap:
In case you missed the freebies and resources linked throughout the post, I wanted to share them again here! Below you will find all of the resources needed for the Gingerbread activities!
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