Saturday, November 17, 2012

Reading is Sweet (like gingerbread)

Hi friends!

In December, we turn our school library into a sweet shop, with the theme that "Reading is Sweet." It's a festive theme, without referring to any specific holiday and aggravating someone.

This year, I started a new activity, since we had so much fun with our Pumpkin Patch. I gave the students a flyer, instructing them to read a book over the Thanksgiving break, then decorate the gingerbread person outline on the back of the page like a character from the book.


They can color, paint, or glue items onto the page. I used card stock for the copies to make them sturdy enough to handle the decorations. They can't glue food items on to the page. I don't want to attract bugs to the library!

I will give a spirit stick to each student who participates. You could also give a gingerbread scratch-n-sniff bookmark, or the gingerbread pencils from Oriental Trading as prizes.

I will display these colorful book cookies all over our library, and it will be a festive reading celebration, without much effort on my part. I may try to create a foil background to look like cookie sheets.

I love to show off student work and student book recommendations. I think it's an essential part of building a community of readers at our elementary school.

Just in case you'd like to try this at your school, I've uploaded my flyer as a freebie at TPT. It's not too fancy, but I hope you'll like it!




8 comments:

  1. Cute. I like the cookie sheet idea!
    Or just get several of the cheapy disposable ones and then you could also put them in a shelf-top display. (Says the one with no walls.)

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    1. Good idea, Ms. O! Time to head for the Dollar Tree!

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  2. This activity is on my list for December, but I haven't gotten around to actually getting ready for it!

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    1. I hope you get to do it, Carolyn. It doesn't take much work, and it is so much fun for the students! I'm already getting super cute cookies!

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  3. LOVE this idea!!!!! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. You're so welcome! I hope your students love this as much as ours do!

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  4. I'm so disappointed I have to wait until next year to do this! Any ideas for something similar in the coming months? Still waiting for the book to arrive! Super EXCITED!! Mrs. Crook

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    1. Mrs. Crook,
      I'm thinking about having a contest to decorate a potato like your favorite book character. I'll give the directions before Spring Break so students can work on it with their families over the break. And potatoes are cheap enough for every one to participate. I will definitely post the details here!
      Cari

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