Ten Grouchy Groundhogs
Written
by
Kathryn Heling and
Deborah Hembrook
Illustrated by
Jay Johnson
(Cartwheel Books, December 2009)
Book Description
TEN GROUCHY GROUNDHOGS is a hilarious
countdown story about a den of grouchy, grubby, gobbling, gabby, giggly,
groovy, graceful, glitzy, gleeful, groggy groundhogs getting ready for
their great big day.
Ten grouchy groundhogs
Crowded in their den,
They squirmed and they stretched
And then...then...then...
Purchase Ten Grouchy Groundhogs at Amazon.com >>
TEN GROUCHY GROUNDHOGS
Activity Guide
ART AND CRAFTS
Groundhog Pop-Up Activity — Cut a slit in the bottom of a brown paper lunch bag. Create a 'den' by folding the top down two or three folds to form a 'rim' that will look like the soil piled around the groundhogs on the cover of Ten Grouchy Groundhogs. Decorate the outside of the bag to look like a den or borough. Use groundhog clip art, a template from a craft website, or draw your own groundhog. Color and decorate the groundhog and then tape a sturdy drinking straw to the back. Insert the bottom of the straw through the slit in the bag. Move the straw up and down to act out the groundhog coming up from his den. Will he see his shadow?
Groundhog Headband — Cut a strip of brown construction paper to fit around child's head. Decorate a groundhog head or body, and attach it to the headband. Now act out the story!
“Fuzzy” Groundhog — Trace or draw a large pattern of a groundhog on brown construction paper. Cut out the groundhog and spread a water/glue mix over the paper groundhog. Immediately sprinkle ground coffee onto the wet glue. Dry flat. Create a groundhog community with different groundhog personalities. Use fun details like google eyes, a pom-pom tail or nose, or a ribbon or bow tie.
TIP: Google ‘free groundhog coloring page’ for groundhog templates.
MATH ACTIVITIES
Ten Grouchy Groundhog Math — enjoy the story ‘as is’ with your child a few times, then look for opportunities to reinforce math skills within the story. For example, count the number of groundhogs on a particular page. How many are there? How many groundhogs have already gone away? Are there more groundhogs inside the den, or outside?
Groundhog Concentration — paste a groundhog cut-out on one side of several squares of heavy paper or cardstock. On the other side, write numbers, or words, draw shapes, etc. making sure that each card has a match. Turn all cards so that the groundhogs are face up. Players take turns turning two cards over -- if they match, they keep the pair. If they don't match, they put them back. A good memory game!
Sequencing Game — Create groundhog cards with the numerals one through ten. Have children lay out the cards, 1 through 10. While other players close their eyes, one player removes one of the numbered cards. What number is missing? Variation: switch two cards around and see if the players can find the ‘mistake.’
READING/LANGUAGE ARTS ACTIVITIES
Happy Groundhog Day Greeting Card — create a greeting card for a friend or family member that depicts either six more weeks of winter or an early spring.
Groundhog Detectives — search for ‘gr’ words from the story, Ten Grouchy Groundhogs. Make a list and star three favorite words. Write or dictate sentences using the starred words. Silly sentences are fun, too!
Groundhog Stories — Choose a favorite groundhog from the book or create a new character. Make up a story about that groundhog character. What is your groundhog’s name? What did the groundhog like about living in the den? What will he or she do once out of the den?
SCIENCE
Shadow Experiment — Go outside on a sunny day early in the morning. Draw each others’ shadows on a playground or sidewalk. Repeat the activity at noon and again late afternoon, always standing on the exact spot of the early morning shadow. What happened to the shadows during the day? Why?
Animal Study — Groundhogs hibernate in winter. Learn about other animals that also hibernate in the winter. Make a chart of animals that DO hibernate in winter compared to those who DON’T. Which hibernating animals are like groundhogs? How are they alike?
Groundhog Quiz — create cards containing Groundhog Quiz questions available from several internet sites. Put the cards into a box or basket decorated to look like a groundhog’s den. Each day, children draw a quiz question in the morning and try to find the answer by the end of the day.
CREATIVE DRAMATICS
Ten Grouchy Groundhogs — The Play – create simple character props with odds and ends found at home or in a classroom. Act out the story while a narrator reads the first six lines of each verse. Everybody joins in on the refrain, “Let me out, out, out!”
Groundhog Den — Use pillows and blankets to create a groundhog den. Flashlights casting shadows in the ‘den’ will add to the fun.
Groundhog Song — Act out the songs below using the pop-up puppet as a prop.
SPRING IS HERE (Tune: I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little groundhog in my den,
I peek outside and then, then, then,
If there is no shadow, that is when,
I know that Spring has come again!BACK TO SLEEP (Tune: I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little groundhog in my den,
I peek outside and then, then, then,
If I see my shadow, that is when,
I turn around – back down again!(Songs written by Kathryn Heling, January 2010)
