Tulsa Teacher Works Gingerbread Into Math Curriculum

Making gingerbread houses is a holiday tradition for many people. But, a Tulsa fifth grade teacher has worked gingerbread buildings into her math curriculum.

"You have thanksgiving to winter break and you have antsy kids," said Nancy Graham, 5th grade teacher.

All sections of fifth grade were divided into teams; each team built a gingerbread building. Morgan McCoy's team decided on a fire station.

"Before we even did anything we had to think how we are going to do this," said Morgan McCoy, student. 

They used math to calculate sizes and shapes of the roof and the building pieces.

They made a model, and then baked the gingerbread pieces which became the building blocks for their creations.

"It really helped us a lot. You didn't have to estimate it," McCoy said.

Jackson Paul's team built a Gingerbread Carver Middle School. He said it would have been a mess without the math.

"We had to measure to make sure they were the same size," said Jackson Paul, student.

They stuck the gingerbread together with an awful tasting icing--the decorations pieces of candy and marshmallow--better tasting than the icing.

Tasty as well as educational. For these adorable pre-schoolers it just looks delicious.

Lee Elementary has a couple of community partners, and they plan to display all or part of the villages at Spirit Bank and at Whole Foods Market.