Article
Illustrations by Courtney Huddleston
Earth and Space, Physical Science,

The Case of the Groundhog's Shadow

What affected the groundhog’s prediction?

By Dani Leviss
From the February 2023 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will analyze clues from a fictional text and a hands-on investigation to figure out what caused a mysterious event.

Focus Area: Solar System and Universe, Sound, Light, and Other Waves,
Standards
  • NGSS: Core Idea: PS4.B, ESS1.B CCSS: Reading Literature: 1. TEKS: Science: 3.3A, 4.3A, 5.3A, 5.9, 6.3A; ELA: 3.6F, 4.6F, 5.6F, 6.5F

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Shivering, Julie climbed the bleachers and sat next to her friend Jason. They were at the school stadium to watch their friend Sadie play in her soccer game. It was evening, but the field was brightened by tall stadium lights.

“It’s so cold!” Jason said.

“Yeah, I can’t wait for winter to end,” said Julie.

“Not me,” said a voice behind them. It was their classmate Miles. “I love winter!”

“We might find out tomorrow how long winter will last,” said Jason. Miles looked puzzled.

“It’s Groundhog Day!” Julie said. “There’s going to be an event here.”

“I can’t wait to see Gordy the groundhog!” said Jason.

Suddenly, the crowd cheered. Sadie’s team had scored! Jason squinted at the scoreboard. “Those lights are so bright!”

“I learned on a tour that each light has 24 bulbs,” said Miles.

“I wish I had sunglasses!” said Jason. He watched the game with a hand shielding his eyes.

Illustrations by Courtney Huddleston

Making Predictions

The next morning, Jason arrived at the stadium’s field with his family for the Groundhog Day Celebration. He found Julie and Sadie with their parents near a stage. A crowd was forming. A few people had signs that said “Think Spring” and “More Winter, Please!”

“Nice win last night,” Jason told Sadie.

“I hope we’ll have the same luck with Gordy!” Julie said.

Just then, Mayor Anderson appeared onstage, followed by a zookeeper holding a groundhog. “Welcome to the 10th annual Groundhog Day Celebration!” said the mayor. “Remember, if Gordy sees his shadow, he’s predicting six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, we’ll have an early spring.”

“Do you think Gordy will see his shadow?” Jason whispered.

“The sky is so cloudy—I don’t think he’ll have a shadow,” said Julie. “And that means spring is coming!”

“Oh, he’ll definitely see his shadow,” said Miles, grinning. “And more winter means more sledding and hot chocolate!”

“No offense to Gordy, but he can’t predict the weather,” said Sadie with a laugh. “Groundhog Day is a myth. I’ll know spring is here when the days get longer and the birds start singing.”

The zookeeper placed Gordy on a table. Julie closed her eyes and whispered, “No shadow.”

The mayor peered down at Gordy. “Folks, we have a prediction.” She released a banner that showed a giant snowflake. “Gordy has seen his shadow. He predicts six more weeks of winter!”

Illustrations by Courtney Huddleston

A Shadow Surprise

“I can’t believe there was a shadow,” said Julie outside the stadium. She pointed to the sky. “Clouds are covering the sun.”

“Yeah, and we don’t have any shadows here on the ground,” said Sadie. “How can Gordy have a shadow and not us?”

“I’m just so glad winter will be longer,” said Miles, smiling.

Jason looked back at the stadium. “Hey, Julie, remember the stadium lights last night?”

“Yeah, they were super bright,” said Julie.

 “I think there was another light source that caused the shadow,” said Jason. “And I think I know who turned it on!”

Solve the Mystery

What caused the groundhog to have a shadow?

Try to solve this mystery with the following materials:

  • flashlight
  • small toy or cup
  • room with windows where lights can be turned off
  • sheet of white paper
  • ruler

Directions: Turn the room’s lights on. Place a small toy on a table. Observe the toy from different angles to see if it has a shadow. Then turn the lights off. Has the shadow changed?

With the lights off, shine a flashlight on the toy from a distance of about 12 inches away. Move the flashlight closer to and farther away from the toy. How does the shadow change?

Activities (2)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

BEFORE READING:

  • Tell students they are going to read a fictional story about a mysterious event. Then they will work together to see if they can solve the mystery with clues from the story and scientific detective work. Remind them to pay close attention so they don’t miss any clues! 

DURING READING:

  • Read the story aloud. After each section, pause to talk about main events and important details in the text (e.g., the stadium has very bright lights; if Gordy the groundhog sees his shadow, more winter is predicted; it’s cloudy  on Groundhog Day) Ask: Do you agree with Julie that Gordy shouldn’t see his shadow because it’s cloudy?  Why or why not? 

  • Tell students that as detectives, they should take a second look at evidence. Distribute the Cracking the Case skills sheet and explain that this will help them evaluate whether information from the text is an important clue. 

  • Model choosing an important event or detail and evaluating its importance using the skills sheet. Let students reread the story in small groups and evaluate two more pieces of information.

AFTER READING:

  • As a class, discuss what each group thought was important from the text. On the board, write events or details that students agree are important. Tell students they will complete their explanation of what happened after they try an investigation.

  • Read the “Solve the Mystery” directions (p. 21) aloud to students or share more detailed instructions from the  Solve the Mystery: The Case of the Groundhog’s Shadow activity. • Have individual or small groups of students create shadows for an object. Make observations about the shadows cast by the object: 1) when the room’s lights are on; 2) when the room’s lights are off; 3) when using a flashlight in the darkened room. (See the hands-on activity for more detailed instructions.) 

  • On page 2 of the activity, students can further investigate light by exploring how moving the flashlight changes the shadow’s size, shape, and position. Discuss students’ results and conclusions. Then have them solve the mystery by finishing their Cracking the Case skills sheet. 

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