2. What is Groundhog’s Day?
• Groundhog Day is based on a custom that people
from Germany and Great Britain brought to
America. They believed that it was a time for
forecasting the weather for the next six weeks.
According to legend, the groundhog awakens
from its hibernation on February 2. It sticks its
head out of its burrow and looks around. If the
sun is shining and the groundhog can see its
shadow, it is frightened and crawls back into its
hole. This is supposed to mean that there will be
six more weeks of winter weather. But if the day
is cloudy and the groundhog cannot see its
shadow, it stays out of its hole, indicating that
spring weather will soon come.
3. What is Groundhog’s Day?
1. What is a burrow?
a. The groundhog’s home
b. Another name for a groundhog
c. Something groundhog’s like to eat
d. The country that started groundhog’s day
answer
5. What is Groundhog’s Day?
2. What does the word forecast mean?
a. To run really fast
b. To sleep all winter
c. To predict the weather
d. To stay awake all winter
answer
7. What is Groundhog’s Day?
3. What does hibernation mean?
a. To stay awake all winter
a. The place where a groundhog lives
b. To sleep all winter
c. To predict the weather
answer
11. What is Groundhog’s Day?
5. What happens if the groundhog sees his
shadow?
a. 6 more weeks of winter
b. 6 more weeks of summer
c. Spring is on its way
d. Winter is over
answer
12. If the groundhog sees his shadow it
means…
• 6 more weeks of winter.
Next slide
13. The Groundhog Legend
The origin of they groundhog legend is based
on the old Scotch couplet, “If Candlemas Day is
bright and clear, there’ll be two winters in the year.”
During the conquering of Northern Europe,
the Romans brought this tradition to the Germans.
They concluded that if the sun made an appearance
on February 2nd, which is Candlemas Day, an
animal would cast a shadow, thus six more weeks of
bad weather, known as two winters.
14. Pennsylvania’s earliest settlers were Germans.
They found many groundhogs in the state. They
determined that the groundhog was the most
intelligent and sensible animal.
Records show that in the early 1800’s people
from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania began to
celebrate every year by going into the woods to
honor the Punxsutawney Groundhog as the only
true weather prognosticator. This group soon
became known as the Punxsutawney Groundhog
Club and they placed the official groundhog home
just outside of town on Gobbler’s Knob.
15. The first official trek to Gobbler’s knob was
made on February 2, 1887. Each February 2nd
since, thousands of people celebrate Groundhog
Day by making the trip to Gobbler’s Knob to get
the official word of the world’s only true
weather forecaster. The rest of the day is filled
with activities including: the annual Groundhog
Banquet, crowning of the Groundhog King and
Queen, school assemblies, craft shows, and
activities for entire families.
16. BONUS
• Which town shares its name with a famous
groundhog?
• Extra point: spell the name of the town correctly.
