Five Little Groundhogs
This is a fun and quick little poem for the end of January. It
was published in Lollipops Magazine (no longer published), the Jan./Feb. 1990 issue some years ago, written
by Mabel Duch. I had to soften it a bit because the original version had a gun and a scary looking wolf.
Before
I even start the story, I make sure that the Apron tie fastened around the waist hangs down behind me as flat as possible.
I use this as the "burrow" when the groundhogs run away. Depending on the age of the children, we talk about groundhogs
and other names for them (woodchucks, maybe even marmot), shadows, about the word "burrow" and something about Groundhog's
Day.
As many times as I have recited this poem, I can never remember it correctly, so I have to read it. (Maybe
your brain will be better than mine.) I begin by placing all 5 groundhogs all over the front of the apron, leaving room for
the other pieces to come along and scare them! As each one leaves, I pluck it off the front in a dramatic gesture, as though
it is running away and hiding behind me. I place it on the waist tie hanging down back, or somewhere on the waist tie. as
unobtrusively as possible. As each one runs away, he disappears behind me, as I line them up as best as I can.
When
the poem is over, turn your back to the kids and pretend to look for something behind you. The children will see all the groundhogs
in their "burrow". Someone will tell you, believe me. Act as if you have no idea what they are talking about.
Even turn your head around a bit and try to look behind you, but of course you can't see behind yourself! Look from the
other side. This can be very cute and silly, if you wish. Eventually, I admit they must have run to their burrow. Someone
may say, "Do it again!" I consider this a great complement. They will pretend to be surprised all over again.
There is a great deal of stuff on the web about Groundhog's Day and Punxsutawney Phil. Unfortunately some links will
not exist, as happens over time, but there are many to choose from.
http://www.fvsd.ab.ca/stm/groundhog_day_links.htm#top
(I can't seem to find this anymore, but I am still going to see if I can find it (9-5-2010) )
This website is simply incredible. It seems to have been created by the Fort Vermilion School Division #52 in Alberta, Canada. (Who has
this kind of time?) There are many links to other sites with activities, lesson plans, arts and crafts, coloring pages, poems
& songs, clip art, fun stuff, and sites about all the other Groundhogs in other states and countries. Punxsutawney Phil
is not the only one! (So I have learned!)
http://http://www.groundhog.org/
The official website of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club
http://holidays.kaboose.com/ground-hog-day/
Activities, e-cards, links and history
Below are the files
which will give you all the patterns for this poem. When you click on each one, you can print it directly if you choose "open",
or if you wish to save it as a "Word Document", click on "save" and then print it whenever you want it.
To return to this page after each file is downloaded, printed or saved, click on the return arrow in the upper left hand corner.
Now that all sounds clear and easy, but every time I try it something else pops up, so I imagine your computer will deal with
these files however it feels like at the time! If you have a problem, email me at mary-elin@apronstories.com, and I will send
you these files as attachments in an email.
