PELICAN PETE
~
Helpi n g C h i ld re n
a nd Nat u re Meet
Excavation Experts
Go Outside! Column & Activity Guide
Woodchuck – Mammal
W
oodchucks
(Marmota
monax) are excavation
experts. Digging with
strong front legs and pushing aside
rocks with their head, they create
burrows up to 66’ long and 6’ deep.
In a single day, a woodchuck—also
known as a groundhog—removes
an average of 716 pounds of dirt to
create its lair!
The den consists of a long tunnel
with small toilet chambers to the
side, several escape routes as well
as an enlarged hibernation and
nesting chamber at the end lined
with dry grass and leaves.
Burrows of hibernating woodchucks and their abandoned dens
provide shelter for many other
animals.
L
ook closely in your yard
or neighborhood. Can you
spot tiny or large openings
to burrows? Do you see insects or
other animals digging? Are they
hiding food? Hunting? Building a
home?
Be an excavator! Ask permission
to dig a small tunnel. Make 2 exits
and watch to see who moves in.
Now, gather some friends and
have a relay race. Which team can
push their pile of dirt to the finish
line first using only their hands,
feet, or a stick?
Science: Life Science: BI 14, 17
Physical Eduction: PE Literacy: S 1
Digging, digging all day long,
Keeps my body big and strong.
When they put me to the test,
I can tunnel with the best!
Language Arts: Literary Analysis: Fiction
More Fun Facts & Activities at PelicanPete.com
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08A09 Page 1
PELICAN PETE ~
Alliteration: words used together that start with the same first
letter or sound, like Perky Pelican
Pete. Can you find examples of
alliteration on this page?
Make alliterations! Look to the
right and think of two words that
begin with the same letter as the
word listed. Choose words that
describe the item.
Helping Children and Nature Meet
Use the print or online version of
the newspaper to find the answers
to these nature questions:
_______________
_______________
Language Arts: Information and Media
Literacy
groundhog
1. Where & what habitats are being
destroyed by human excavation?
Locate them on a map?
_______________
_______________
Science: Life Science: BI 17
Social Studies: Geography: S 1, 2
den
2. What animals survive winter by
hibernating?
_______________
Language Arts: Literary Analysis: Fiction
Language Arts: Reading Process: Phonics
and Word Analysis
Language Arts: Writing Applications:
Creative
TM
Science: Life Science: BI 17
_______________
3. Why is Groundhog Day celebrated?
expert
Social Studies: Time, Continuity, and
change: S 1
Crossing trails, following clues, and research
are part of nature studies. Take the challange!
These words were used on
the first page. Do you know their
meaning?
Answers on page 4
Clues to words from page 1:
Down
1. The place you live
2. Animal’s hidden resting place
4. Get free
6. Underground passage
7. Soil
11. A race taking turns
Across
3. Two or more working together
5. Place for protection
10
8. Another name for lair
9. Move earth with paws
10. Very skilled
12. The way out
1
2
3
excavate - __________________
4
5
____________________________
6
7
8
9
burrow - ___________________
____________________________
chamber - __________________
11
12
____________________________
hibernate - _________________
___________________________
Language Arts: Vocabulary Development
More Fun Facts & Activities at PelicanPete.com
Answers on page 4
Language Arts: Vocabulary Development
Science: The Nature of Science: BI 3
Sagaponack Books © 2008
08A04 Page 2
PELICAN PETE ~
Discuss the following topics
with teachers, friends, or family:
1. Responsible land development
Helping Children and Nature Meet
Nature requires close observation to follow trails, tracks, and
signs to locate animals in their habitats. Can you follow the
trail to find the woodchuck’s burrow?
Social Studies: People, Places, and
Environments: S 2
Social Studies: Economics: S 1
Science: Life Science: BI 17
Science: The Nature of Science: BI 4
2. Hibernation
Science: Life Science: BI 14, 17
3. Escape routes
Science: Life Science: BI 17
1. Draw or craft an under-ground
burrow with chambers and escape
routes for an imaginary animal.
Explain features for protection from
predators and the environment.
Visual Arts: Skills and Techniques: S 1
Visual Arts: Creation & Communication
Science: Life Science: BI 14, 17
Language Arts: Writing Applications:
Creative
Science: The Nature of Science: BI 1
Science: Life Science: BI 17
2. Make a woodchuck puppet from
a brown paper bag.
Visual Arts: Skills and Techniques: S 1
Science: Life Science: BI 14
3. Predict the weather for a set
period of time. Chart daily temperatures and conditions to test your
accuracy.
Science: The Nature of Science: BI 1
Science: Earth and Space Science: BI 7
Math: Data Analysis Support
Math: Geometry and Measurement
Support
More Fun Facts & Activities at PelicanPete.com
A rhyme is two words or sentences
that sound alike at the end. Rhythm
is the beat of a poem.
Write a two-line nature poem
using the words dig and big.
Language Arts: Literary Analysis: Fiction
Language Arts: Reading Process: Phonics
and Word Analysis
Language Arts: Writing Applications:
Creative
______________________________________________________dig,
______________________________________________________big!
Create more poems using different rhyming words and rhythms.
Sagaponack Books © 2008
08A04 Page 3
TM
PELICAN PETE ~
Helping Children and Nature Meet
Visual Arts: Skills and Techniques
!
Science: Life Science: BI 17
These woodchucks want to explore. Create a friendly habitat for them.
Answers to Definitions
Answers to Crossword
excavate: dig
burrow: tunnel
chamber: room
hibernate: lie dormant
Pelican Pete ~ Helping Children and Nature Meet
Column & Activity Guide
Illustrations © 2008 Hugh Keiser Verse/Did You Know/Go Outside © Frances Keiser 2008
All other contents © 2008 Sagaponack Books
All rights reserved. The publisher and authors have made every reasonable effort to insure
the activities in this publication are safe when conducted as suggested. We assume no
responsibility for any damage or injury caused or sustained while performing the activities.
More Fun Facts & Activities at PelicanPete.com
TM
Marketing Director Jennifer Sellars
Office Manager Tara Dunn
Editors Beth Mansbridge
Ronnie Moore
Research Amanda Johnson
David Hadas
Activities/Standards Dena Meyerhoff
Layout Design Frances Keiser
Den
Dig
Dirt
Escape
Exit
Expert
Home
Lair
Relay
Shelter
Team
Tunnel
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