The Centre of Excellence for Energy is pleased to announce the fifth annual Energy-Efficient Gingerbread House Challenge, a live online event for students in Kindergarten to Grade 5.
Through a fun, interactive, and hands-on activity, students will explore how homes can be made more energy efficient. Members of the NB Power Energy Efficiency team will introduce practical ways to conserve energy, reduce energy use, and help protect the environment.
Participating classes will receive a kit containing gingerbread houses and accompanying materials. During the live session, students will be guided through the process of designing and building their own energy-efficient gingerbread houses alongside their classmates.
This year, in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence for Language Learning, sessions will be available in both English and French:
- Kindergarten–Grade 2 in English
- Grades 1–2 in French
- Grades 3–5 in English
- Grades 3–5 in French
Space and class kits are limited, so teachers are encouraged to register early.
Event Times:
English Sessions
Tuesday, December 15th – K-2 Event: 9:00 am to 10:15 am
Tuesday, December 15th – 3-5 Event: 10:30 am to 11:45 am
French Sessions
Wednesday, December 16th – 1-2 Event: 9:00 am to 10:15 am
Wednesday, December 16th – 3-5 Event: 10:30 am to 11:45 am
This event is very popular and as a result we have doubled the amount of class kits available. There is a total of 315 kits being sent out across all four sessions. Kits are limited, but spaces are not!
If not accepted to receive a kit You can use the following shopping list to create your own class kits based on materials available from your local retailer.
The shopping list is based on a class size of 28 with students in groups of four. The total cost should not exceed $125 / class.
| Item: | Quantity: |
| 2 x Gingerbread Village Decorating Kits | Each kit has 5 houses for a total of 10 houses |
| Pull and Peel Licorice | 1 Large Bag |
| 4 pack – Chocolate Bars (with squares) | 1 Pack |
| Mini Marshmallows | 1 Large Bag |
| Box of Fruit Rollups | 1 Box |
| Smarties | Included with Village kit |
| Gum Drops | Included with Village kit |
| Sprinkles | Included with village kit |
Documents & Printables:
Sessions Printables for the K-2 Event: Click here for Link to the Learning Activity and Printables
Young learners will build houses to endure the New Brunswick winter to help out a furry, forest friend. In addition to their designs, learners will explore energy-efficient products to add to their creation. A special North Pole guest will also be on hand to to help deliver the lesson!
Holistic Curriculum Connection: Explore Your World – Strand: Play and Playfulness – Big Idea: Imagination and Creativity – Skill Descriptor: Invent approaches to practical problems.
Sessions Printables for the 3-5 Event: Click here for Link to the Learning Activity and Printables
Elementary learners will be challenged to build a sturdy gingerbread house, adding energy-efficient products to their design to gain points for their building team! An expert from the energy field will be joining us to offer insight into the importance of saving energy!
Holistic Curriculum Connection: Personal Wellness– Strand: Career Connected Learning– Big Idea: Experiencing Potential Career Pathways – Skill Descriptor: Engage in frequent and ongoing career connected experiential learning to learn about preferred career pathways and develop personal competencies. As well as: 3-5 Science Concepts of Sustainability & Stewardship.
