Fun light science experiments, STEM challenges, and more!...and curiosity within your kids. In this pack, find a fun selection of Groundhog Day activities, challenges, and experiments

GROUNDHOG DAYA C T I V I T Y P A C K F O R K I D S

Fun light science experiments, STEM challenges, and more!

w w w . l i t t l e b i n s f o r l i t t l e h a n d s . c o m

INTRODUCTION:

Welcome to your Groundhog Theme STEM Pack filled with great STEM and science

activities every junior scientist and engineer should try! I hope it sparks creativity

and curiosity within your kids.

In this pack, find a fun selection of Groundhog Day activities, challenges, and

experiments. I have added supplies, setup instructions, and simple science

information for each activity. The pack also includes a fun STEM project and

extras to share with your kids. Our packs now include simple writing activities!

Feel free to use this pack with one junior scientist or a whole group of junior

scientists. You may copy activities as many times as you like for your class, but

please send your friends to grab their pack instead of sharing files.

~ Thank you!

G R O U N D H O G D A Y S T E M P A C K

GROUNDHOG DAY WRITING ACTIVITYOur NEW cover page includes the opportunity to draw and write about

your Groundhog Day prediction.

Cover Directions:

Do you think the groundhog will see his shadow? Use

the cover page to draw your prediction. If you think

he will see his shadow be sure to draw the groundhog

and his shadow. You can add weather elements and

plants, too. Add as many details as possible!

Groundhog Day Journal

Writing Page Directions:

According to legend, if the groundhog sees his

shadow, there will be six more weeks of bad winter

weather. However, if the groundhog does not see his

shadow, it is a sign that spring have an early arrival.

Would you rather the groundhog see his shadow or

not see his shadow? Use the lines provided to record

your answer. Be sure to include at least one reason.

© Little Bins for Little Hands

Will the Groundhog see His Shadow?


Here’s My Prediction!

Groundhog’s Shadow


Would you rather the groundhog see his

shadow or not see his shadow? Why or why not?

L I G H T S C I E N C E A C T I V I T I E SExplore fun light science activities right through spring! Learn new

vocabulary words, read fun facts, and try simple activities!

Illuminate

To light up something

Light

Reflection shadow

Makes things visible

When light bounces

off of a surface are made when a light

source is blocked

Dark shapes that

LIGHT SCIENCE VOCABULARY WORDS


transmit opaque

transparent translucent

To go through

Light passing through

a clear object

through so the light is reflected or absorbed

No light can pass

pass through and some light can not

Some light can




Visible light

Light the human eye can see


LIGHT SCIENCE facts

Light does not have matter. It's not really a solid, liquid, or gas, and it has no mass. However, light still exists and is very important to us! Light is a form of energy.

Without light, our planet would be cold and dark. We use the light from the Sun to illuminate our world and give us heat! Otherwise, Earth would be cold and dark. Light also helps out plants to grow through a process called photosynthesis.

Light behaves differently when it comes into different types of matter. For instance, light shines through water and air because these states of matter are transparent. Light can't go through you, your pet dog, or the book you are reading, so it is reflected. This is because these objects are all opaque. Sometimes light does a bit of both: it passes through and it doesn't. This is called translucent. Wax paper is a good example of a translucent object.

Did you know that light is the fastest moving thing in the universe? It only takes about eight minutes for light to reach the Earth from the sun.


LIGHT SCIENCE experiment

Objective:

Explore the differences between opaque,

transparent, and translucent materials.

Supply Ideas

Experiment and explore Collect different objects to explore how light passes through different things. Additionally, take your flashlight on a scavenger hunt around the house or classroom and explore wood, glass, metal, and larger items of interest.

Flashlight Foam Plate Clear Plastic Lids

Cardboard Grocery Bags Colored Plastic Lids

Book Wax Paper Clear Plastic Bags

Tissue Paper Mirror Glass of Water

Use the chart on the next page to record observations.

Is the item transparent, translucent, or opaque?


LIGHT SCIENCE experiment

Material Transparent Translucent Opaque


Make Shadow Puppets

Materials: animal silhouettes, straws, tape, flashlight or sunlight

Shadow STEAM Activity Materials: opaque objects such as blocks or plastic animals,

paper, pencils, crayons or markers, a source of light

Directions:

Set up a large sheet of paper on a table in a sunny spot either indoors or

outdoors. Set up your objects on the paper so that the sun is behind the objects

casting the objects' shadows onto the paper. Outline around the

shadows and create a work of art!

Directions:

Explore shadows using the cut outs and either the sun's light or a flashlight

and open wall space. Experiment with changing the size and shape of the

shadow by moving the light source closer or farther away, or changing

the angle of the light source.

Changing Shadow Activity Directions:

Why does your shadow move and change shape throughout the day? As the

sun moves across the sky, its height in the sky changes, too.

Go outside in the morning with a friend and observe your shadow with the sun

behind you. Take turns drawing outlines of one another and measuring the

length of your shadows. Go back out at noon and see how the shadow has

changed. Go out again a few hours later and observe the shadow again.

You will see the shortest shadow at noon. Shadows will be the longest at the

beginning and end of the day when the sun is lower in the sky.

What happens when you use a flashlight with the puppets in a dark room?


G R O U N D H O G D A Y Q U I C K S T E M C H A L L E N G E SAdd these Groundhog STEM challenge cards to a simple engineering kit

filled with easy to find supplies. Encourage your kids to get creative!

This activity is perfect for fun individual, group, or team projects and a

great addition to maker spaces or tinker tables.

Groundhog’s DayGroundhog’s DayGroundhog’s Day

Activity & Engineer’s Activity & Engineer’s Activity & Engineer’s NotebookNotebookNotebook

Groundhog’s Day Engineering Activity Supply ListGroundhog’s Day Engineering Activity Supply ListGroundhog’s Day Engineering Activity Supply List Scissors

Screws

Screwdriver

Shredded paper

Skewers

Soil

Sponges

Springs

Stapler

Straws

Sticks

String

Styrofoam balls

Sugar cubes

Tape

Tape measure

Tea lights

Thread

Tin can

Toilet paper

Toothpicks

Twine

Twist ties

Washi Tape

Water

Whirly gig

Wire

Wooden planks

Yarn

Zip ties

Acrylic paint

Aluminum foil

Baking soda

Brown Baggies

Bamboo sticks

Cardboard

Clay

Coffee filters

Cookie cutters

Cornstarch

Cotton balls

Cotton swabs

Craft paper

Craft sticks

Dryer hose

Duct tape

Easter grass

Feathers

Felt

Flat marbles

Flashlights

Food coloring

Funnel

Gears

Glitter (gold)

Glitter glue

Glow stars

Glue

Golf tees

Hammer

Hinges

K’nex®

Leaves

LEGO® bricks

Lollipop sticks

Magnets

Marbles

Markers

Measuring cups

Nails

Nuts and bolts

Paint

Paper

Paper towel tubes

Paper cups

Paper clips

Paper towels

Paper roll tubes

Pencil

Pens

Pipe cleaners

Plastic containers

Plastic pipes

Plastic spoons

Potting soil

Pulleys

Ribbon

Rubber Bands

Research & Design a Groundhog BurrowResearch & Design a Groundhog BurrowResearch & Design a Groundhog Burrow

Challenge: Build a simple machine a groundhog could use to

get in/out of his burrow.

Possible Supplies: rope, yarn, string, gears, pulleys, screws,

screwdriver, nuts and bolts, skewers, toothpicks

Challenge: Do some research to determine what a groundhog

burrow is like. Then using your STEM supplies design and build a

model.

Possible Supplies: use paper, pens, pencils, and markers to design your burrow.

Challenge: Build a burrow for a groundhog.

Possible Supplies: clay, play dough, twigs, soil, potting soil,

leaves, sticks, brown baggies, paper roll tubes, toilet paper,

paper towels

Build a Burrow for a GroundhogBuild a Burrow for a GroundhogBuild a Burrow for a Groundhog

Challenge: Can you use your building blocks, or other materials

to build a model of a groundhog?

Supplies: LEGO® building blocks, K’nex®, wood slats, or other

types of building materials such as craft sticks, toothpicks,

skewers, craft paper, brown baggies

Build a Groundhog Build a Groundhog Build a Groundhog

Build a Simple Machine Build a Simple Machine Build a Simple Machine

© LittleBinsforLittleHands.com

Explore Light and ShadowExplore Light and ShadowExplore Light and Shadow

Challenge: Design and make a shadow puppet. Then, using

your flashlight, test your design.

Possible Supplies: flashlight, cardboard, craft paper, paper,

markers, fabric, scissors

Make a Shadow PuppetMake a Shadow PuppetMake a Shadow Puppet

Challenge: Use a flashlight to explore light and

shadows.

Possible Supplies: flashlight, dark area or room, a

variety of shapes use objects in the room as well as

items found on your supply list.


Groundhog to use with your burrow, and simple machine.

Groundhog graphics by:

Dot’s Designs

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Dots-Designs

Groundhog Burrow Challenge

STEM Journal Pages

Engineering Design Process

B U I L D A B U R R O W S T E M C H A L L E N G ETry this Groundhog Day themed, problem-based challenge, and get thekids thinking about the engineering design process and animal habitats.

What's Included:

Build a BurrowBuild a BurrowBuild a Burrow STEM ChallengeSTEM ChallengeSTEM Challenge

Do some research to determine what a groundhog burrow is

like. Then use your STEM supplies to design and build a model.

The Challenge:

Entrance hole

Plunging hole

Food Turn Around

Toilet

Tunnels

Sleeping

Nesting


Label the Burrow

Cut out the labels below. Sort and label the diagram above.


Entrance hole Plunging hole

Food Turn Around

Toilet Tunnels Sleeping

Nesting


Build a burrow

Entrance hole

Plunging hole Food

Turn Around

Toilet

Tunnels

Sleeping

Nesting

Cut out the shapes below and use them to build a burrow for your groundhog.


Draw Your Design Possible Supplies:

clay, play dough, twigs, soil, potting soil, leaves, sticks, brown baggies, paper roll

tubes, toilet paper, paper towels

What is the problem?

What works? What

doesn’t? What could

be better?

What are some solutions?

Follow your plan and create something.

Test it out!

Draw a diagram and make a list of needed

materials.

What is the problem? What do I need to know? How can I solve the problem?

What information will I need? What are some solutions? How can I solve the problem?

What things do I need to use? Draw a diagram and make a list of needed materials.

Follow your plan and create something. Test it out!

What changes can I make to make it better?


Questions for Reflection

1. What were some of the challenges you

discovered along the way?

2. What worked well and what did not

work well?

3. What part of your model or prototype do you

really like? Explain why.

4. What part of your model or prototype needs

improvement? Explain why.

5. What other materials would you like to use if

you could do this challenge again?

6. What would you do differently next time?

7. What parts of your model or prototype are

similar to the real world version?

Use these questions for reflection with your kids after they have completed

the STEM challenge to encourage discussion of results and critical thinking.

G R O U N D H O G A C T I V I T I E SMake shadow puppets and make predictions for this popular winter day!

windy cloudy sunny

snowy partly cloudy rainy

What special day is it today? Groundhog Day Weather Report

What is the date today?

What is the weather today? (Color your answer.)

What is the temperature today?


Name Yes No

Totals

Groundhog’s Shadow Prediction Chart


Use tally marks to record the predictions from the chart.

Groundhog Day Math

Write a math sentence to show the difference between yes

answers and no answers.

YES NO

Which answer has the most tally marks? Color your answer.


Animal Silhouette Puppets Activity

Groundhog graphics via: Dot’s Designs


Procedure:

Cut out the silhouettes. Tape each animal

to a single straw. Then, find a location

where there is sunlight streaming through

the window. Use the animal silhouettes

to cast shadow puppets on the wall.

Spin, twist and shake your shadow

puppet to see what happens.

Think about it:

What about when there isn’t sunlight

streaming through the window?

What would happen? What else can

you use to create a shadow?

What happens when you try casting

shadows against a darker colored wall?

W HA T ’ S T HE SCIE N C E B E HIN D SHA D O W S?

Shadows are all about physics and light. You need a source of

light for there to be a shadow. This is the reason why the

groundhog may or may not see his shadow depending on the

weather that day.

Here, we are using the sun as our light source. When an object is in

front of the light source it blocks the light and creates the shadow.

Since the light can’t pass through our paper, it creates a shadow

on the wall.

If our paper were transparent however, the light would pass

through and there would NOT be a shadow! You can also play

around with the angle you hold your stick shadow puppets or how

close or far from the wall you hold them. What happens?

Now when Groundhogs Day rolls around you will know exactly

what’s going on!

Supplies needed:

animal silhouettes

straws

scissors

tape

sunlight

flashlights

C L I P A R T C R E D I T P A G E

Credit is given to the following:


https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/10-Hibernating-Animals-Clip-Art-453670

Documents

Fun light science experiments, STEM challenges, and more!...and curiosity within your kids. In this pack, find a fun selection of Groundhog Day activities, challenges, and experiments