Groundhog Day

AREA SETUP

(Open thematic poster-Groundhog Day) Print, laminate, and decorate the walls of your daycare with all kinds of posters.

Educa-theme-Groundhog Day
(Open educa-theme-Groundhog Day) Print and laminate the elements that represent your theme. Use them to present your theme to your group (and their parents) while decorating your daycare.

Educa-decorate-Groundhog Day
(Open educa-decorate-Groundhog Day) Print, laminate, and cut out. Use the illustrations to decorate the walls of your Ddycare and set the mood for the theme.

Garland-Groundhog Day
(Open garland-Groundhog Day) Print. Let children decorate the garland. Cut it out and hang it within your daycare or near your daycare entrance.

SPECIAL TOOL

This special tool was created in response to a special request received. (Open group identification-The groundhog group) Print and display in a specific location or in your circle time area.

CIRCLE TIME

Explain how, every spring, the groundhog comes out of its burrow. If it sees its shadow and is scared, winter will last six more weeks. If the groundhog does not see its shadow, spring will arrive shortly. Pretend you are groundhogs. Create an obstacle course throughout which children must crawl under chairs, roll on their side, climb, etc. Hide a groundhog picture along the course and invite children to search for it. Tell them that if they don't find it, spring will arrive much later. (Open groundhog) Print.

PICTURE GAME

The pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with your group. Use them to decorate the daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game-Groundhog Day) Print, laminate, and store in a Ziploc bag or in your thematic bins.

ACTIVITY SHEETS

Activity sheets are suggested for each theme. Print and follow instructions. (Open activity sheets-Groundhog Day)

WRITING ACTIVITIES

(Open writing activities-G like groundhog) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Stationery
(Open stationery-Groundhog Day) Use this thematic stationery to communicate with parents, in your writing area, or to identify your thematic bins. Print.

Educa-nuudles-Hot and cold
(Open educa-nuudles-Groundhog Day) Print for each child. Have children color the sheet. Once they are done, they may use Magic Nuudles to turn the coloring pages into three dimensional works of art. Variation: If you do not have Magic Nuudles, ask children to fill the spaces designed for the Magic Nuudles with bingo markers or stickers. To order Magic Nuudles:

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Word flashcards

The flashcards may be used during circle time to spark a conversation with your group or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-Groundhog Day) (Open giant word flashcards-Groundhog Day) groundhog, hole, ground, burrow, to dig, to gnaw, spring, shadow, nose, paw, woodchuck, forest

Picture clue story
(Open picture clue story-Groundhog Day) Print. Sit in a circle with your group. Begin reading the story. Each time you reach a picture clue, pause and have children guess the missing word.

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

This is my spot
(Open game-This is my spot-Groundhog Day) Print two copies of each illustration. Use adhesive paper to stick one copy of each illustration on the table. Place the second copy in a bag. Children take turns picking an illustration to determine where they must sit at the table. You may also use the illustrations to determine children's naptime spots or their place in the task train.

My Groundhog Day path
(Open My Groundhog Day path) Print, laminate, and secure the illustrations on the floor of your daycare to create a path leading to the areas frequently visited by children throughout the day. The path can lead to the bathroom, the cloakroom, etc. If you prefer, use the illustrations to delimit various areas.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

Groundhog game
(Open games-groundhog) Print, laminate, and cut out the pieces. Display the groundhog's burrow on a wall. Give each child a laminated groundhog. Blindfold one child at a time and invite them to glue their groundhog as close to its burrow as possible.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

The groundhog's home is a burrow
The groundhog builds its home by digging in the ground. Encourage children to dig their own burrow in the snow.

Hideout in the forest
Children love to build their own hideouts. Set old bed sheets on top of swing sets, slides, or porches to represent burrows. Add a variety of objects that may be found in the forest. Let children play in their hideouts. If you wish, you can even let them eat their snack under the sheets.

The groundhog and its friends
Set up an obstacle course in your backyard (or within your daycare). Include a tunnel children must crawl through like a groundhog digging its burrow, place ropes on the ground that children must walk on like a squirrel on an electrical wire or fence, deposit hula hoops on the floor and have children spin inside the circles like a hamster on a wheel, draw tiny footprints on the ground and have children walk on them as if they were a little mouse, fill a plastic pool with leaves and wood chips and encourage them to play in them like a guinea pig, etc.

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Educ-trace-Groundhog Day
(Open educ-trace-Groundhog Day) Print for each child. Children must trace the dotted lines using the corresponding colors and then color the objects.

Educa-symmetry-Groundhog Day
(Open educa-symmetry-Groundhog Day) Print. Have children color the bottom picture to make it look exactly like the top picture.

Educ-intruder-Groundhog Day
(Open educ-intruder-Groundhog Day) Print and laminate. Children must find the six items hidden in the scene.

Color by number-Groundhog Day
(Open color by number-Groundhog Day) Print for each child. Children must color the picture according to the color code.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

I am reorganizing my space
Assign new naptime spots for the children in your group. If you wish, let children choose their own spot. Discuss how groundhogs dig a new burrow.

Story and memory game-Groundhog Day
(Open story and memory game-Groundhog Day) Print, cut out, and laminate the illustrations. Place them face down on the floor or a table. Have children pick three cards and invent a story related to the illustrations. Variation: To solidify the cards, glue each illustration on the top of a frozen juice can. For a memory game, print two copies of each illustration.

That's my shadow!
Find the lightest wall possible (or stick a large piece of white paper on a wall). Turn the lights off. Have children take turns standing in front of a lamp and striking a variety of poses to cast their shadow on the wall. If you prefer, have children work with a partner.

MUSICAL ACTIVITIES

Groundhog shadows
Cut several circles out of brown and black construction paper. You must have one circle for each child. The circles will represent burrows and replace the chairs used in a traditional game of musical chairs. Play fast-paced music and invite children to walk around the burrows. When the music stops, children must quickly sit on a burrow (circle). Remove one circle after each round.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

Food of the week: Potatoes

(Open educ-poster-Potatoes) Print and laminate the various posters to present the food item to your group. These posters will make it possible for children to discover different forms of everyday food items. Display them near the table where children eat or in your kitchen area.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Groundhog puppets
(Open puppets-Groundhog Day) Print the models on heavy cardboard. Have children cut them out and decorate them with a variety of materials. Glue a Popsicle stick behind each model to create puppets.

Models-Groundhog Day
(Open models-Groundhog Day) Print the models and use them for various crafts and activities throughout the theme.

The groundhog's shadow
Hang a large piece of white paper on a wall. Set a lamp in front of it (direct the light towards the paper) and turn the ceiling lights off. Have a child stand in front of the lamp. The other children draw his/her shadow (silhouette). At the end of the activity, encourage children to color the shadows and have fun guessing which shadow belongs to each child.

COLORING PAGES

Complete the drawing-Groundhog Day
(Open complete the drawing-Groundhog Day) Print for each child. Have them complete the drawing by adding the missing elements.

Coloring pages
(Open coloring pages theme-Groundhog Day) Print for each child.

SONGS & RHYMES

(Open songs & rhymes-I'm a little groundhog)

By: Patricia Morrison
Sung to: I'm a little teapot

I'm a little groundhog

I'm a little groundhog
Brown and fat
I live in a burrow
Deep underground
I hibernate all winter
Until spring
When my shadow sometimes frightens me

Have fun!

The Educatall team