Groundhog Day Ideas For Your Classroom

Just a few more days until February 2nd (Ground Hog's Day) and I see many of my friends out there that have had snow days...summer break just ended for our friends in other countries... and some really wild weather is hitting us...  I would love a day to hibernate...or two or three! It is a perfect time however, to talk about and teach the weather in your classrooms! Time to talk Ground Hog's Day and finding some great ways to add science to your school day! Whether you add a fun language arts lesson along with shadows, or find a fun hibernation and migration lesson to share with your students...Ground Hog's Day is  a perfect fit to add some science and STEM!

As you add ways to find time for science make the most of a fun day such as Ground Hogs day to do that! Here are some ideas to help...

Grab Some FUN and Perfect Theme Based Books and Videos

Don't have a copy? Use Youtube! I always like to see my options for books on Youtube!

Another way to use You Tube is to find a great science video connection to share with your students solid facts. Always watch your video first to make sure it will work for your kiddos!

Use NGSS or Standards to Guide You!

The Next Generation Science Standards for Kindergarten have a specific standard for Weather and Climate.

Here are the guidelines:
1. Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface

2.  Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area.

3. Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.

4. Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to prepare for, and respond to severe weather. 

What can you do now to utilize standards that are out there? 

1. Learn about animals that hibernate such as groundhogs. When the sunlight doesn't hit the surface of the Earth in winter like it does in summer in some habitats then animals must hibernate, migrate, or adapt.  As early as kindergarten, they can learn about the tilt of the Earth.

2. Use tools to design a burrow, cave, den...for an animal that hibernates. Instead of just thinking about the warming effects, which is a great tie in to the standard, how do all animals adapt to heat or cold...a change in temperature?  This is also a great time to talk to students about how they adapt to the cold or heat.

Make visors to shield eyes from the sun and make mitten patterns to show what we might need in the cold. Connect how animals do the same by adding blubber or fat...or shedding their coat.

3. Use the local weather map to track the temperature and weather patterns in your town. Make and use a simple calendar pattern to show patterns over time or a change in weather. Discuss what animals might be doing or what they should wear.

4. Discuss natural hazards in your area that can occur and what might occur in other parts of the country or world. Why is it important to look at the forecast. Use your calendar to add what might be in the forecast and what would they do it that were to happen. (Snow days due to blizzards, tornadoes that can come during certain times of the year, hurricanes and how we prepare...)

5. Teaching the concept of living and non-living can fit in this time of year as well. Finding ways to add science concepts can be as easy as showing them pictures from a book, magazine, or with objects found around your home or classroom.

Utilize Science Lessons That Are Simple With Few Supplies and High Impact

Shadows and shadow puppets require very little to teach about the groundhog and a science concept. Grab a flashlight, some popsicle sticks (or rulers if you want to reuse or don't have the funds/supplies), and some paper. 

Learn about how shadows are made by teaching the concepts of transparent, translucent, and opaque. Then figure out what type of materials: plastic baggies, wax paper, aluminum foil, black and white paper, lamination film, plastic glasses in all different shades from clear, to cloudy, to colored...all will work. Have them use flashlights or mini lights in the room to test out the different materials. 

Use your smartboard for them to create shadow puppets (my students do this all the time stand up or put their hand up to see their image...go with it and teach a science concept)

Make sun dials. I went to our lunchroom and got some cans that were going to be recycled. I filled them with some sand and put a dowel in the center. Presto...a sundial!

Find Resources To Help You

Don't have time to look around for some lessons on ground hogs or even a quick activity to add...don't worry you can grab my resource! It is filled with STEM, science, language arts, and math activities for your primary students!

Find the Ground Hog's Day Shadow Resource HERE

Teaching science concepts can be easy with a little help from the Science School Yard!

6 Skeletal System Game Ideas for Studying Bones!

I have been trying hard to NOT get frustrated with my students' lack of effort in studying for my science concepts that I am trying to teach! I pride myself at my entertaining nature...I have become quite an actress up front of the room getting them excited about what I am teaching. I see them look at me and I think they are really getting it...and then we take a test and whaawhaa...not good results.

For the last two weeks, my fourth graders have been learning about the skeletal system and let's just say it is never easy to help them memorize and remember the major bones of the human body. I came up with a theme this year...Game of Bones where each event that we do will lead up to us building a Mr. Bones puzzle found in our FOSS Human Body Kit. I also found several patterns on line that would work, too! Here are some game ideas that I use to help my students retain information better!

Game Idea #1:

I first give them tricks for remembering the bones of the body. For example, we wiggle our pelvis like Elvis. We drive a car with our "car"pels. We make a U with our ulna...hitting it below the elbow and saying ulna. We make a hut, hut sound and crouch down like a football player and say "football femur". We make a V by our clavicle with our hands...we pat...our patella...I have a trick for them all!

Once I explain all of the different moves, we play a little Simon Says. This always gets them actively engaged and moving!

Game Idea #2:

Another game we play is Bones...Get To The Point. I give them the picture of the skeletal system or they use Mr. Bones that we constructed. I then say a bone out loud randomly and with a partner they try to point to the correct bone first. I also give them a sheet that has all of the names of the bones listed that is included in our FOSS kit. They tally which person was able to get it right. A little Game of Bones to add to the overall fun we can have learning about the skeletal system.

Game Idea #3:

Now it is time for us to play Name That Bone. I hang up posters of the skeletal system and have an arrow pointing to a bone. They try to figure out what bone it is and then they check the correct answer with the qr code reader. We have a record sheet to write down our guess before we check to assure they aren't just scanning and then moving on without truly studying...not that they would do that...right?

Our final Game of Bones activity allows us to look at not just the bones, but to learn how the skeletal system helps protect, help with movement, and give structure. I give them the question sheet, give them the question cards and we once again test what we know.

Game Idea #4:

I am adding a bonus game we used to figure out protection, movement, and structure. I give them a code on the board for them to solve within a period of time... they fill in the bones with the correct answers which they can use as a study guide!


Want to save time if you are teaching this? I have all of these games ready for you in a pack! The Skeletal System Review Game Pack! Found HERE!

Game Idea #5

I thought it might be fun to include a fun freebie for game idea 5!

I use a decoder for another game! Want your students to remember facts, but having to take notes isn't very engaging...make it more fun by having them have to find the answers in a given time...if they do it they get to build a skeleton for example during a skeletal system unit...each activity that they are doing can add more bones to the skeleton! The Game of Bones my friends!  So for this one...if they solve the three hidden words that show the functions of the skeletal system. I give them six minutes. If they can't do it in time, they can always take a chance and spin the wheel! Try the link for a wheel decide yes or no! Not so defeating if they can't get it, and a 50/50 chance is better than nothing!  Yes or No Wheel of Chance

Game Idea #6

We then create a scavenger on the internet for a part of a lapbook they can build. Inside the picture of the skeleton with arrows pointing to bones. They can hunt for these on a site such as Anatomy Arcade. This is a great way for them to review using the internet. They can label their diagram in their mini- lapbook included in today's freebie! Sign up today for your free pack or check your inbox if you are already part of my newsletter subscribers the email was sent today! I will also put it in our Free Resources Secret Page. Get the secret code when you sign up! Lots of great resources being added!

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No Bones about it...making a science lesson more engaging can really help students retain information!