We love finding read alouds to share with students during the holidays. This is a great opportunity to teach students about holidays they may not know much about, for example Groundhog Day. Today we are spotlighting a fun read aloud for this holiday, Groundhog’s Day Off. While it is a fictional story, this book can be used to introduce this holiday and teach students about this tradition. - Jodi and the Starts With a Story Team
SUMMARY
Groundhog is getting tired of the same routine year after year. He wishes the tourists and reporters would ask him personal questions for once, rather than focusing on the weather. He decides that he is going to take a vacation. Before heading to the spa, Groundhog leaves a note to the people explaining they’ll have to find someone else for Groundhog Day this year.Â
The mayor decides that they will hold auditions for the role of Groundhog. Many animals try out but no one is right for the job. While watching the news, Groundhog hears the Mayor talking about how special Groundhog was. Groundhog is excited to hear how much people think of him and rushes back to his hole. Everyone is excited to hear from him and ask him questions. On Groundhog Day, he is finally able to get what he had always wanted. Everyone is interested in him instead of the weather.
At the end of the day Groundhog happily heads back to his hole, and later he hears on the news that Bunny has quit!
USE THIS BOOK TO TEACH:
Here are some different ways you can use Groundhog’s Day Off in your own classroom.
- Introduce students to new vocabulary words as you read the story.Â
- Ask students to sequence events of the story. This is an important skill when it comes to retelling a story.Â
- Discuss the plot of the book and examine the problems and solutions throughout the story.Â
- Engage students in a persuasive writing activity.
- Integrate poetry into your read aloud by having students write poems based off the book.
- Introduce students to the colon and explain what colons are used for.Â
- Practice reading italics with expression.Â
- Discuss what it means to advocate for yourself and how it would have changed the story
NO-PREP PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES:
If you are looking for “ready to go” activities for the first day of school, be sure to check out the book companion. With it you’ll receive all of the following resources to align with this specific book:
- comprehension questions
- 30Â writing prompts with themed paper
- vocabulary activities
- word study print & go activities
- ideas for grammar lessons with focus sentence printables
- social emotional learning discussion topics
- graphic organizers to target specific comprehension skills and strategies
All you will need is the book and you’ll be on your way to a great lesson!
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL BOOK SUGGESTIONS
You and your students will also love these similar books:
- Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli
- Grace for President by Kelly PDiPucchio
- Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
- Spork by Kyo Maclear
TRY OUT A SAMPLE COMPANION
It's hard to explain how amazing the Starts with a Story book companions are because there is just so much goodness included in each one. It's best if you experience using one for yourself. Sign up below & we'll send you an entire book companion to try out for FREE!
