Do you teach a unit on gingerbread books each winter? We love doing this and there are so many engaging books to choose from. Jan Brett's book Gingerbread Baby is one of our favorites. It would also be a great addition to a Jan Brett author study. Either way, it is a must read this winter! - Jodi and the Starts With a Story Team
SUMMARY
In Jan Brett’s Gingerbread Baby, a young boy named Matti is baking a gingerbread boy with his mother. Matti is so excited that he opens the oven too early and out jumps a gingerbread baby! Matti’s mother and father start to chase after the Gingerbread Baby. Soon, the whole village is trying to catch the Gingerbread Baby. Meanwhile, Matti is at home baking again.
The Gingerbread Baby runs through the village into a clearing where he sees a gingerbread house just his size. He runs inside the house and when everyone catches up, the Gingerbread Baby has disappeared. When Matti’s parents return home to tell him they couldn’t catch the cookie, Matti is a holding the gingerbread house and the Gingerbread Baby is happily living inside.
USE THIS BOOK TO TEACH:
We love Jan Brett because her books can be used to teach such a great variety of skills. Here are some ways teachers can use the book Gingerbread Baby.
- Explore how phrases are repeated throughout the book.
- Analyze the setting and discuss why it was important.
- Have students get creative and write their own gingerbread story.
- Ask students to write the steps needed to make a gingerbread cookie.
- Use examples of possessive nouns from the book to teach a lesson.
- Teach a mini lesson on compound words.
- Discuss the importance of taking ownership and patience.
NO-PREP PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES:
If you are looking for “ready to go” activities for the first day of school, be sure to check out the book companion. With it you’ll receive all of the following resources to align with this specific book:
- comprehension questions
- 30 writing prompts with themed paper
- vocabulary activities
- word study print & go activities
- ideas for grammar lessons with focus sentence printables
- social emotional learning discussion topics
- graphic organizers to target specific comprehension skills and strategies
Make sure you grab these activities because your students are going to LOVE them!
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL BOOK SUGGESTIONS
You and your students will also love these similar books:
- The Mitten by Jan Brett
- The Hat by Jan Brett
- The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett
- The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren
TRY OUT A SAMPLE COMPANION
It's hard to explain how amazing the Starts with a Story book companions are because there is just so much goodness included in each one. It's best if you experience using one for yourself. Sign up below & we'll send you an entire book companion to try out for FREE!
