Author, Ann Tarpley Francesco, creates holiday learning fun for K-5 teachers

CONCORD, N.C. - Nov. 27, 2018 - PRLog -- Author, Ann Tarpley Francesco, knew when she conceived The Gingerbread Train book series that she would offer a free download section for teachers to use for their classrooms. "Having been a teacher myself, I know that I was always looking for lesson plans that made learning fun, while also meeting CCS standards," stated Francesco.

Just in time for the holidays, teachers across the country can access free lesson plans based on her first book in the series, The Gingerbread Train-Santa's Secret Gift, for grades K-5 including instructions, materials needed, and accompanying worksheets for students.

Lesson plans currently available include:

·         Kindergarten: Shapes, Colors, & Counting, Oh My!

·         Kindergarten: Characters, Settings, & Events

·         First Grade: Story Key Ideas & Details

·         Second Grade: The 5 W's

·         Third Grade: Compare & Contrast

·         Fourth Grade: Writing Structure

·         Fifth Grade: Vocabulary & Word Meanings

The lesson plans can be accessed and downloaded from www.thegingerbreadtrain.com in the Food & Fun/For Teachers section.

About the Author

Ann Tarpley Francesco developed an interest in writing before the age of ten. She started out writing rhyming poetry for family members, given as birthday presents, anniversary gifts, and for other special occasions. Francesco attended Radford University in Radford, Virginia, where she earned her teaching certification for early childhood and middle education. Ann also earned a B.A. in business administration at Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Virginia. Two lesson plans she developed were included in teacher resource books entitled, "Sweet Numbers" (Learn Every Day About Numbers, Gryphon House Books) and "Yummy Colors" (Learn Every Day About Colors, Gryphon House Books).  Ann's love of education continued in a different capacity after moving to North Carolina, where she worked as a classroom presenter for King's College in Charlotte, NC, and later owned and operated a tutoring franchise, and then a personal chef business. Her children, Matthew and Courtney, were the inspiration behind the two lead characters in the book.

About the Book

The Gingerbread Train - Santa's Secret Gift is the first in a series of children's books and baking gift sets featuring the characters Matthew and Courtney, and author, Ann Tarpley Francesco's personal recipes. The Gingerbread Train will make stops at all popular holidays for a collectible series of stories. The website, www.thegingerbreadtrain.com, features Tarpley's recipes, activities for family, and lesson plans based on the book for teachers of grades K-5. The book is currently available for purchase on Amazon (www.amazon.com), Barnes & Noble (www.bn.com)  and directly from the publisher at www.thegingerbreadtrain.com.