Happy December! And, what is December without talk of The Gingerbread Man? Raise your hand if your students love reading and talking about gingerbread. It’s a story and a theme that is well loved by kids of all different ages.
The best part is, it’s more than just a fun story. There are so many valuable elements that can be used to strengthen reading comprehension with our young learners. I love using the gingerbread man in my first-grade classroom because it strays away from all the holiday talk and is not centered around Christmas.
There are so many excellent books out there about the gingerbread man, so it’s relatively easy for you to find a book that you love to incorporate in your classroom. So, are you thinking about what your students will learn from the gingerbread man to boost their reading comprehension skills? Well, keep on reading.
There are so many books related to the gingerbread man and so many unique versions of this classic story, which is excellent for comparing and contrasting texts with your students. In my classroom, I use an anchor chart with title, characters, setting, problem, and solution headings, and then I will use post-it notes for each section. I will usually compare and contrast about three to four books. And, again, there are SO many out there, and you can choose the ones you love the most. You can check out how I use the anchor chart in this resource. Below, I have included the four that I love using when comparing and contrasting. These are definitely some of my favorites!
Using four similar yet different versions of the gingerbread man story allows my first-graders to think about what was similar about the stories and what was different. Again, since they are similar stories, my students think deeper about the stories. Comparing and contrasting helps students develop higher order thinking skills. It also allows them to express their ideas clearly.
Character traits are another essential component of reading comprehension as they help readers learn more about the characters. Understanding those traits can help young readers understand why characters act the way they do. It also assists in predicting the plot and the character’s actions. When a reader better understands the characters, it helps them understand the story and the message within the text. I love using anchor charts and activities to have my students determine the traits of each of the different gingerbread people we read about. After recognizing the various traits, it’s another excellent opportunity to compare and contrast the other gingerbread men we have encountered throughout the lessons.
I love to use the books listed above and a few of these books for character traits:
Check out my entire list of gingerbread books here.
Run, run as fast as you can. Can you finish this sentence? I sure can! It replays in my head repeatedly after reading all the different versions of the gingerbread man. Exactly why it’s beneficial to use these stories to teach sequencing. There are so many versions of this story which makes it great to practice with a few to work on sequencing. Identifying the beginning, the middle, and the end of a story are essential aspects of sequencing. With identifying the components comes the ability to retell the events. I have various activities that I use to work on these skills. One of my student’s favorite activities is to draw the beginning, middle, and the end of their chosen gingerbread book. You can find these worksheets in this resource.
There is a definite problem with the gingerbread books! This means using all of the different versions can help your students clearly understand the problem and solution. And, after identifying the problem and solution within each story, it’s a great opportunity to circle back to compare and contrast the problems in each story. I give my students plenty of opportunities to discuss, write, and draw about the problems and solutions in each story.
December is a tough month in the classroom, students are super excited for the holiday season, and it can be tough to reign them in during the holiday season. But, using themes and books centered around the gingerbread man is a really great opportunity to review and work on their reading comprehension skills. Maybe your students are struggling with inferencing, and this is a great time to grab a few gingerbread stories and dive in. There are so many great books out there all relating to the gingerbread man. Reading comprehension and a fun topic, win-win!
Using books like the gingerbread man allows students to analyze characters, story elements and truly deepen their comprehension skills. While it may seem like the gingerbread man is just a fun book and theme to incorporate during the holiday season, it is a great component in helping students with their reading comprehension skills in a way they will thoroughly enjoy!
If you are ready to master those reading comprehension skills, I have a gingerbread bundle accompanied by some great books! This bundle is ready to print and go!
