groundhog day

                                                         EARLY RISER

          Many animals hibernate during the winter. That means they stay in their homes underground and asleep during the cold months. In spring, when the weather gets warmer, they wake up. They come out of their homes to look for food.

            A woodchuck is an animal that hibernates. A woodchuck is also called a groundhog. Of all the hibernating animals, the woodchuck, or groundhog, is the first one to come out of its winter home.

            February 2 is known as Groundhog Day. It is still winter.  People watch for the animal to come out of its home. People think the groundhog can tell if warm spring weather is coming soon. If the groundhog sees its shadow, it goes back into its hole. The weather will be cold for six more weeks. If the groundhog does not see its shadow, warm spring-like weather will be coming soon.

      1    What word means to sleep all winter?__________________

2    When do most hibernating animals come out of their winter homes?________

3    How is a woodchuck also called?_________________________________

4    In what season does a groundhog come out of its home?_______________  

5    How do people call  February 2 ?______________________

6    Why do people watch for the animal to come out?___________________

7    What does the groundhog  do if  it sees its shadow?__________________

8    What kind of weather must it be in order to see groundhog's shadow?_______

9    Have you ever seen a groundhog?________________

10   Have your ever heard of Groundhog Day?_________

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894)
My Shadow
http://more2.starfall.com/n/poetry/myshadow/load.htm?f

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow--
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes goes so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close behind me, he's a coward you can see;
I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed. 

http://more2.starfall.com/n/twisters/woodchuck/load.htm?f
puzzle
http://www.primarygames.com/puzzles/jigsaw/groundhog/


http://www.starfall.com/n/holiday/groundhogsday/load.htm?f&n=main

http://www.michellehenry.fr/ground.htm

http://www.5minuteenglish.com/feb7.htm

http://www.esolcourses.com/content/topics/the-usa/groundhog-day/groundhog-day-video-quiz.html

http://a4esl.org/q/h/mc-lb-ghd.html

video 1 video 2 story video lesson 3

My favorite groundhog song is by "Miss Jackie" Silberg.

Groundhog, groundhog,
Come on out and play.
It's a beautiful, beautiful, February day.
The sun is shining and the sky is blue.
Won't you come on out?
I want to play with you!

Groundhog, groundhog,
Come on out and play.
It's a gloomy, gloomy, February day.
The sun is shining and the sky is gray.
Won't you come on out?
I want to play today!