A Twist on a Holiday Favorite

Students Create Gingerbread Hospital for Mather Hospital’s 80th Anniversary

Nassakeag Elementary School first-grade students in Meg Sheehan’s class put a twist on a holiday favorite this year as they worked on a project involving math, creativity, character education, and community service. With the help of their teacher and several parent volunteers, the students created a large gingerbread hospital for Mather Hospital in celebration of its 80th anniversary. Using gingerbread crackers, icing, gumdrops, and other candy-coated items, the students worked to construct a two-foot by three-foot structure resembling Mather’s actual building. The completed hospital was put on display in Mather’s main lobby.
While waiting their turn to help with the hospital project, each of the students also assembled miniature gingerbread houses made of foam at their desks. Incorporating a lesson on English into the project, the students put their pencils to paper and wrote creative essays about where their gingerbread homeowners were vacationing for the holidays or a special trip they took. The finished projects were used to create a holiday village in the classroom.
 

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