Choose a character from the story, including Hansel, Gretel, the witch, the father or the stepmother. Discuss the role each character played in the story and how they may have felt as the story unfolded. Create the character's face using construction paper to hang in the center of the mobile. Hang thought bubbles around the face, filling in the end of each statement, "I like...", "I can...", and "I am..." or "I feel...". Attach string to each object and tie to a coat hanger or wooden dowel.
Use four pages of gingerbread house-shaped paper. Write a summary of the beginning on the first page, the middle on the second page and the end on the third page. Write an alternative ending on the fourth page. Top with a colored-in picture of a gingerbread house and staple the pages into a book. Ask students to share individual summaries and alternative endings with small groups or the whole class.
Make mini edible gingerbread houses with graham crackers, frosting or icing, gumdrops and various candies. Another option is to use 1-1/2 pieces of toast for each student to form a house shape. Spread with peanut butter, adding raisins, dried fruit and nuts for decorations. For a non-edible version, use clean and dry milk cartons. Paint the carton, or cover it with brown construction paper. Add paper or foam candies or beads, sequins and glitter. To work on sequencing, ask students to write the steps involved in making the house or put sentence strips, with the process already written on them, in the correct order.
Young students in kindergarten or first grade can use candy to work on sorting, patterns and graphing. Provide each student with a pile of candy in different colors, shapes and sizes. If desired, use candy cutouts instead. First ask students to sort the candy any way they want and discuss the results. Then ask them to sort by color, size or shape. Ask students to create a pattern with their candy and describe the pattern. Finally, create a class graph of the candy by asking students to count how many of each kind. Record results on a large graph.