Groundhog Day (Seasons/Shadows)

Daily Question: Have you ever seen a groundhog?

Toys: Dress Ups, Buckaroo, Puzzles, Puppet Theater, Magnets...

Here is the Ice Princess (Lambie), 

her friend Fairy Princess, and her Knight Protector!

Snack: Cheddar twists cheese sticks and pretzels.

Show N' Teach:  Our Silly Class! 

Circle Time: We had a fun discussion on the Four Seasons.
 

We read and talked about a story called Winter's Song. What does Winter sound like? (Soft, quiet snow, snowplows, sledding, snow plows, snow ball fights, dripping melted snow, etc.).  

What would Spring, Summer, or Fall sound like?

We talked about where do (and which) animals go in the Winter? 

We liked listening to Hibernation Station again during snack time and talking about the many different types of animals that hibernate in the Winter.

We talked about habitat (animals home environment), hibernation (animals sleeping in dens through the Winter) and migration--when birds an butterflies go south for the winter.

Science:  What makes a shadow?

A shadow is a dark area or shape made by an object something in between light and a surface (like a body in between the sunlight and sidewalk).  We stuck objects in front of a flashlight and watched the different shadows made and talked about the earth (sun and moon).   

On Groundhog Day (February 2), Phil the Groundhog comes out of his hole after a long winter's hibernation. If he sees his shadow, he is thought to return to his hole (some people think this is an omen of six more weeks of bad winter weather). If he doesn't see his shadow (i.e., if it is cloudy), he is thought to stay above ground (some people think of this as a sign of mild weather to come).

What do you think, can a groundhog predict the weather?
*Update*  On Sunday, Phil saw his shadow and predicts six more weeks of Winter!

I See a Little Goundhog (Tune: I'm a Little Teapot)

I see a little groundhog, furry and brown,
He's popping up to look around.
If he sees his shadow, down he'll go.
Six more weeks of winter--oh, no!

Recess Time: Shadow Hunting outside. We had bright sunshine until it was time to play Shadow Tag and then it was more difficult to find our shadows!
 

Shadow Tag
If it's sunny outside and body casts a shadow, play shadow tag. Instead of touching a person, whoever is It must step on someone's shadow.

Activities: We had fun making a groundhog picture (out of shapes--rectangle and heart) and drawing Spring or snow outside.

 Kayson was excited for me to take his picture with his groundhog/shadow drawing.






He is apprehensive when his twin brother, Ethan, jumps in the picture!

 Ethan yells, "Groundhog!" (Photobomb!)
 --Fun to see these two and their very different personalities.






Definitions of today's vocabulary words: Habitat: The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism. Hibernation: The resting (sleeping) state of some animals in Winter. Den: A wild animals lair or habitation (home). Migration: To change location periodically, especially by moving seasonally from one region to another. Season:One of four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) demonstrated by particular weather patterns and daylight hours.

Books Read and Discussed Today:  
Winter's Song by Claire Daniel, ill. by Leslie Bowman  
Round and Round the Season's Go by Rozanne Lanczak Williams, Ill. by Roseanne Litzinger  
Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows and Kurt Cyrus (audio)
Silly Lilly and the Four Seasons by Agnes Rosenstiehhl
Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft & Richard G. Van Gelder, Ill, by Helen K. Davie
Footprints in the Snow by Cynthia Benjamin, Ill. by Jacqueline Rogers (HR, 1)

GorgeousWake Me in the Spring by James Preller, Ill. by Jeffrey Scherer (HR, 2) cartoon hibernation  The Magic School Bus Sleeps for the Winter (Scholastic Reader, 2)