Students get so excited about Groundhog Day and I wanted a way to keep that enthusiasm going past February 2nd. So I decided that it would be fun to track the weather for the 6 weeks following Groundhog Day to see if Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction holds true.
Prior to Groundhog Day students practice this poem to help them remember the meaning behind Phil seeing his shadow or not seeing his shadow. Then on Groundhog Day we circle his prediction.
For the 6 weeks following Groundhog Day students track Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction by deciding each day if the weather matches his prediction or not. If it matches, a happy groundhog (right, thumbs up) card is placed under the poem, if it doesn’t match then an unhappy groundhog (wrong, thumbs down) card is placed under the poem.
After 6 weeks we tally the results using this printable and decide if Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction this year was right or wrong.
The cards, poem, and printable page are included in this Groundhog Day Freebie.
BONUS ACTIVITY: I also included a few suggestions for using ChatterPix Kids (LOVE this app!). Download the freebie here.
This freebie is part of my Groundhog Day and Shadows bundle. The bundle contains a PowerPoint presentation with interactive quiz and coordinating printable pages plus a separate PDF file with activities and printables.
The PowerPoint uses simple text and real, full-color photographs to explain groundhogs, Groundhog Day, and shadows. I always like to discuss shadows along with Groundhog Day so students understand what a shadow is, what is needed to make a shadow, and how the weather on Groundhog Day will affect Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction.
It includes an interactive quiz at the end to check student understanding. When a correct answer is clicked, the groundhog comes up out of his burrow and applause is heard. When an incorrect answer is clicked, an unhappy face with an “Oops try again” message is displayed.
The interactive quiz is divided into 3 sections (Show What You Know About Groundhogs, Show What You Know About Groundhog Day, Show What You Know About Shadows). They can be completed all at once or completed a section at a time.
Printable pages that coordinate with the interactive quiz are also included. Students can follow along and mark their answers as you go through the questions or complete the page as they go through the questions on their own.
Here are a few comments from other educators that have used the bundle in their classrooms:
You also receive additional printables and activities in a separate PDF file. You receive:
★ Punxsutawney Phil cut and paste
★ Wake Up Groundhog! emergent reader
★ Groundhog Day prediction craftivity
★ Punxsutawney Phil rhyme/poem
★ Weather tracking activity to test Phil’s prediction
★ Ideas for using the free app – ChatterPix Kids
★ Directions and patterns for a shadow demonstration
★ Shadow watching experiment
★ Role play/dramatic play activity
★ Book List
If you would like to get the Groundhog Day Bundle to use in your classroom CLICK HERE.
If you would like to use the Groundhog Day PowerPoint only CLICK HERE.
Feedback from educators about the Groundhog Day PowerPoint:
