A guide for using our resources

Children will sequence the steps of a groundhog’s life cycle.

Vocabulary: herbívoro, madriguera

Science Focus: animal life cycles

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

• Groundhog is tired of being blamed for six more weeks for winter. He wants to give someone else his responsibilities!
• Groundhog's friends will let him know why he's perfect for the job. Will he learn to enjoy it?

• Play this game in small groups. Print out the skill sheet and give children a number cube. Let children take turns rolling the cube and following the directions.
• This is a great interactive way to build knowledge!

• Use pages 2-3 of the issue to do this scavenger hunt as a group. You can circle the word need in one color and the word want in another color.

1. Encuentra el titular. Subráyalo.
2. Encuentra la foto en la que la cría está subida a su mamá. Márcala con un ✔.
3. En el recuadro azul, encuentra la palabra que significa "un animal que come plantas". Rodéala.
4. Mira la sección al final. Encuentra dos plantas que coman las marmotas y las personas. Rodéalas.

Skill: investigating

Materials: Sombras chinas skill sheet, pencil, flashlight

• Tell children the story of Groundhog Day. Las marmotas salen de sus madrigueras el 2 de febrero y miran a su alrededor. Si ven su sombra, habrá seis semanas más de invierno. Si no la ven, la primavera llegará pronto. Then tell kids that they will investigate how to make their own animal-shaped shadows.
• Turn off the lights, or choose a dark spot in the room. Turn on the flashlight and shine a spot on a wall. Put your hand in front of the light and wiggle it around. Tell kids a rabbit shape is about to appear on the wall. Curl in your fingers so that only your pointer and middle finger create the rabbit hand shadow.
• Then provide small groups with flashlights and Sombras chinas skill sheets. Have kids work together to make all the shadows on the sheet. They can take turns using the flashlight, making the shape, and crossing off each shadow puppet on their sheets.
• Then ask students to try to make their own shadow puppets. They can draw and label their idea on their sheet. Last, have volunteers show the class their shadow puppet creation!