If you’re looking to boost student learning around Groundhog Day (February 2nd), look no further than this lesson from elementary teacher Kriscia Cabral! This weeklong investigation integrates weather science with the history of this unusual holiday as your students write and produce a Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, weather report. 

Will the famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow? Student research is the key to this engaging learning experience.

Read About Groundhog Day

The best way to introduce your students to Groundhog Day is with some fun books about the holiday. Set the stage for your lesson plan on the holiday with these fun titles that are perfect for both independent and classroom read-alouds.

Once you’ve introduced Groundhog Day, start a group discussion for students to share their thoughts. Prompt the class with questions such as:

• What do you think Groundhog Day is for?
  
• Do you believe people actually trust a groundhog to make a weather prediction?
  
• Are there predictions made prior to the groundhog sighting?
  

After the class discussion, tell your students that the Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce needs their help! Introduce the assignment with a fictional letter straight from Punxsutawney, home of the most famous weather-predicting groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil.

Dear Student Support Team,

We need your help! Groundhog Day is right around the corner, and we want to be ready for Phil. We need your prediction on whether Phil will see his shadow. Are we in for a long winter? We want to plan ahead.

The Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce needs you to research the weather for us, as our weather team is currently unavailable. Please observe, compare, and analyze weather patterns in our area in order to predict an outcome for February 2nd. Please also make a weather report to share with the town.

Groundhog Day depends on you! Please document your research and provide evidence for your findings. We want to keep an accurate record of your results.

Thank you in advance for your support. We look forward to seeing your research.

Kind Regards,

Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce

Research and Report Weather 

Divide your students into small groups. Each group should research Groundhog Day, as well as weather patterns for Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Students can chart their findings using this Scholastic Weather Data Sheet. For a deeper dive into weather patterns and phenomena, students can read more about weather facts here, and explore these must-have books to teach about weather.

Other questions you may want students to answer in their research:

• What are the weather patterns for the month?
  
• What are the odds for whether Phil sees his shadow?
  
• How many times was there a "no show" (no shadow)?
  

Make a Prediction 

Based on their findings, students should make a prediction for Phil. Do they think he will see his shadow? Why or why not?

Students can then take their research and turn it into a first-person weather report. As a group, students should write, edit, and revise their script, and decide who will play each role: news anchor, reporter on-the-scene, and cameraperson. After many rehearsals, have students record their weather reports.

Finally, students will share their weather reports with the class. Chart each group's predictions and revisit them after Groundhog Day has passed. Were their predictions correct? Is a science-based weather report more accurate than a groundhog?

Shop more books about Groundhog Day and winter below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store.