GROUNDHOG GETS A SAY activities and lesson plan ideas

GROUNDHOG GETS A SAY Activities complement the Groundhog Day read aloud picture book. This Interactive Read Aloud Resource Book Companion Packet includes lesson plans, reading comprehension questions, vocabulary, grammar, phonics, writing and word study activities with both printable and digital student pages.

Following an interactive read aloud of the picture book, GROUNDHOG GETS A SAY by PAMELA CURTIS SWALLOW, choose from the included collection of either printable activities or go paperless and use the digital activities to practice standards-based skills. We've even included editable teaching slides themed to match the book!

THIS READING UNIT FOCUSES ON USING THE MENTOR TEXT TO TEACH:

◼️READING SKILLS

☐ SUMMARIZING / RETELLING

☐ ASKING AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS

☐ AUTHOR'S PURPOSE

☐ POINT OF VIEW

☐ COMPARE AND CONTRAST

◼️GRAMMAR

☐ PRONOUNS

☐ IRREGULAR VERBS

☐ SUFFIXES

☐ QUOTATION MARKS

◼️SEL

☐ INDIVIDUALITY

SUMMARY OF THE MENTOR TEXT:

Groundhog is upset that after Groundhog’s Day, no one is interested in him anymore. He feels that groundhogs deserve better, they do so much more than give a weather report. In fact, he thinks groundhogs deserve a whole month of appreciation! Groundhog starts explaining all the interesting and cool facts about groundhogs to his friends. 

Throughout the book, Groundhog shares a variety of facts about groundhogs. Readers will learn that groundhogs can climb trees, swim, hibernate, and they even whistle! There are so many things that make groundhogs amazing and Groundhog wishes everyone knew them! 

By the end of the story, Groundhog’s friends are convinced. They realize he has many talents and is very cool. The group of friends decide to spread the word about groundhogs. Soon, everyone wants to talk to Groundhog and get his signature. 

This funny and fact filled book is the perfect way to celebrate Groundhogs Day and learn more about this unique animal.

THIS COLLECTION OF ACTIVITIES and LESSON IDEAS INCLUDES:

➜ Comprehension Questions categorized by reading strategy; text-dependent
➜ Social Emotional Learning guidance lesson ideas & discussion topics based on the story
➜ Vocabulary Activities with kid-friendly definitions
➜ Grammar Topics selected to align with the text
➜ Focus Sentences use the book & author's craft as a mentor text to improve writing
➜ Lesson Planner summary, background info and planning space

➜ Story Mapping Printable identify character, setting, problem and solution

➜ Making Words Activity Page use any word from the book

➜ Focus Sentence copy work, identifying elements of the sentence, rewriting)

➜ Design a New Book Cover demonstrate understanding of the text by creating an illustration

➜ Predicting Activity primary-ruled and wider-ruled versions
➜ Summarizing Somebody → Wanted → But → Then → Finally

➜ Comparing and Contrasting using a Venn Diagram

➜ Cause and Effect analyze how events affect one another

➜ Visualization illustrate visualizations from the story and support thinking with text-based evidence

➜ Making Connections identify text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections

➜ Thematic Writing Paper Use with the Writing Prompts... Makes a Great Bulletin Board

➜ 2 Sequencing Activities First → Next → Then → Last and Beginning → Middle → End

➜ 2 Vocabulary Activities Vocabulary Booklet and Word Mapping

➜ 2 Character Trait Activities listing traits and supporting traits with text-based evidence
➜ 30 Text-Based Writing Prompts 3 prompts for each of the following types of writing:

• narrative
• persuasive / opinion
• descriptive
• expository / informative
• creative / story writing
• procedure / how-to
• list making
• letter / postcard writing
• poem
• book reviews

INCLUDED DIGITAL ACTIVITIES:

➜ 5 Teaching Slides to use for instruction (add questions, vocabulary, instructions, etc)

➜ 15 Student Pages for use in Google™️ Classroom or as editable files to create customized printables