The Return of the Gingerbread Man

Three weeks ago, my kindergarten class and I made a large gingerbread cookie only for him to run away! He ran around the school, and then ran out the door to travel the world! Along the way, he was spotted by the students' friends and family members engaging in various activities in a multitude of locations. In total, our gingerbread man visited nine states, including Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Colorado, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Arizona. Our little cookie even traveled to Iraq to visit the soldiers at Camp Taji!

Upon his return (He was found atop of a trap that the students had set for him), most of the children decided that we should eat him so as to prevent him from escaping again (how morbid!). A few wanted to keep their slice of the cookie as a souvenir of the experience or as proof that he did indeed return.

Tomorrow, I will send home a packet of copies of all of the letters and postcards that we received over the last three weeks so that the students and families can read about the gingerbread man's travels. Some of the highlights of his adventures included:

• Getting a flu shot at the Marshfield Clinic (The students were convinced that they could see the site of the shot on the gingerbread man's arm!)
• Visiting a second grade classroom in Delafield
• Trying to buy a new snow blower before the big snowstorm
• Visiting Sea World
• Riding the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
• Skiing in the mountains
• Snowboarding
• Catching serious wave on a surfboard
• Besting Kobe Bryant in a one-on-one basketball game
• Sunbathing pool-side
• Boarding a plane at O'Hare
• Hobnobbing with stars in Hollywood (and avoiding the paparazzi)

The students were besides themselves with excitement at the gingerbread man's return today. I was excited to get that cookie out of my freezer!