The History of Groundhog Day

What day is Groundhog Day celebrated on?

• February 28th

• January 1st

• February 2nd

• March 17th

Why do people gather around to see a furry groundhog pop out of a hole in the ground?

• To see it's cute face

• To know if it sees it's shadow

• To get in line to pet the groundhog

What is a legend?

• A story passed down from earlier times.

• A continent that lies across the Atlantic Ocean from America.

• When animals spend the winter in a deep sleep.

• holes that animals dig in the ground to live in.

Where did the legend being hundreds of years ago?

• America

• Europe

• Asia

• South Africa

In Europe, what animals did they use to celebrate the holiday they call Candlemas?

• Badgers and Hedgehogs

• Zebras and Giraffes

• Lions and Tigers

• Bears

What does the word hibernation mean?

• A story passed down from earlier times.

• A continent that lies across the Atlantic Ocean from America.

• When an animal spends the winter in a deep sleep.

• holes that animals dig in the ground to live in.

If the day was sunny and the animal made a shadow, people believed __________.

• There would be 6 more weeks of winter.

• The animal would go back into hibernation.

• The animal would do a little dance.

• Spring is coming soon.

What is a burrow?

• A story passed down from earlier times.

• A continent that lies across the Atlantic Ocean from America.

• When an animal spends the winter in a deep sleep.

• Holes that animals dig in the ground to live in.

Many years later people from Europe moved to America and wanted to still celebrate Candlemas, but what problem did they have?

• There weren't any hedgehogs or badgers in Pennsylvania.

• The weather was too cold for the holiday.

• They couldn't find any animals in Pennsylvania.

• They didn't make it there in time for the holiday.

Groundhog Day is still celebrated today! What town in Pennsylvania do they have a big party?

• Burrow, Pennsylvania

• Houston, Texas

• Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania

• Groundhog, Pennsylvania