Spreading Holiday Cheer
Holiday projects are being created by Ms. Whitmore and Ms. Sachs’ classes
Sophomore Jacob Walker learns about different cultures and traditions during the holiday season.
December 17, 2018
Junior Tyler Jansen smiles as he delivers gifts for his friend’s ‘Gingerbread Caper.’ He feels happy to give back to the teachers throughout the holiday season.
Ms. Whitmore and Ms. Sachs’ classes are doing a holiday traditions unit where they learn about different cultures during the holiday season. Along with learning about cultures, the students are making gifts for a ‘Gingerbread Caper.’
“The project is called the Gingerbread Caper and the whole idea behind it is that the students pick a teacher (kind of like a traditional Secret Santa) and they keep it a secret,” Ms. Sachs said. “As we learn about the different traditions of this time of year (the holiday season) each unit goes with a craft and that responding teacher gets a secret gift from their caper that is delivered by another friend to keep it secret. They have five gifts in total.”
Students learn throughout the month of December about different traditions and cultures that other families experience during the holiday season.
“I liked learning about Hanukkah because I don’t really know much about it and I don’t celebrate it. It’s cool to learn about different cultures and about what other people do during the holiday season,” sophomore Callyiah Bell said.
They hand make the gifts during class and deliver them as they progress in the unit. The caper will be revealed the week of finals.
The five gifts that they are making for their caper include snowman soup, a wreath, a culture cube, a bag of gelt and cookie ornaments.
“My favorite gift to make was the wreath because it was fun to make,” Jansen said.
Students enjoyed making the gifts for teachers just as much as giving the gifts and spreading the holiday spirit.
“The project’s purpose is to learn about other cultures that they wouldn’t necessarily get to experience outside of the traditional Christmas that most of these kids do,” Ms. Sachs said. “It gets them out of the classroom and interacting with teachers that they might not always get the privilege of being with in class. We have everyone on the caper list from Mr. Luther to Mr. Liston. It is really a way of giving back and spreading joy.”
The project gave many opportunities for the students such as communicating with teachers that they haven’t interacted with before and to help give back to the school community.
“My favorite part about this project is giving gifts to teachers and having fun with others,” Bell said.
Jansen also said that his favorite part about this project is giving back to teachers.
Although their caper isn’t revealed until finals week, many students were ecstatic to get their teacher and in hopes to make their day.
“My caper likes to help people,” Bell said.
They were to choose a teacher that they knew but don’t have an opportunity to be in class with or interact with.
Ms. Whitmore and Ms. Sachs class have enjoyed the unit so far and will continue to interact with the student body and staff during the holiday season with the ‘Gingerbread Caper.’
