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A groundhog burrow can be quite large. Some tunnels can be 50 feet (15 m) long. The burrow has separate rooms for different purposes. Some rooms are for sleeping. Some are for storing food. Others are used as bathrooms. Most burrows have between two and five entrances. That way, groundhogs have several ways to escape predators.
Groundhogs sleep in their burrows during the winter. That is how Groundhog Day got its start. This holiday takes place on February 2. Every year, a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil is lifted from its burrow. If the groundhog sees its shadow, people say that winter will last longer. But if the groundhog doesn’t see its shadow, spring will come soon.
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Making Connections
Text-to-Self
Groundhogs hibernate during winter. What are some activities you usually do during winter?
Text-to-Text
What books have you read about other mammals? What do those animals have in common with groundhogs? How are they different?
Text-to-World
Groundhogs dig burrows. What other types of homes do animals make?
Teacher Resources
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