Y’all know I’m all for bringing FUN into our learning, and what’s more fun than a week filled with gingerbread?! Gingerbread cookies are heavily talked about in December, but you really don’t have to mention Christmas when you talk about them so they feel like a “safe bet” to use in the classroom during the holiday season. I like to plan a “gingerbread week” that’s fun and memorable without being too chaotic and crazy (and without being too much extra work for me!!). Find out about the sweet activities that I sprinkle into our week below!*

*Before doing any activities that involve tasting/eating gingerbread, it’s important to make sure you’ve checked on the dietary needs of each child. You already know that, because you’re a teacher too, but I just know someone on the internet will try to blast me for bringing food into the classroom without considering that I do in fact know about the needs of each and every child in my classroom- hahaha!! One year I had a student that was gluten-free, so I talked with her family about using gluten-free gingerbread cookies for her and they loved the idea. Just a thought!

**Gingerbread Door Decor**

To drum up some excitement for the fun gingerbread-themed week, I love to decorate my door to give my firsties a fun surprise as they walk into our classroom on Monday morning!
I just used butcher paper and construction paper to create this door decor, and then I found candy clip art on Google Images to add some flair to the door.

**Gingerbread Incentive System**

Behavior issues always seem to be on the rise around the holidays because students are excited, and things feel a little more relaxed. I don’t like the chaos and I continue to run a tight ship while still having fun. I like using this incentive system to keep students on track!
You can find this HERE and can project and trace it, or print it and hang it on your white board.

**Positive Behavior Notes Home**

These notes are for students who went above and beyond during the day. They not only do what is expected of them, but they show extra kindness or helpfulness to their classmates and their teacher.
These notes can be found HERE.

**How to Catch a Gingerbread Man**

My littles love the “How to Catch a ____” series! This flip book comes with several different options. You can practice “how to” writing, or you can do a mini stem project where students plan, gather materials, and write the steps on how they will build their gingerbread trap.
Grab this fun activity HERE.

**Gingerbread Science**

During gingerbread week, each day in science, we do a different exploration! We use our 5 senses, make comparisons, record predictions and results for experiments, and so much more! You can find this fun pack of lesson plans and activities HERE.

**Gumdrop Graphing**

Such a fun activity to practice collecting and graphing data! Use real gumdrops or the gumdrop spinners that are provided in this game that can be found HERE.

**Editable Gingerbread Phonics Game**

This is my students’ FAVORITE game to play! This editable gingerbread phonics or sight word game is low-prep and super engaging for your kindergarten or first grade students! Simply type in phonics pattern words, heart words, sight words, cvc words, and more, print, cut, and PLAY!
Play this fun game individually, as a class, or with a partner! This game makes an excellent literacy center, fast finisher activity, and more!
How to Play:
1. Set the sand timer and make a stack of word cards
2. Take turns picking a card and reading the word
3. If you grab a Munch, Crunch! card, all your cards go back in the stack!
4. The person with the most cards when the timer goes off is the winner!
For a fun review, play this game as a class- students VS. teacher! Find this fun game HERE.

Math Around the Room

This math around the room kit is the perfect math center to keep kids moving and on their toes (instead os sitting and doing a boring worksheet). Students “hunt” for the cards around the room and solve each answer on their own recording sheet. This set comes with over 20 different math concepts! Whether you’re learning about number bonds, 2D, shapes, or place value, this set is perfect for math centers!

Grab this pack HERE.

Making Gingerbread Houses

On Friday afternoon (before students head home), we reach the main event of the week- creating our own gingerbread houses! This activity can sound daunting but I’ve got an easy way to make it less messy and easy to clean up.

On Thursday, I model how to make a gingerbread house with my students (I actually create it right in front of them as they give me instructions). Then we write our own “how-to” writing to make sure we know how to make a gingerbread house on Friday afternoon.

1. I start by asking families for donations for gingerbread house supplies. I create a Sign Up Genius with different materials such as:

-tin foil

-plastic table cloths

-large paper plates

-mini paper plates

-Ziploc bags

-clear plasic wrap

-popsicle sticks

-graham crackers

-white frosting

-pretzel sticks

-peppermints

-gumdrops

-mini candy canes

-mini marshmallows

2. After I’ve gathered my materials, I prep the gingerbread houses. I’ve found that the easiest way to make gingerbread houses with first graders is to use the classic square milk cartons as the base shape of the house. Throughout the month of December, I have students save their milk cartons from the cafeteria. We wash them out with soap in the sink and leave them open to dry. When they are dry, I close them up and put them in a trash bag to use later. Once I’ve got enough cartons (one per student), I hot glue the lids shut and then wrap them in tin foil like I’m wrapping a present. I tightly cover each milk carton in tin foil so that you can’t see any part of the milk carton.

3. Once the milk cartons are covered, I prep the bags of decorating supplies. I divide the materials that I received from families (pretzel sticks, peppermints, gumdrops, etc.) into Ziploc bags so that each student has the same amount of decorating supplies.

4. When it’s time for the class to make their own houses, I make sure each table is covered in a plastic table cloth. I call one group up at a time to get their foil covered carton on a large plate along with 6 graham cracker squares for the sides, and a bag of supplies. I bring each table group smaller plates of white frosting with popsicle sticks in it to spread the frosting on each side of the foil house. Students will use the frosting to adhere the graham crackers to each side of the house, then they will use the frosting to decorate and stick their supplies on their house.

5. When students are finished, I use clear plastic wrap to wrap their plate up so that they can take their house home without it falling off of the plate. I grab each plastic table cloth with all of the “mess” left on top of it, wad them up, and toss them in the trash. I’ll give students baby wipes to wipe their hands and to clean up any extra mess. Easy clean up!

This is a fun day that students talk about during the rest of the school year and is totally worth doing to culminate gingerbread week!