Seeing Shadows

Challenge
Groundhog's Day is an annual tradition held in Punxsutawney, PA  on February 2. On this day, Punxsutawney Phil, comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Know to predict the weather for the rest of winter. If he sees his shadow, there will be 6 more weeks of winter. If he doesn't see his shadow, it will be an early spring! This year will be Phil's 132nd prognostication or prediction. What will it be? 
This month's challenge relates to Phil and his shadow.  Your challenge is to build a device that allows Phil to pop out of his burrow and when he is out, his shadow must be 10cm long.

Your design does have some criteria and constraints. When Phil is in his burrow, he must be completely down in there. When he is popped out of his burrow, he must be fully popped. For example, if pressing down on a lever to pop Phil out, the lever must be pressed all the way not just to make the shadow 10cm long. The light being used should be in a fixed position. Testing of Phil should also be done in the same spot.

Materials

• cardboard boxes
• craft sticks
• cardboard scraps
• rubber bands
• tape
• scissors
• glue
• cardstock
• copy paper
• springs/wire
• blocks
• connecting cubes
• string

Hints and Tips for Success

1. Allow students planning and discussion time by having them experiment with the items to see how flexible and movable they are and what they want to use for their "groundhog."
2. Allow students to place items in front of the light to see the size of the shadow the item makes.
3. After experimenting, allow student groups to plan their final design. Include as many ways to improve their design as needed.
4. For differentiation, adjust the amount of materials available, add any additional materials, take away materials, give every student a box with a hole on top to be used as the burrow, show them items such as seesaws, levers, pop-up cards, jack-in-the-boxes, pulleys, reels, give every group the same groundhog, have each groups make their own groundhog. Adjustments could be made to make it more challenging or simpler.
5. Make sure to set up a testing station where there will be a light shining on to the burrow and an X to mark the spot of where the burrows will be. 
6. Discuss using a ruler to measure 10cm or have strands of string/paper pre-cut that are 10cm.
7. Connect to science topics by correlating this challenge to weather, weather forecasting, measuring, properties of light, shadows, patterns of the Sun.
8. Connect to ELA by reading from the plethora of books about Groundhog's Day and the tradition. Nonfiction books about the previous mentioned science topics or groundhogs would be a great fit as well.  Connect to myths, legends, and traditions since this holiday has background ideas with these topics.
9. Visit http://www.groundhog.org/ for the official website of Punxsutawney Phil to read more information about the tradition.