Every February 2nd, children wake up with one question, “Did the groundhog see his shadow?” It’s such a fun day that is rich in history. I have vivid memories as a child of the excitement of the day as I watched the news to see what they said or ran off to school for the day to discuss it with my classmates. A groundhog is not a creature that we see every day and the fact that this animal could predict the weather–WOW! To help draw on the excitement in your classroom, here is a Groundhog Day read aloud, or several, to help bring the conversation back to something academic in reading.
**Amazon affiliate links are used below at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting the blog in this small way!
In this story, Groundhog reports that spring is here early, but creatures across the country are not so sure he is right. They write to him and let him know that he has gotten it wrong. Creatures begin to question, “How can a groundhog up north report the weather down south?” So Groundhog decides he needs some help and puts an ad in the newspaper to apply for Groundhog Weather School! This fun-filled story teaches you many true things about Groundhog Day and weather reporting. Will Groundhog find some help? You’ll have to read to find out! This book is excellent to teach readers how to determine importance or main idea and details.
This story is about Groundhog and his feelings. He is fed up with people only caring about his ability to report the weather, so he sets off on vacation. As the mayor scrambles to find a replacement, the townspeople quickly realize that there is no one else for the job! This groundhog day read aloud is great for teaching readers how to summarize a story.
Get the lesson for Groundhog’s Day Off HERE!
Poor Groundhog is SICK and just one day before Groundhog Day! He decides to search for a substitute for himself. Many animals try to get the job for the day, but none are as good as Groundhog until he finds Armadillo, a new friend from Texas. Armadillo does a fine job and reports six more weeks of winter. Groundhog realizes that only one thing will make him feel better–an early spring. So Groundhog sets off for Texas to enjoy an early Spring! This read aloud is great for making text-to-text connections with Groundhog’s Day Off.
What happens when Groundhog gets the weather WRONG? Oh no! In this fun-filled story, Groundhog is shocked to learn that he doesn’t have quite the gift he thought he did. How is he going to work through this as his “gift” has caused the carnival to be ruined? Read this book with your class and model how to summarize a story as you find out how it ends!
This is coming SOON to The Read Aloud Library, Feb 2025!
Has there ever been a girl groundhog report the weather? There is now! Phyllis is not like all the other groundhogs. She enjoys being outside, splashing in the rain, and soaking up the sun. She is determined to be the next Punxsutawney Phil, but her family thinks she is just crazy! When Phil won’t wake up on his big day, she is the one who finally gets him awake. He invites her outside the burrow to gather the weather report and realizes what a gift Phyllis has. This groundhog day read aloud is great for teaching character traits and feelings.
Groundhog has quite a dilemma! Each year, half of his friends are thrilled with his weather report, and the other half are disappointed. How can he please both? He’s not the weathermaker; he’s the weather reporter! He ends up in quite a pickle! Read to find out how Groundhog gets out of the dilemma! This read aloud is great for teaching students how to identify theme.
Get this Groundhog’s Dilemma lesson HERE!
Has a groundhog ever been bothered by his shadow? In this story, he certainly has! Phil’s shadow couldn’t be more different than him. Phil is relaxed, likes routine, and being on time. His shadow, on the other hand, is full of adventure! When Phil has had enough, he tells his shadow to “go away!”. Phil has to set off on his own adventure to find his shadow. Phil and his shadow soon learn they can be great friends and learn to compromise. This book is a great fit for teaching readers how to infer!
Have you ever wondered if groundhogs get to celebrate Valentine’s Day if they see their shadow and declare six more weeks of winter? I hadn’t until I read this lovely story. Groundhog’s friends all want him to come to Moose’s Valentine’s Day party, but he can’t if he sees his shadow. His pals set off to find a way to keep him from staying in his burrow. They don’t succeed, but they DO succeed in Porcupine declaring it GroundHUG Day. This story, Groundhug Day, is perfect to lead into Valentine’s Day! This book is perfect for teaching readers how to make predictions as they read.
No matter which Groundhog Day read aloud you choose to read with your kids, there are many reading strategies and skills to be taught! Make your read alouds meaningful while also making them engaging for your budding readers.
Join us inside The Read Aloud Library, where we are building skilled readers through read alouds!
Want to use the latest research to boost your readers during small groups? This FREE guide is packed with engaging ideas to help them grow!
I’m a K-1 teacher who is passionate about making lessons your students love and that are easy to implement for teachers. Helping teachers like you navigate their way through their literacy block brings me great joy. I am a lifelong learner who loves staying on top of current literacy learning and practices. Here, you’ll find the tools you need to move your K-2 students forward!
