Fariy Tale: The Gingerbread Man

Original Fairy Tale: The Gingerbread Man

This original fairy tale was about an elderly couple who wanted a child. The old woman decides to bake a gingerbread man. When the gingerbread man is done the old man and woman want to eat it but the gingerbread man jumps up. The old woman tells him to stop but he replys, “Don’t eat me!” Stop, Stop says the old woman. The gingerbread man says, “Run, run, as fast as you can! You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man.” The old woman and man chase after him. The story continues with the gingerbread meeting other characters and escaping his fate of being eaten. He has all the characters chasing him. In the end he is outwitted by a fox.

Some of the versions include a Musubi Gingerbread Man from Hawaii: A freshly baked musubi man escapes from the old woman's kitchen and eludes his pursuers in this Hawaiian version of the Gingerbread boy.

The use of different versions is good for comparing the stories to see how similar and different they are to the original.
This website shows something like a power point of the story with pictures it was cute.
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/stories/gingerbread.htm
This website has a Five Day Gingerbread Man Theme Unit. It has some good activities to integrate all the subject areas. http://www.kidzone.ws/thematic/gingerbread/index.htm

List of other versions: The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett, The Musubi Man: Hawaii’s Gingerbread Man by Sandi Takayama, The Gingerbread Mouse by Katy Bratum, The Cajun Gingerbread Boy by Berthe Amoss, and The Runaway Rice Cake by Ying Chang Comperstine.

Some suggestions for a lesson would be:

Shared Reading:

Before Reading:
Check for prior knowledge - ask if children have ever made gingerbread houses or cookies.

During Reading:
Discuss Jan Brett's use of borders and predictable pictures (pictures along the border give clues about characters and events that will happen on the next page).

After Reading:
Do a story comparison using a Venn diagram..

Rereading:
Dramatize the story using character masks from Jan Brett.
Give the children parts to chant during the story (ex. "Run, run, as fast as you can...")

Story Comparisons
1. The classic tale of "The Gingerbread Man" served as the inspiration for more modern versions of the story. Choose one of the modern versions, such as "The Cajun Gingerbread Boy" or "Gingerbread Baby." Read both the original version and the updated version to the class. Compare the stories, identifying both similarities and differences. A Venn diagram offers a simple way to document the comparison.

Story Sequencing
2. Story sequence focuses on logic and allows the students to retell the story. Create a set of picture cards that highlight the major events from "The Gingerbread Man." Mix up the order of the cards. After reading the story once, have the kids help place the picture cards in the correct sequence. Ask the kids to describe the action in each picture to ensure it makes sense. Reread the story if necessary so the kids can arrange the pictures in the correct order. A similar option is to create felt board pieces that relate to the story. Cut the main characters out of felt. Let the kids use the felt pieces to retell the story, moving them on the felt board as they talk.

Gingerbread Cookies
3. Decorate gingerbread cookies as a culminating activity for "The Gingerbread Man." If you have baking facilities at the school, let the kids help mix the gingerbread dough and cut out the cookies. Working in small groups with adult assistants allows the kids a greater degree of participation. After the cookies are baked and cooled, let the kids decorate them. Provide icing and candies for accents. Hold a gingerbread cookie parade before eating them so each child can show off his gingerbread creation. If you do not have baking facilities provide the kids with already made gingerbread cookies and have them decorate them.

Gingerbread Puppets
4. A simple gingerbread man puppet provides the students with a tool for dramatic play activities. Create a template for the students on a piece of card stock. The students practice fine motor skills by cutting out the gingerbread men. Encourage the kids to color the puppets, adding accents with markers or pieces of construction paper. Glue a craft stick to the back of the puppet. These paper gingerbread men work well for retelling the story or creating new stories.

Math Activities
5. Ask the students to estimate how many boys and girls are in the class. Pass out the gingerbread Man Graph to the children. Have the students visit the bulletin board to fill in their graphs. Review the graphs in front of the class to check their estimations. After reviewing the results ask the children if they know how many boys and how many girls are in the class based on the results of the graphing exercise.

The internet search was loaded with information. This was fun. I was able to find some neat activities for my wife to use in her kindergarten classroom.