#593. Learning about the School with the Gingerbread Boy

Social Studies, level: other
Posted Tue Aug 25 18:41:25 PDT 1998 by Mary K&1 (mmiehl@alltel.net).
Conneaut Valley Elementary School, Conneautville, PA, USA
Materials Required: Book: The Gingerbread Boy, Paper Gingerbread Boy Cut-Outs, Real Gingerbread Boy Cookies
Activity Time: 20 - 30 min.
Concepts Taught: Learning about the School and the people who work in it

Read the book, The Gingerbread Boy, up to the part where he is on the back of the fox. Ask the children if they know what is going to happen next. Ask if they want to save him from the fox. Then follow the Gingerbread Trail (paper gingerbread cutouts that are taped to the floor or wall and lead to pre arranged school personnel; nurse, cook, custodian, librarian, etc., ending with the principal). At each stop the children ask for help in saving the Gingerbread Boy from the fox. The person explains how s/he has been too busy working and hasn't seen any gingerbread people and goes on to introduce him/herself and tell about his/her school job. The children can ask questions before following the trail to the next person. At the last stop after the children ask the principal for help, the principal says the best way to keep the Gingerbread Boy out of the mouth of the fox is for the children to eat him first. A box or tray of cookies is produced, or the principal leads them to the kitchen and the children take them to their room for snack time and the ending of the story.