The Gingerbread Man Finds Shapes Theme Teacher Guide by Frog Street Press, Inc – FST009

• Vocabulary:
• rectangle
• circle
• square
• triangle
• heart
• octagon
• oval
• rhombus
• trapezoid
• diamond
• star

Solicit the help of another teacher or adult for this dramatic creative introduction to the study of shapes. Have the adult jog in wearing a sweat suit, headband, etc. and loudly announce they are ready to get in SHAPE. Act surprised and inquire what they mean.

By now your students should be paying attention to the scene. “Boys and girls, maybe you can help us out. Come sit on the carpet! I told Ms. Smith that we would be learning all about shapes and she thought I meant exercising and getting IN shape!” Have Ms. Smith exclaim, “That’s not what you meant?” and tell her “No, but maybe there is someone who can raise a hand quietly and explain what I might have meant when I said we’d be learning about shapes this week!” (Make sure to be very “serious” and “concerned” about poor confused Ms. Smith.)

After your students help poor Ms. Smith understand, have her help sing the gingerbread song and then excuse her as she exits to find the PE teacher.

After singing the song, show the students the big book and take a book walk. Briefly choose a skill/concept to point out to the students. “I notice that the rectangle is wrapped like a present!” Maybe that is why the song says “Last, I found a rectangle just for you.” “Do you notice anything about this book?”

Review the vocabulary words. Print the words on mini sentence strips or index cards and display in a pocket chart.

Ask the students the questions located in the back of the big book. Be sure to ask students for evidence to support their answers. “Wow, how did you know that answer?” Review the book and have the students show evidence.

Play the “The Gingerbread Man Finds Shapes” song for the students to march back to their tables.

Language Development: Oral Language/Vocabulary

Cut and laminate four to five different shapes mentioned in the book, one shape for each child. Arrange shapes on the floor. Explain to the children they will walk around the shapes while the music is playing. When the music stops, each child picks up the shape nearest to them. The child identifies the shapes by saying, “I have a ____.” Continue playing the game.

Word Work: Phonological/Phonemic Awareness/Phonics

Play “I Spy” with shapes.
Children identify “spied” objects by listening to the clues naming the shape and sound clues. For an example:

I spy something that is a circle and the sound is /cl/. (clock)
I spy something that is a rectangle and the sound is /d/. (door)

Repeat with different shapes and sounds.

Writing: Shared/Independent Writing/Text Comprehension

Spray shaving cream on the table in front of each child. Have students smooth out the cream and draw shapes until the shaving cream disappears. Remind students to use the Shapes Poster Pals if they need assistance. Students may practice writing the names of the shapes in the cream as well.

Literacy Centers: Independent Reading/Fluency/Text

Enlarge and duplicate the gingerbread man pattern below. Provide a variety of small shapes to glue on to represent body features, clothes, etc.