I have had so much fun teaching my gingerbread unit this last week! I’ve already warned my students that when you use the “special” spices for gingerbread and if you open the oven door TOO early, they will run out of the oven and you will have to try and catch them! Of course, they begged and begged  to make gingerbread and asked if I would use the SPECIAL spices! With a straight face, I explained that those naughty gingerbread men are just too disruptive to the school day and that IF we make them, we CANNOT open the oven door. Of course, I planned to make gingerbread on Wednesday and our sweet lunch lady will ACCIDENTALLY open the oven door, although they have no idea I have planned this fun day for them.

Oh my goodness, they are SO excited! I plan to finish the week with a few more activities, including decorating our classroom door and the outside of our classroom. We read Gingerbread Baby and noticed that Gingerbread Baby liked Matti’s little gingerbread house that he created, so my students decided that in case our gingerbread run away, they will instantly run back to our classroom if our room looks like a giant gingerbread house! I’ve decided to give up control and let the kids decorate it any way they like. Of course, I will give them the supplies and some ideas, but they can create anything they like!

I plan to make the cookies on Wednesday morning and have a couple volunteers to come in to help. We will follow up with our escape of the gingerbread men. After lunch/recess, I have planned a fabulous party using my Holiday Gingerbread Party unit. I am using seven centers (one for each group of tables in my room) and plan to have the children rotate throughout the gingerbread centers that I have created! It should be SO much fun! Before the children leave, I will give them their own container of Play Doh and attach a cookie cutter for a fun teacher gift that goes perfectly with my theme!

Speaking of gingerbread, Cristina Celzo (some of you might remember her – she sent in pics of her own classroom.  You can find her pictures under my Cute Classroom Inspiration Category) sent me a picture of the gingerbread door that she created for her classroom. How cute is this?!?! I hope my door ends up just as cute, but if my students have complete control, I am thinking it won’t! 🙂
I hope all of you have lots of fun this last week of school!  We will all be ready for a nice, restful break for sure!