Students Participate in Gingerbread Men S.T.E.M. Activity

Some students tried to rewrite the ending to the classic Gingerbread Man story by saving the gingerbread man in a class project.

Some students tried to rewrite the ending to the classic Gingerbread Man story by saving the gingerbread man in a class project.

After reading the classic book, Gingerbread Man, students at Eagles Elementary School made bridges out of household items hoping the bridges would be to be strong enough for the gingerbread man to cross and escape the fox.

This project was a S.T.E.M., or science, technology, engineering, and math learning activity.

“Our kindergarteners realize that almost every version ends with the gingerbread man being eaten by the fox, so their stem challenge today is to save the gingerbread man by building a bridge across the river,” Said Jessica Voss, a kindergarten teacher at Eagles Elementary School.

A fourth grade student said, “We’re making it out of straws, popsicle sticks, egg cartons, and toilet paper.”

“They’re excited to save the gingerbread man,” Said Voss. “Yesterday we worked on different versions to the end of the story so I think that got them thinking about today’s activity.”

A kindergarten student said, “I hope he can go over the bridge so the fox doesn’t eat him.”

Voss said that these types of activities really make the kids think outside the box.

“It helps with their critical thinking that they have to think of how to build the bridge, how it’s going to hold, and it’s going to withstand the weight of the gingerbread man at the end of the activity,” Voss said.

Although not everyone saved their gingerbread man, some important lessons were learned.

Although this was not the first S.T.E.M activity Eagles Elementary School has done, it was the first time students had the challenge of making a bridge using everyday items.