Monday, February 3, 2014

Gingerbread Geometry



Our groundhog might have predicted an early spring just yesterday, but we had more snow on the ground today, than we've had all winter so far.

Normally, we make gingerbread men to celebrate the first "real" snow of the season.  We gave up this year before Christmas, and made them with only a skiff of snow of on ground.  Even so, with the children out playing, and the snowflakes falling, I couldn't resist rolling out one more small batch of gingerbread.

Since I hated to lose the entire school day to a February snow, and since we (or at least I) have been in a mathy mood this month, I cut out 2''x2'' squares instead of men...


...scoring them into quarter inch squares (more or less) before baking...


...for a frosting covered, gingerbread geometry lesson to go along with the obligatory mugs of hot chocolate, when the children finally came shivering back inside.


I gave them each a baggie of frosting, and let them pipe along the scored lines while we talked about perimeter and area of the squares.


We frosted a few of the extra squares together to investigate the surface area of a six sided cube...


...and piled up a batch of Pfeffernüssen-ish gingerbread cubes (made with the left-over dough)...


...for a quick lesson on volume, as well.


It's great to be a homeschooler on a snowy day.

7 comments:

Phyllis said...

You have GOT to come out with a homeschooling with cookies book.

Unknown said...

Pfeffernüssen-ish gingerbread cubes:
A phrase I NEVER thought I would hear associated with cookies! ;0)

Ticia said...

I'm trying to think how you even say the word Pfeffernunssen.

I agree, you need to write a homeschooling with cookies.

Cindy said...

I agree...homeschooling with cookies! You've got enough content on the blog...just grab it and GO (cook & teach!) :)

Natalie PlanetSmarty said...

Call your book "Sweet Math" - you certainly have plenty of content for it :) Great lesson, by the way. My husband and I enjoy pfeffernusse taste, but not our little Ms Picky.

Christy Killoran said...

Oh how I would have enjoyed math if you were my teacher!

I totally agree that you need a publisher!

Bethany said...

This is terrific!