Why could the Gingerbread Man run so fast? Because he was made from the ENERGY-GIVING food group (the breads and cereals group), of course!

Make your class learning experiences fun and imaginative with ideas like this--- use The Gingerbread Man story to teach about the breads and cereals food group, energy foods, the Five Food Groups.

2/3 cup shortening

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

2 eggs

2 tablespoons sour milk

1 teaspoon soda

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Cream shortening and sugar.

2. Add molasses and eggs. Blend.

3. Dissolve soda in milk. Then add to shortening mixture.

4. Sift remaining ingredients together. Then add to liquid mixture.

5. Roll in a thin sheet. Cut into desired shape(s).

6. Place on greased baking sheet.

7. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 7 minutes.

As school begins, try a gingerbread tour.

A. Have gingerbread boys and girls with each child's name decorating the room.

B. Display 1 large gingerbread person to greet children each day. Change him daily so that he can introduce your emphasis for the day. (Have him hold a circle to introduce shapes; have him wear a red hat to discuss red, have him hold a bowl of cereal to talk about breakfast, etc.)

C. Read the story of the gingerbread man.

D. Gingerbread Tour: With your class, prepare one gingerbread person (or one small one for each child). Take him to the kitchen to bake. Tour the kitchen, meet the staff. Leave to play a game, etc. (Arrange for someone to remove him from the oven before the children return.) When the children arrive, all they will find is a gingerbread note saying, "Look for me in the principal's office." Give the class a tour of the school with directional notes at each place. The last note can tell them to return to the classroom where the gingerbread person is ready to eat.

E. The next day, write an experience story about the tour.

F. Have the class retrace their steps the next day.

G. Have children take turns finding the different locations in the school. When they succeed, give them a gingerbread person detective badge.

H. Have flannel board characters and puppets available for the children's use.

I. Use gingerbread person for visual discrimination. (Matching like ones and describing likenesses and differences), or display one and have children make an exact duplicate.

J. Discuss foods in the bread and cereals (grain group) with the class. Complex carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy. Six to eleven servings from the grain group are recommended daily.

1 slice bread or 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal or 1/2 cup cooked cereal, pasta, grits

Whole grain, fortified or enriched grain products are recommended for added nutritional value. Wholegrains also provide fiber.

K. Display product and pictures of food from the grain group.

L. Grind wheat in class to make flour. Examine stalks of wheat. Put kernels of wheat in a wheat grinder and have children grind wheat. Sift the wheat and discuss color and texture of the product. Compare to whole wheat and all purpose flour.

M. Have a bread tasting party. If possible, show children the different grains used to make different breads.

BREADS AND CEREALS

* Present a flannelboard story, puppet show, or play of The Little Red Hen. Discuss the steps in making bread. How do people make bread? - at home, in a bakery? How many people help make a loaf of bread? (Farmer, truck driver, miller, baker, grocer, etc.)

* Visit a bakery. Visit the grocery store to see how many varieties of bread are available (also cereals, pastas, etc.). Visit a farm growing wheat or oats.

* Take a grain of wheat, oats and corn; crush for children to see how flour would be made. Sprout some of the grains by soaking in water 6-12 hours and then keep on a moist paper towel, so they can see the beginnings of a new plant.

* Arrange an exhibit of familiar grains in several forms and at different growing stages (i.e., wheat - in the field, green and mature, after harvesting, flours, bread, crackers, cereals, etc. made from wheat).

* Have children each bring a box of cereal to school. Try to categorize according to type of grain used. (Have samples of grain for them to experience - corn, wheat, oats, etc.)

* Have a bread tasting party with rye, whole wheat, oatmeal and corn bread. Have students try to match grain to the bread made from it.

* Study breads of different countries. Relate types of breads to grains grown in the country. (Resource: Creative Food Experiences.)

* Ask parents to share special family breads with class (maybe demonstrate) and tell why they are special to their family.

* Visit a gristmill or restored village to see how grain was produced in other eras. (Or have a senior citizen come with pictures to discuss.)

* Make a texture picture with different grains, cereals, popcorn, etc.

* Bread dough sculpturing: 4 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 1 cup cool water. Mix flour and salt. Slowly add water. Mix. knead 5-10 minutes. Shape. Brush with milk if browning is desired. Bake at 350? for 1/2 - 1 hour.

* Make breads associated with holidays. Discuss and role play holiday customs with bread.

* Make breads in class - quick breads, yeast and sourdough breads, pancakes, pretzels, granola, popcorn, muffins, pizza, etc.

Stir a pancake,

Pop it in the pan;

Fry the pancake,

Toss the pancake,

Catch it if you can.

(to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell")

The farmer grows the wheat, etc.

The truck goes to the store, etc.

The millers grind the flour, etc.

The grocer sells the bread, etc.

The baker makes the dough, etc.

The child eats the slice, etc.

I'm a piece of popcorn (point to yourself)

Put me in a pan (Cover your head with your hands)

Shake me and shake me (shake your whole body)

As fast as you can

And I POP (jump high!)

1. Oh, do you know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man,
Oh, do you know the muffin man
That lives in Drury Lane?

2. Oh yes, I know the muffin man . . .

3. Oh, now we know the muffin man, . . .

Players stand in a circle with 1 or more in the center. The circle dances around and sings the first verse. The center players each choose another child to enter the circle before the second verse.