Glorious Gingerbread

"You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread _______!" (Insert: man, boy, girl, bear,...)

 

 

 These past few weeks, the children have enjoyed reading the many versions of the classic tale of a gingerbread cookie that jumps out of the oven and runs away. Element of story was explored as the children compared and contrasted the characters & setting, and character/problem/solution. They were quick to observe how the stories were similar or different. The stories have "played" out in a variety of ways in our classroom, and been an ongoing theme of interest.

 

Serving gingerbread, fresh from the oven

 

When I brought this huge box into school, I had anticipated that the children would use their imaginations and create a rocket. Before we knew it, the children were closing the flaps and jumping out while reciting the rhyme/song/chant from any given version of a gingerbread story. They turned the box into an oven - and they were the cookies!

 

Literacy was embedded at play. Not only were they practising rhyme, but they also added a sign to the oven to let peers know that it was hot! 

 Kid print.

 

Someone suggested that a timer be added. We found just the thing. I notice that someone must have have been "keeping time", as there are numbers written on the box. It always impresses me when I see that the children are using and representing numbers, in meaningful contexts.

Numeracy initiated in dramatic play.

 

 We recorded the rhyme/song/chant from the books on the oven, reinforcing an awareness that writing can convey a message.

 Exploring rhyme.

 

Gingerbread man, or pan?

 

When the children broke into focus groups one day, they met paper & stuffed gingerbread cookies, animal toys & puppets and various dolls & blocks as provocation for a story retell.  

"The gingerbread boy is going into the oven for 8 minutes.

This is the oven."

 

 

This small group created the bridge depicted in a few versions of the story,

and explained that they had created the path that the

gingerbread man was chased down.

 

 

"And the little old woman chased her gingerbread baby."

 

 When the story retell using props has run its course, story "maps" were available for the children to tell their version of the story, should they wish. Illustrations were used to support their retell and comprehension of the text. We offered to scribe their stories, and we were impressed at how the children transferred their knowledge and made use of sequence words : First, then, next and finally.

 

 

 

 

Story retell, using the flannel board.

 

Their hunger for play & learning inspires us. We are excited to see the direction the children will lead us in the new year! We wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all the best over the holiday!

 

Thanks for stopping by the atelier!