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What standards am I teaching? What are the objectives of my lesson?

What do students need before coming into this lesson?

What do I want students to know and understand?

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As Groundhog Day approaches, students are learning about their shadows and the relationship of objects to light. To that end, we are using Groundhog day to observe our shadows and a STEM project to create a structure to protect the groundhog from seeing his shadow.

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Am I prepared for my students?

Do I have all the knowledge that is required for this lesson?

What can go wrong in the lesson?

How can I prevent these moments from happening?

Are all my materials gathered?

Is my plan B ready?

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What am I going to use/not use?

What do I need to adjust?

What is my plan for implementation with the materials?

Are these materials and my instructional design meeting all students' needs?

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How will use my resources to support my driving question and instructional delivery?

What teacher moves will I use (explicit teacher talk, modeling, providing support based on specific student struggles)?

How will I provide opportunities for cooperative learning and productive struggle in my lesson?

Where will students be leading the work?

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What is my driving question for student-centered STEM investigation and learning?

How will the students engage in the engineering design process?

How will I assess student learning (formative and summative)?

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What resources in my curriculum are useful here?

What is missing from my curriculum resources?

Where can I find resources to support the curriculum I already have?

What online resources could I add or adapt using to teach the standard(s) and move students toward mastery of my lesson objective(s)?

Where can I make connections to other subject areas and find the resources to do so?

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I found a lot of resources to support groundhog day, shadows, and building, but very little to support the STEM lesson itself. Thankfully, it is very complete. I will use the groundhog picture books and cooking project to open and close the lesson while using the shadow resources as a way to link the sun and student shadows to the STEM lesson. The students have already been exposed to some shadow play, so this is not a foreign concept for them.

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I always mix my student groups to allow the higher students to help support the lower. This is great for the higher as the "teaching" aspect of supporting a peer is an amazing reinforcer of their learning. Additionally, I am always nearby and able to support the lower while finding ways to challenge the higher students with "what-if" questions. I work to model questions, ideas, and offer reminders of the task as needed to keep students on task and moving forward. These opportunities also contribute to coopertive learning and productive struggle. Students lead the work from planning to the end with my support as needed.

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Testing Materials - Activity 2 - Shade the Groundhog Process
Shut off all the lights, have the students put the groundhog in their structure and test the opacity of the structure using a flashlight.

Design Challenge
Activity 1 - Shadow Walk

You are a team of engineers learning how to compare shadows. You will learn why shadows are bigger or smaller and why they can be different shapes.

Activity 2 - Shade the Groundhog

You are a team of engineers working together to design and build a structure to keep a groundhog from seeing its shadow. Your structure needs to have a door so the groundhog can enter for shelter.
Criteria Constraints

Use only the materials your teacher has given you

Activity 1 - Shadow Walk (this activity needs to be done on a nice, sunny day)

1. Break class into teams of pairs.

2. Give each pair a clipboard, one or two crayons, and a piece of paper labeled "shadows."

3. Tell students that they are going on a walk around the block. As they walk, ask them to pay attention to the shadows shape and location.

4. Have student teams draw the object, the shadow, and the location of the sun on their paper. Find some interesting shadows that are close to each other. Have them compare shadows, consider which ones are bigger, or different shapes, and why. Ask students to see whether all shadows are the same size as its object.

5. Ask questions regarding the different shapes and sizes of shadows that they see.

6. Bring the students back to classroom and have them share their work with the class - record observations.

7. Discuss - Where were the shadows? Will they be in the same place after school? Why not? Why were shadows different sizes?

Activity 2 - Shade the Groundhog

1. Break the class into teams of 2-3.

2. Hand out the Student Resource and Design Space worksheet.

3. Display the toy animal to students and ask them to write down the dimensions of the toy.

4. Explain that the students will be working in teams to design and build a structure to prevent the groundhog from seeing it shadow. Add that the structure needs to be designed with a door that the toy they see can fit through to enter the shelter.

5. Explain to students that they will have 40 minutes to design and build their structure.

6. Use a timer or an on-line stopwatch (count down feature) to ensure you keep on time. (www.online-stopwatch.com/full-screen-stopwatch). Give students regular "time checks" so they stay on task. If they are struggling, ask questions that will lead them to a solution quicker.

7. Explain that they have limited materials to use, and provide the size of the toy/stuffed animal, but do not allow students to test their design using the actual toy animal...just provide the size.

8. After students look at all the materials available, they should be encouraged to brainstorm and sketch their initial design on the worksheet.

9. Once they all agree on the design for their structure, they can gather materials and begin building.

10. Encourage students to carefully measure their door opening and use a flashlight to test the opacity of their design.

11. Once all groups are done, shut off all the lights, have the students put the groundhog in their structure and test the opacity of the structure using a flashlight.

12. Lead a group discussion touching on questions in the Reflection Section below.

Optional Extension
Shadow Puppets: Have students cut figures from paper and glue to a craft stick to make puppets. Create shadows on the wall using a flashlight. Students can create a story to accompany their puppets and present as a play to the class.

Playground Chalk Drawing: Encourage students to create, trace, and label shadows on the playground with chalk. If the shadow traced is from a permanent object (basketball stand, trash barrel, mailbox), take students out a few hours later to see the how the shadows have moved from the chalk lines created earlier.
Student Reflection

1. What materials did your group use? Why?

2. After testing your structure, would you have changed the original design?

3. How? What could have been improved?

4. Which designs of other teams inspired you? Why?

The lesson can be done in as little as 1 class period for older students. However, to help students from feeling rushed and to ensure student success (especially for younger students), split the lesson into two periods giving students more time to brainstorm, test ideas and finalize their design. Conduct the testing and debrief in the next class period.

Criteria: Conditions that the design must satisfy like its overall size, etc.

Engineers: Inventors and problem-solvers of the world. Twenty-five major specialties are recognized in engineering ( see infographic ).

Engineering Design Process: Process engineers use to solve problems.

Engineering Habits of Mind (EHM): Six unique ways that engineers think.

Iteration: Test & redesign is one iteration. Repeat (multiple iterations).

Opaque: A material that does not allow light to pass through it

Prototype: A working model of the solution to be tested.

Shade: Darkness and coolness caused by shelter

Shadow: A dark shape made when an object comes between light and surface

Solar Power: Energy that comes from the sun

Sun: A ball of gas that gives us heat and light

Recommended Reading

"Groundhog's Runaway Shadow," by David Biedrzycki (ISBN-13: 978-1580897341)

"What Makes a Shadow?," by Clyde Robert Bulla (ISBN-13: 978-006022916

Alignment to Curriculum Frameworks

Note: Lesson plans in this series are aligned to one or more of the following sets of standards:

Next Generation Science Standards - Grades K-2 (Ages 5-8)
K-PS3-1 Energy

Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface/
K-PS3-2 Energy

Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on Earth's surface.
K-2-ETS1-1 Engineering Design

Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
K-2-ETS1-2 Engineering Design

Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.

Next Generation Science Standards - Grades K-2 (Ages 5-8)
K-2-ETS1-1 Engineering Design

Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
K-2-ETS1-2 Engineering Design

Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.

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Testing Materials - Activity 2 - Shade the Groundhog Process Shut off all the lights, have the students put the groundhog in their structure and test the opacity of the structure using a flashlight. Design Challenge Activity 1 - Shadow Walk You are a team of engineers learning how to compare shadows.

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How will we prevent the groundhog from seeing his shadow?

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Happy Groundhog Day Pudding Cups | Recipe | Fun kids food, Groundhog day, Happy groundhog day

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Jan 8, 2017 - These Happy Groundhog Day Pudding Cups are cute for preschoolers and kindergarten kids! The kids will love these Punxsutawney Phil Nutter Butter treats!

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This Pin was discovered by Laura Lartigue. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest.

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How can we prevent the groundhog from seeing his shadow?

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Students will work with their group to explore available materials and resources as they work to determine how they will begin the design stage of their EDP process.

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Students will work with peer group to design a structure that will fit the groundhog and protect him from seeing his shadow using only designated materials provided in the STEM lesson plan.

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Students will work with peer group to build the agreed upon structure using only designated materials provided in the STEM lesson plan.

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Students will work with peer group to test their design for it's ability to block light, protecting the groundhog from seeing his shadow.

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Students will work with peer group to make changes to their structure as needed to acheive the goal of blocking light and protecting the groundhog from seeing his shadow.

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Students may return to and repeat any step of the EDP as they continue to work on the task and work to achieve their goal.

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Virtual Field Trip to Punxsutawney Groundhog Day - Google Slides & Seesaw | Virtual field trips, Groundhog day, Field trip

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Jan 26, 2021 - Students take a trip to Punxsutawney for a cross-curricular experience! Students will learn about the history and traditions of Groundhog Day.

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_Gunston - Integrated STEM Lesson Template

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Groundhog Day ( Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. In 2024, an early spring was predicted.

While the tradition remains popular in the 21st century, studies have found no consistent association between a groundhog seeing its shadow and the subsequent arrival time of spring-like weather.

The weather lore was brought from German-speaking areas where the badger (German: Dachs) is the forecasting animal. It is related to the lore that clear weather on the Christian festival of Candlemas forebodes a prolonged winter.

The Groundhog Day ceremony held at Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania, centering on a semi-mythical groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil, has become the most frequently attended ceremony. Grundsow Lodges in Pennsylvania Dutch Country in the southeastern part of the state observe the occasion as well. Other cities in the United States and Canada also have adopted the event.

The Pennsylvania Dutch were immigrants from German-speaking areas of Europe. The Germans had a tradition of marking Candlemas (February 2) as "Badger Day" ( Dachstag), on which if a badger emerging from its den encountered a sunny day, thereby casting a shadow, it heralded four more weeks of winter.

Candlemas is a Western Christian festival observed in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches. In folk religion, various traditions superstitions continue to be linked with the holiday, although this was discouraged by the Reformed Churches in the 16th century. Notably, several traditions that are part of weather lore use the weather at Candlemas to predict the start of spring.

The weather-predicting animal on Candlemas was usually the badger, although regionally, the animal was the bear or the fox. The original weather-predicting animal in Germany had been the bear, another hibernating mammal, but when they grew scarce, the lore became altered.

Similarity to the groundhog lore has been noted for the German formula: Sonnt sich der Dachs in der Lichtmeßwoche, so geht er auf vier Wochen wieder zu Loche ("If the badger sunbathes during Candlemas-week, for four more weeks he will be back in his hole"). A slight variant is found in a collection of weather lore (Bauernregeln, lit. "farmers' rules") printed in Austria in 1823.

The Pennsylvanians maintained the same tradition as the Germans on Groundhog Day, except that winter's spell would be prolonged for six weeks instead of four. For the Pennsylvania Dutch, the badger became the dox, which in Deitsch referred to "groundhog".

The standard term for "groundhog" was grun'daks (from German dachs), with the regional variant in York County being grundsau, a direct translation of the English name, according to a 19th-century book on the dialect. The form was a regional variant according to one 19th-century source. However, the weather superstition that begins Der zwet Hær'ning is Grund'sau dåk. Wânn di grundsau îr schâtte sent... ("February second is Groundhog day. If the groundhog sees its shadow...") is given as common to all fourteen counties in Dutch Pennsylvania Country, in a 1915 monograph.

In The Thomas R. Brendle Collection of Pennsylvania German Folklore, Brendle preserved the following lore from the local Pennsylvania German dialect:

Wann der Dachs sei Schadde seht im Lichtmess Marye, dann geht er widder in's Loch un beleibt noch sechs Woche drin. Wann Lichtmess Marye awwer drieb is, dann bleibt der dachs haus un's watt noch enanner Friehyaahr. (When the groundhog sees his shadow on the morning of Mary Candlemas, he will again go into his hole and remain there for six weeks. But if the morning of Mary Candlemas is overcast, the groundhog will remain outside and there will be another spring.)

The form grundsow has been used by the lodge in Allentown and elsewhere. Brendle also recorded the name "Grundsaudag" (Groundhog day in Lebanon County) and "Daxdaag" (Groundhog day in Northampton County).

Victor Hugo, in "Les Misérables", (1864) discusses the day as follows:

"...it was the second of February, that ancient Candlemas-day whose treacherous sun, the precursor of six weeks of cold, inspired Matthew Laensberg with the two lines, which have deservedly become classic:

'Qu'il luise ou qu'il luiserne, L'ours rentre en sa caverne.'

(Let it gleam or let it glimmer, The bear goes back into his cave.)"

- Hugo, Victor. "Les Misérables." Trans. Fahnestock and MacAfee, based on Wilbour. Signet Classics, NY, 1987. p. 725.

The groundhog was once also known by the obsolete Latin alias Arctomys monax. The genus name signified "bear-rat". The European marmot is of the same genus and was formerly called Arctomys alpinus. It was speculated that the European counterpart might have lore similar to the groundhog attached to it.

The German version, with the introduction of the badger (or other beasts), was an expansion of a simpler tradition that if the weather was sunny and clear on Candlemas Day, people expected winter to continue. The simpler version is summarized in the English ( Scots dialect) couplet that runs "If Candlemas is fair and clear / There'll be twa winters in the year", with equivalent phrases in French and German. And the existence of a corresponding Latin couplet has been suggested as evidence of the great antiquity of this tradition.

There did exist a belief among Roman Catholics in Britain that the hedgehog predicted the length of winter, or so it has been claimed, but without demonstration of its age, in a publication by the Scotland-born American journalist Thomas C. MacMillan in 1886, and American writer/journalist Samuel Adams Drake's book published in 1900.

In the Gaelic calendar of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, Brigid's Day (February 1) is a day for predicting the weather. While in Scotland the animal that heralds spring on this day is a snake, and on the Isle of Man a large bird, in Ireland folklorist Kevin Danaher records lore of hedgehogs being observed for this omen:

In Irish folk tradition St. Brighid's Day, 1 February, is the first day of Spring, and thus of the farmer's year. ... To see a hedgehog was a good weather sign, for the hedgehog comes come out of the hole in which he has spent the winter, looks about to judge the weather, and returns to his burrow if bad weather is going to continue. If he stays out, it means that he knows the mild weather is coming.

Additionally, the Roman rite for the goddess Februa had a procession performed on February 2, according to Yoder. The Roman calendar, in turn, had Celtic origins. February 2 concurs with Imbolc, one of the Celtic ' cross-quarter days', the four days which marked the midpoints between solstice and equinox.

The groundhog (Marmota monax) is a hibernating rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels.

The observance of Groundhog Day in the United States first occurred in German communities in Pennsylvania, according to known records. The earliest mention of Groundhog Day is an entry on February 2, 1840, in the diary of James L. Morris of Morgantown, in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, according to the book on the subject by Don Yoder. This was a Welsh enclave but the diarist was commenting on his neighbors who were of German stock.

The first reported news of a Groundhog Day observance was arguably made by the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, in 1886: "up to the time of going to press, the beast has not seen its shadow". However, it was not until the following year in 1887 that the first Groundhog Day considered "official" was commemorated there, with a group making a trip to the Gobbler's Knob part of town to consult the groundhog. People have gathered annually at the spot for the event ever since.

Clymer Freas (1867-1942) who was city editor at the Punxsutawney Spirit is credited as the "father" who conceived the idea of "Groundhog Day". It has also been suggested that Punxsutawney was where all the Groundhog Day events originated, from where it spread to other parts of the United States and Canada.

The chronologies given are somewhat inconsistent in the literature. The first "Groundhog Picnic" was held in 1887 according to one source, but given as post-circa-1889 by a local historian in a journal. The historian states that around 1889 the meat was served in the lodge's banquet, and the organized hunt started after that.

Either way, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was formed in 1899, and continued the hunt and "Groundhog Feast", which took place annually in September. The "hunt" portion of it became increasingly a ritualized formality, because the practical procurement of meat had to occur well ahead of time for marinating. A drink called the "groundhog punch" was also served. The flavor has been described as a "cross between pork and chicken". The hunt and feast did not attract enough outside interest, and the practice was discontinued.

Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney, 2013

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where crowds as large as 40,000 gather each year, nearly eight times the year-round population of the town which is 5,769 as of 2020. The average draw had been about 2,000 until the 1993 film Groundhog Day, which is set at the festivities in Punxsutawney, after which attendance rose to about 10,000.

The official Phil is pretended to be a supercentenarian, having been the same forecasting beast since 1887. For the past several years, the event has been live streamed, allowing more people than ever to watch the animal meteorologist.

In 2019, for the 133rd year of the tradition, the groundhog was summoned to come out at 7:25 am on February 2, but did not see its shadow. Fans of Punxsutawney Phil awaited his arrival starting at 6:00 am, thanks to a live stream provided by Visit Pennsylvania.

2021 was the 135th celebration, and for the first time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was held behind closed doors, with no fans allowed to attend and most of the Inner Circle members being required to wear a mask, including Phill. The groundhog was summoned at 7:25 am on February 2 and saw its shadow.

2022 saw the 136th celebration of the normal in-person event and the groundhog saw its shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter.

In 2023, during the 137th prognostication event, the groundhog once again saw its shadow, calling for six more weeks of winter.

In 2024, during the 138th and most recent prognostication event, the groundhog did not see its shadow, calling for an early Spring. This has only happened 20 times in the celebration's recorded history: 1902, 1934, 1942, 1950, 1970, 1975, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2024.

The Slumbering Groundhog Lodge, which was formed in 1907, has carried out the ceremonies that take place in Quarryville, Pennsylvania. It used to be a contending rival to Punxsutawney over the Groundhog Day fame. It employs a taxidermic specimen (stuffed woodchuck).

In Southeastern Pennsylvania, Groundhog Lodges ( Grundsow Lodges) celebrate the holiday with fersommlinge, social events in which food is served, speeches are made, and one or more g'spiel (plays or skits) are performed for entertainment. The Pennsylvania German dialect is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty, usually in the form of a nickel, dime, or quarter per word spoken, with the money put into a bowl in the center of the table.

In Milltown, New Jersey, Milltown Mel was purchased in 2008 in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, by Jerry and Cathy Guthlein, and lived in a cage in the Guthleins' back yard. Mel's first event was at the family business, the Bronson and Guthlein Funeral Home, with later events moved to the American Legion Post, with free coffee and doughnuts served afterwards. Mel died in 2021.)

Stonewall Jackson predicts at Space Farms Zoo and Museum.

Essex Ed the groundhog and Otis the Hedgehog predict at Turtle Back Zoo.

"Malverne Mel" is the groundhog of Malverne, in Long Island, New York. Mel began his position in 1996.

Great Neck Greta, of Great Neck, Long Island, New York, predicted in 2020.

Staten Island Chuck is the stage name for the official weather-forecasting woodchuck for New York City, housed in the Staten Island Zoo. In 2009, Chuck bit then-NYC-Mayor Mike Bloomberg, prompting zoo officials to quietly replace him with his daughter Charlotte. In 2014, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, famously dropped Charlotte during the ceremony, visibly disturbing many of the children present for the event. Charlotte's untimely death a week later prompted rumors she was killed by the fall, although the zoo later said this was unlikely to be the cause of Charlotte's demise. As a result, Bill de Blasio did not participate in the tradition thereafter.

Dunkirk Dave (a stage name for numerous groundhogs that have filled the role since 1960) is the local groundhog for Western New York, handled by Bob Will, a typewriter repairman who runs a rescue shelter for groundhogs. Will is adamant that Dunkirk Dave does not actually predict the date of spring because that is fixed by calendars, but instead predicts the harshness of the remainder of winter.

French Creek Freddie is West Virginia's resident groundhog meteorologist. A resident of the West Virginia State Wildlife Center in French Creek, West Virginia, Freddie made his debut in 1978, and boasts an accuracy rate of approximately 50%. On Groundhog Day, 2022, Freddie predicted six more weeks of winter, with the mayor of Buckhannon and members of the community in attendance.

Holtsville Hal resides at the Holtsville Ecology Site and Animal Preserve in Holtsville, NY. He predicts the weather for Suffolk County, NY, in front of hundreds of residents each Groundhog Day.

In the Midwest, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is the self-proclaimed "Groundhog Capital of the World". This title taken in response to the Punxsutawney Spirit's 1952 newspaper article describing Sun Prairie as a "remote two cow village buried somewhere in the wilderness..." In 2015, Jimmy the Groundhog bit the ear of Mayor Jon Freund and the story quickly went viral worldwide. The next day a mayoral proclamation absolved Jimmy XI of any wrongdoing.

Buckeye Chuck, Ohio's official State Groundhog, is one of two weather-predicting groundhogs. He resides in Marion, Ohio.[citation needed ]

Woodstock Willie, in Woodstock, Illinois, the shooting location for the 1993 film Groundhog Day.

Concord Casimir, while not a groundhog, is a weather-predicting cat whose forecast is based on how he eats his annual pierogi meal. He resides in Concord, Ohio, on the outskirts of Cleveland.

In Washington, D.C., the Dupont Circle Groundhog Day event features Potomac Phil, another taxidermic specimen. From his first appearance in 2012 to 2018, Phil's spring predictions invariably agreed with those of the more lively Punxsutawney Phil, who made his predictions half an hour earlier. In addition, Phil always predicted correctly six more months of political gridlock. However, after being accused of collusion in 2018, Potomac Phil contradicted Punxsutawney Phil in 2019, and further, predicted two more years of political insanity.

Birmingham Bill, at Birmingham Zoo, was "taking a break" from predicting in 2015.

In Raleigh, North Carolina, an annual event at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences included Sir Walter Wally. According to museum officials, Wally had been correct 58% of the time vs. Punxsutawney Phil's 39%. Sir Walter Wally retired after 2022 leaving Snerd of Garner as the only weather-predicting groundhog in the state.

Elsewhere in the American South, the General Beauregard Lee makes predictions from Lilburn, Georgia (later Butts County, Georgia). The University of Dallas in Irving, Texas has boasted of hosting the second largest Groundhog celebration in the world.

Shubenacadie Sam makes the winter prediction at Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, 2024

The day is observed with various ceremonies at other locations in North America beyond the United States.

In Nova Scotia, Groundhog Day traditions arrived with German Foreign Protestant immigrants in the 1750s where it was known as "Daks Day" (from the German dachs) in the German dialect of Lunenburg County settlers.) Due to Nova Scotia'sDue to Nova Scotia's Atlantic Time Zone, the province's official groundhog, Shubenacadie Sam makes the first Groundhog Day prediction in North America, a tradition at Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Wildlife Park since 1987.

In French Canada, where the day is known as Jour de la marmotte, Fred la marmotte of Val-d'Espoir was the representative forecaster for the province of Quebec from 2009 until his death in 2023. A study also shows that in Quebec, the marmot and groundhog ( siffleux) are regarded as Candlemas weather-predicting beasts in some scattered spots, but the bear is the more usual animal.

Balzac Billy is the "Prairie Prognosticator", a man-sized groundhog mascot who prognosticates weather on Groundhog Day from Balzac, Alberta.

Punxsutawney Phil's statistics are kept by the Pennsylvania's Groundhog Club which cares for the animal. Phil has predicted 106 forecasts for winter and 21 for an early spring. One year he had a partial shadow, in 1942. There were 10 years when Phil's prediction was not recorded, all of which occurred in the 1880s and 1890s. There has been one year when the event was canceled (1943) due to World War II.

Most assessments of Phil's accuracy have given an accuracy lower than would be expected with random chance. Stormfax Almanac gives Phil an estimate of 39% accuracy. Meteorologist Tim Roche of Weather Underground gives Phil an 36% accuracy rate between 1969 and 2016, a range chosen because local weather data was most reliable from 1969 onward, and a 47% accuracy record in that time span when predicting early spring. The National Centers for Environmental Information, using a basic metric of above-normal temperatures for early spring and below-normal temperatures for more winter, placed Punxsutawney Phil's accuracy at 40% for the ten-year period preceding 2019.

The Farmer's Almanac, which itself has been known for forecasts of questionable accuracy, gives an assessment of "exactly 50 percent" accuracy. The National Geographic Society reports a 28% success rate. A Middlebury College team found that Phil's long-term analysis of temperature high/low predictions were 70% accurate, although when the groundhog predicted early spring it was usually wrong. Canadian meteorologist Cindy Day has estimated that Nova Scotia's " Shubenacadie Sam" has an accuracy rate of about 45%, compared to 25% for Wiarton Willy in Ontario.

Prediction based on an animal's behavior used to be given more credence in the past, when stores of food became scarce as winter progressed.

One theory states that the groundhog naturally comes out of hibernation in central Pennsylvania in early February because of the increasing average temperature. Under this theory, if German settlement had been centered further north, Groundhog Day would take place at a later date. However, the observed behavior of groundhogs in central New Jersey was that they mostly come out of their burrows in mid-March, regardless of Groundhog Day weather.

There are several different ways of defining when spring begins. By some common methods of doing so, the first day of spring is around March 20, which is always just under seven weeks after February 2, even in leap years. The idea of "spring arriving early" is a highly subjective notion which could arguably refer to almost anything, from several days to several weeks.[citation needed ]

In Croatia and Serbia, Orthodox Christians have a tradition that on February 2 (Candlemas) or February 15 ( Sretenje, The Meeting of the Lord), the bear will awaken from winter dormancy, and if it sees (meets) its own shadow in this sleepy and confused state, it will get scared and go back to sleep for an additional 40 days, thus prolonging the winter. Thus, if it is sunny on Sretenje, it is a sign that the winter is not over yet. If it is cloudy, it is a good sign that the winter is about to end.

Similarly in Germany, on the June 27, they recognize the Seven Sleepers' Day ( Siebenschläfertag). If it rains that day, the rest of summer is supposedly going to be rainy. As well, in the United Kingdom, July 15 is known as St. Swithin's day. It was traditionally believed that, if it rained on that day, it would rain for the next 40 days and nights.

The holiday gained more prominence, particularly internationally, with the release of the 1993 comedy film Groundhog Day with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. The film became the 13th highest grossing of the year, with over $70 million at the box office. Over time, the film became a cult classic and significantly increased awareness and attendance at Groundhog Day events.

In addition to the classic Groundhog Day, more movies have been subsequently released following the concept of a time loop, where the main character(s) are trapped in the same day. From Happy Death Day, where a college student relives her death until she discovers who her killer is, starring Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, and Ruby Modine, to The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, where two kids attempt to find every 'perfect' part of the day they relive, starring Kathryn Newton and Kyle Allen.

The holiday's origins also plays a prominent role in the 1979 Rankin/Bass holiday special , where groundhog prognosticator Pardon-Me Pete's shadow is actually manipulated by Jack Frost, initially so Jack could buy more time to use his wintery magic to protect January Junction from the villain, but over the years since, has become a proper agreement between the two to give Jack more time for wintery fun in exchange for Pete getting extra hibernation time.[citation needed ]

Davis, Christopher R. (April 1985), "Totemism and Civic Boosterism in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, 1899-1909", The Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, 68 (2), archived from the original on December 24, 2017

Yoder, Don (2003). Groundhog Day. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0811700291. OCLC 52542605. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020.

Old, W. C., and P. Billin-Frye (2004). The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman.

Pulling, A. F. (2001). Around Punxsutawney. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia.

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Groundhog Day ( Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year.

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13 Simple Groundhog Day Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers in 2022 | Groundhog day activities, Toddler activities, Groundhog day

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Feb 1, 2022 - This post is packed full of Groundhog Day activities for toddlers. You’ll discover fun books, fine motor activities, snack ideas, crafts, and more!

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DIY: Try Out Shadow Tracing with Toys! | Toys"R"Us

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How to Make Shadow Puppets (Sesame Studios)

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Groundhog Day Shadow Matching Activity | Groundhog day activities, Preschool groundhog, Groundhog activities

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Dec 26, 2016 - Match the groundhog to its shadow in this free printable visual discrimination activity for toddlers and preschoolers!

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Groundhog Day Activities Math | Groundhog day activities, Groundhog activities, Preschool groundhog

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Jan 30, 2020 - This Pin was discovered by Primary Creations. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest

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Groundhog Day Engineer Project in 2022 | Groundhog day, Groundhog day activities, Groundhog

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Jan 27, 2022 - Make your own groundhog puppet and learn about shadows for a fun and easy Groundhog Day craft. Did the groundhog see his shadow?