Little Owl Lost
by
Chris Haughton
I have been wondering what this book is such a hot item for Christmas. Even the publisher is out of this book!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
The Gingerbread Theme
The Gingerbread Man
by
Catherine McCafferty
We have many traditions for Christmas, but one of my favorites is making giant gingerbread cookies for my children's classroom. We began this tradition in first grade and I have seen the progression of my children's creativity.
I was fortunate enough to find a fabulous - and easy- gingerbread cookie. Our first grade teacher admitted she hated gingerbread, but loved these. I can't get enough of them, so I save the broken ones and chomp on them with tea.
Here is the recipe:
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients:
Bag of sugar cookie mix
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 c. dark molasses
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
Follow package directions - omit water. Mix all ingredients together and chill for about 1 hour. Roll dough out on floured board about 1/8 inch thick. Cut desired shapes with cookie cutters. Bake 8 minutes at 350 degrees.
I wish I give credit to the creator, but it was passed onto me without a name.
I know that Betty Crocker has a gingerbread cookie package available, but I love these so much that I am unwilling to try any others. Maybe some day when I have more time. :)
There are so many activities parents and teachers can do with the gingerbread theme.
I have listed them below for convenience.
1. Draw an outline of a gingerbread boy or girl. Using this outline as a pattern, cut twenty using brown paper. Divide them into sets of two. Decorate each set exactly the same. Children match the two like gingerbread children. It may be fun to make a set of boys and then a "sister" set that matches the boys.
2. Of course, make gingerbread cookies and then have the children decorate them. I prefer the very large cookie cutters because they give the children more room to add goodies. We decorate with the squeeze bottle icings and candies.
3. This gingerbread poem is such fun to use with a flannel board and also to act out the story. I am not sure where I got it so I apologize to the author.
Once there was a gingerbread man,
Baking in a gingerbread pan.
Raisin eyes and a cherry nose,
Trimmed right down to his fingers and toes.
A gingerbread man in a gingerbread pan!
Here's the old woman who made him so sweet,
A treat for her and her husband to eat,
She made him with flour and sugar and eggs,
She gave him a face and two arms and two legs.
A gingerbread man in a gingerbread pan!
Now open the oven to see if he's done,
This gingerbread man, he know how to run.
Out of the oven and onto the floor,
Now run away out the kitchen door.
The gingerbread man, he's out of the pan!
Now chase him old woman, now chase him old man
Chase him, yes chase him as fast as you can!
Through the garden and out the gate,
Catch him right now, before it's too late.
The gingerbread man, he's out of the pan!
Along came a cow who wanted a treat
And the gingerbread man, he looked good to eat
Run, run, as fast as you can
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan!
Along came a horse who wanted a snack
But the gingerbread man, he never looked back
Run, run, as fast as you can
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan!
Along came a farmer who wanted a treat
And the gingerbread man, he looked good to eat
Run, run, as fast as you can
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan!
Along came a dog who wanted a snack
But the gingerbread man, he never looked back
Run, run, as fast as you can
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan!
Along came a hog who wanted a treat
And the gingerbread man, he looked good to eat
Run, run, as fast as you can
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan!
Along came a fox who wanted a treat,
And this gingerbread man, he looked good to eat.
Jump on my back, my gingerbread pet,
And we'll cross the river, so you won't get wet
Mr. Gingerbread man, who's out of the pan!
There was no place to go, there was no place to run
And a ride on the river could be lots of fun!
So off with the fox did Gingerbread go
And what happened next, you already know
To the gingerbread man, who's out of the pan
That sly old fox had a de-lic-ious treat
And the old man and woman had nothing to eat
Not a bite was left for the cow or the dog,
The horse or the farmer or hungry old hog
There's no gingerbread man in or out of the pan!
So let us go home and get out the pan
And we'll make ourselves a new gingerbread man!
And when he is eaten, we'll make us some more
But this time we'll be certain to lock the back door!
A new gingerbread man, in a gingerbread pan!
4. Gingerbread is a compound word and if the students are read to study compound words, using "gingerbread is a great springboard.
5. One year, I photographed the sequence of making the gingerbread cookies. I glued them on heavier paper and laminated them. Now I use them for sequence cards. The kids love them.
6. It is always fun to have the fragrance of gingerbread in the classroom. The children love it, but burning candles is not permitted so I simply warm the candles with a warmer. Your classroom will be the talk of the school if you have this scent coming from it.
7. I put the ingredients we need to make gingerbread in jars (plastic) and show the children. The children examine the jars and talk about the taste they have. I allow them to taste each one after discussing them.
Listed below are some things that might help you with your needs when you teach this unit.
My gift buying is about finished. I found a book I am getting for my husband- to go along with his ipad.
I am thinking about getting one of these watches for the kids: Let me know what you thhink.
And, finally, I am asking for one thing!
by
Catherine McCafferty
We have many traditions for Christmas, but one of my favorites is making giant gingerbread cookies for my children's classroom. We began this tradition in first grade and I have seen the progression of my children's creativity.
I was fortunate enough to find a fabulous - and easy- gingerbread cookie. Our first grade teacher admitted she hated gingerbread, but loved these. I can't get enough of them, so I save the broken ones and chomp on them with tea.
Here is the recipe:
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients:
Bag of sugar cookie mix
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 c. dark molasses
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
Follow package directions - omit water. Mix all ingredients together and chill for about 1 hour. Roll dough out on floured board about 1/8 inch thick. Cut desired shapes with cookie cutters. Bake 8 minutes at 350 degrees.
I wish I give credit to the creator, but it was passed onto me without a name.
I know that Betty Crocker has a gingerbread cookie package available, but I love these so much that I am unwilling to try any others. Maybe some day when I have more time. :)
There are so many activities parents and teachers can do with the gingerbread theme.
I have listed them below for convenience.
1. Draw an outline of a gingerbread boy or girl. Using this outline as a pattern, cut twenty using brown paper. Divide them into sets of two. Decorate each set exactly the same. Children match the two like gingerbread children. It may be fun to make a set of boys and then a "sister" set that matches the boys.
2. Of course, make gingerbread cookies and then have the children decorate them. I prefer the very large cookie cutters because they give the children more room to add goodies. We decorate with the squeeze bottle icings and candies.
3. This gingerbread poem is such fun to use with a flannel board and also to act out the story. I am not sure where I got it so I apologize to the author.
Once there was a gingerbread man,
Baking in a gingerbread pan.
Raisin eyes and a cherry nose,
Trimmed right down to his fingers and toes.
A gingerbread man in a gingerbread pan!
Here's the old woman who made him so sweet,
A treat for her and her husband to eat,
She made him with flour and sugar and eggs,
She gave him a face and two arms and two legs.
A gingerbread man in a gingerbread pan!
Now open the oven to see if he's done,
This gingerbread man, he know how to run.
Out of the oven and onto the floor,
Now run away out the kitchen door.
The gingerbread man, he's out of the pan!
Now chase him old woman, now chase him old man
Chase him, yes chase him as fast as you can!
Through the garden and out the gate,
Catch him right now, before it's too late.
The gingerbread man, he's out of the pan!
Along came a cow who wanted a treat
And the gingerbread man, he looked good to eat
Run, run, as fast as you can
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan!
Along came a horse who wanted a snack
But the gingerbread man, he never looked back
Run, run, as fast as you can
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan!
Along came a farmer who wanted a treat
And the gingerbread man, he looked good to eat
Run, run, as fast as you can
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan!
Along came a dog who wanted a snack
But the gingerbread man, he never looked back
Run, run, as fast as you can
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan!
Along came a hog who wanted a treat
And the gingerbread man, he looked good to eat
Run, run, as fast as you can
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan!
Along came a fox who wanted a treat,
And this gingerbread man, he looked good to eat.
Jump on my back, my gingerbread pet,
And we'll cross the river, so you won't get wet
Mr. Gingerbread man, who's out of the pan!
There was no place to go, there was no place to run
And a ride on the river could be lots of fun!
So off with the fox did Gingerbread go
And what happened next, you already know
To the gingerbread man, who's out of the pan
That sly old fox had a de-lic-ious treat
And the old man and woman had nothing to eat
Not a bite was left for the cow or the dog,
The horse or the farmer or hungry old hog
There's no gingerbread man in or out of the pan!
So let us go home and get out the pan
And we'll make ourselves a new gingerbread man!
And when he is eaten, we'll make us some more
But this time we'll be certain to lock the back door!
A new gingerbread man, in a gingerbread pan!
4. Gingerbread is a compound word and if the students are read to study compound words, using "gingerbread is a great springboard.
5. One year, I photographed the sequence of making the gingerbread cookies. I glued them on heavier paper and laminated them. Now I use them for sequence cards. The kids love them.
6. It is always fun to have the fragrance of gingerbread in the classroom. The children love it, but burning candles is not permitted so I simply warm the candles with a warmer. Your classroom will be the talk of the school if you have this scent coming from it.
7. I put the ingredients we need to make gingerbread in jars (plastic) and show the children. The children examine the jars and talk about the taste they have. I allow them to taste each one after discussing them.
Listed below are some things that might help you with your needs when you teach this unit.
My gift buying is about finished. I found a book I am getting for my husband- to go along with his ipad.
I am thinking about getting one of these watches for the kids: Let me know what you thhink.
And, finally, I am asking for one thing!
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