Ground Hog Day

What is a Groundhog• A groundhog, is also known as a woodchuck • a member of the squirrel family. • Shape-

– Color: black-footed, – reddish-brown or brown animals– Size: 17 to 20 inches in length– Tail: 4- to 6-inch tails– Weight: 4 and 14 pounds.

–

Facts about Groundhogs• Found from the eastern and central United

States northward across Canada and into Alaska

• live in open fields and woodland edges

• Eat low green vegetation.

• Live on land, but are good swimmers and climbers

• Eat heavy in summer, store fat to see them

through their winter hibernation.

More Facts

• Groundhogs are diggers: build a burrow with a main entrance and an escape tunnel.

Candlemas Day• Candlemas Day, is the day that the candles that are going to be used that year

are blessed.• February 2 is 40 days after Christmas and is the day Candlemas Day was

celebrated.• The legend of Groundhog Day is based on an old Scottish couplet: • "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year." • Candlemas is also about the mid-point in winter.• Germans began trying to predict how long winter would be based on the

hibernation patterns of bears in this later part of winter• When some Germans settled in Pennsylvania they switched from bears to

groundhogs -- which also hibernate. • If the groundhog comes out of its hole and sees it's shadow we are in store for

40 more days of winter. To see a shadow the sun must be shinning and the groundhog has to look in the correct direction.

• Groundhog Day is an example of predicting the weather based on folklore

• The most famous groundhog is Punxsutawney Phil.

• Every February 2, people gather at Gobbler's Knob, a wooded knoll just outside of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Punxsutawney Phil• The Phil comes out of his electrically heated burrow

looks for his shadow and tells his prediction to a Groundhog Club representative in "groundhogese." (language of groundhogs)

The representative then translates the prediction for the general public.

• If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter.• If he does not see his shadow, it means spring is just around the corner. • Approximately 90% of the time, Phil sees his shadow.

• Phil started making predictions in 1887 and has become an American institution.

Groundhog Day

A shy little groundhog left his bed,Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho!"It must be time for spring," he said.

He looked to the left, he looked to the right,The day was clear and the sun was bright;

He saw his shadow and ran in fright.Then back to his burrow he crept, he crept,And six more winter weeks he slept.

Legend of Groundhog Day

• On Groundhog’s Day, we follow legendOur eyes look to the groundFor a sleepy little woodchuck In Punxsutawney town.

• If Phil, the brown haired critterComes out into the lightAnd quickly sees his shadowHe’ll bounce back out of sight.

• He’ll slip into his burrowFor spring is far awaySix more weeks of winterThe price that we will pay.

• But should the day be cloudyOle Phil will wander outWith spring around the cornerHe’ll spread the news about.

• Tis fun to follow legendIt brightens up our dayTo think the bliss of springtimeIs not that far away.

The Second of February

There's only the day the whole long year,That I hope and pray the sun won't appear.

The second of February, you all know,The groundhog goes searching for his

shadow.If he should find it, the story is told,

We'll have six more weeks of winter's cold.But if it is cloudy, his shadow's not there,

There'll soon be warm weather and days will be fair.

So please, Mr. Sun, for just this one day.Find a big dark cloud - and stay away!

Fun on Groundhog DayBy Barbara Walker

There are shadows you make in the sunshine,There are shadows you make by the lamp,There are shadows that lurk in the forestWhile you tell creepy stories at camp. There are shadows that help you with puppets,And shadows ;you make just for play,But the shadow that's famous is Groundhog's,When he tells whether winter's to stay.

Let's go out very early this morningAnd watch for his shadow, my son;It may not be at all scientific,But you've got to admit that it's fun!

Mr. Groundhog

Oh Mr. Groundhog, tell what you see I see my shadow

staring back at me Winter's not over

I'm going back to bed Six more weeks with

the covers on my head

The Wake up Song Wake up, Groundhog,

time to see What the weather's

Going to be.

Time to stretch, Time to think, time to eat, and time to drink.

Wake up Groundhog, time to see what the weather's going to be!

What would you get if you crossed February 2

with a puppy?

Ground-dog Day!

What's green, has four legs, and jumps out of its hole on

February 2?

The ground frog!

What happened when the groundhog met the

dogcatcher?

He became a pound hog!

What do you call a groundhog’s   laundry? 

    Hogwash

Where do sick groundhogs go? 

To the  hog-pital

The End