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I am writing this blog as it is -16 degrees outside…brr! If you are like me, I love winter for a short period of time, but thanks to living in Ohio, I have to put up with the cold for longer than I’d like to. With Groundhog Day coming soon, I am personally hoping it will not see its shadow and spring can come a bit sooner. 🙂

When I taught Kindergarten, I loved any special day as an excuse to have fun and engaging lesson plans & activities. Groundhog Day is a day I always went all out for, and my classes genuinely loved learning about Groundhogs and engaging with all sorts of Groundhog themed lessons & activities!

I have a set of lesson ideas and activities that are perfect for kindergarten, first, and second grade classrooms to help you celebrate Groundhog Day in a fun and educational way!

All you need are common school supplies (scissors, pencils, glue sticks, crayons) a popsicle stick, and a flashlight!

My ultimate goal is to help you gather some ideas for your Groundhog Day lesson plans. You can do all of the activities listed below for free if you create similar resources for your own personal use. However, if you would like to save hours of time and energy, I have set you can purchase for an easy, low prep day!

Featuring labeling, prediction, writing, and a STEM experiment, these lesson/activity ideas are perfect for K-2 classrooms looking to integrate ELA, math, and science into their Groundhog Day lessons.

This activity set is a comprehensive resource for teaching and reinforcing key concepts related to Groundhog Day. It includes a variety of engaging activities that cater to different learning styles and can be implemented in various ways, such as small groups, individual work, or whole group instruction.

Labeling Activity: Students can practice their fine motor skills by identifying and labeling different parts of a groundhog. This activity helps reinforce vocabulary and helps students gain a deeper understanding of the animal.

Shadow prediction activity: Students can make predictions about whether the groundhog will see its shadow or not. This activity encourages critical thinking and helps develop prediction skills.

Add and color activity: combines math and art. Students will practice addition skills while coloring in a groundhog-themed picture, making learning both fun and educational.

shadow opinion writing activity: Students will have the opportunity to express their opinions about shadows and support their ideas with reasons. This activity helps improve persuasive writing skills and encourages students to think critically.

Shadow definition posters: to reinforce the concept of shadows and stimulate vocabulary development. These posters can be displayed in the classroom or used to make an anchor chart for reference throughout the unit.

Shadow STEM experiment: This experiment promotes scientific inquiry and encourages students to apply their knowledge of shadows.

Groundhog Shadow STEM Experiment

You will need: Cut out groundhog photo (included in paid for set) Will work best if you adhere to a popsicle stick. Suggestion: Laminate for extra durability! Flashlight Dark room/area

How to Conduct Experiment: In a dark room, have your class sit behind you. You will be facing a dark blank wall (could hang a sheet or piece of white butcher paper). Hold cut out groundhog on popsicle stick in front of blank wall/sheet/paper. Shine a flashlight in front of groundhog and your whole class will see a shadow! This is where you explain you need a form of light blocked by an object to create a shadow!

And that’s it! I love simple, low prep activities to keep students engaged while incorporating fun themes!