Alligator Math: Fun Activities
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Alligator Math Fun!
First let's think about alligators. Have you ever seen an alligator? Alligators come in many sizes but their mouths are big! When we visited the alligators in Everglades National Park in Florida we were amazed at how small the babies can be but even more impressed by how big the adults can be. We watched them open their mouths really wide to yawn and stared down into their throats beyond the rows of sharp white teeth. After growing up in New England, alligators were quite exotic. This began our fascination with alligators which has even extended to learning math with an alligator theme.
In this article you will find dozens of fun math activities with an alligator theme. Learn to count, add, subtract, multiply and divide with alligators. Math is made even more fun by creating the alligators using Cuisenaire Rods. What are Cuisenaire Rods and how can you make alligators from them? Slither on down to the swamp, pull out your wooden Cuisenaire Rods and let's discover the fun of math with alligators...
Photo Credit: Cuisenaire Alligator
From A New Adventure Every Day
Used by Permission
Have you ever seen an alligator in real life?
Are you scared of alligators?
Before I had ever seen an alligator in real life I was very scared of them. If someone had told me that I would walk withing 10 feet of an alligator on the Anhinga Trail in Everglades National Park I would not have believed them. The first time I saw an alligator, it just sat there on the edge of the pathway. The alligator was sunning itself as alligators need heat from the sun to become active. I soon learned that the safest time to observe alligators is when the temperatures are cool. Alligators move much more slowly on cold days than warm days.
Brer Rabbit
Virginio ...
Buy This at Allposters.com
In the study, Burst Swimming of Alligators and the Effect of Temperature, scientists found that alligators actually move slower when temperature are low and faster when temperatures are higher. In reading this article we noticed that the dimentions of the tank used to do this experiment were recorded in centimeters. Cuisenaire Rods are perfect for helping us to understand those measurements since each unit is exactly one centimeter square and the subsequent rods are one centimeter square with an increasing length of one centimeter until the 10th or orange Cuisenaire Rod measures 10 centimeters in length.
Today's fun math activity is to read this article about alligators and then use your Cuisenaire Rods to see the lengths and depth of the alligator runs made by the scientists for this experiment. We laid out the Cuisenaire Rods end to end and then stacked more rods on the corners to visualize the depth.
Finally we checked our Thermometer and read the degrees in both Fahrenheit and Celcius to see if the alligators would be quick or slow if set down in our yard today. Test yourself by pretending to be alligators running in the yard. Can you run as fast as an alligator on a hot day? How about on a cold day?
Riding an Alligator.
Available at Allposters
For our Morning Meeting Message I posted this picture of the girl riding an alligator and asked the question, Would you ride an alligator? We used post-its to graph our answers. Now it's your turn:
Alligator Math
Build an Alligator with Cuisenaire Rods
Photo Credit: Cuisenaire Alligator
From A New Adventure Every Day
Used by Permission
Back inside it's time to begin building alligators. You can find a template for creating this Cuisenaire Rod Alligator on the first page of the Cuisenaire Alphabet Book. In the book, the template is sized for a smaller alligator using red, orange and yellow Cuisenaire Rods. By changing the lengths a bit, you can create a green alligator made from light and dark green rods with white rods for teeth.
First make the alligator according to the template in the book. Then make the green alligator. How do they compare in size? Take all of the rods from the first alligator and lay them end to end. Just below it lay out all the pieces for the green alligator end to end.
Which alligator is larger? How many units longer is one than the other? If you wanted to make an alligator that was 2 times as big as the green alligator, what size rods would you need to use?
Adventures in Mama-Land: Cuisenaire Rods & Homeschool Fun for the Younger Set
The inspiration for this mathematical adventure with the fun math of Cuisenaire Rod Alligators.1 point
How to construct a Cuisenaire Alligator
Alligator from the Cuisenaire Alphabet Book
Cuisenaire Alphabet Book
Available on Amazon
The Cuisenaire Alphabet Book shows children how to construct an alligator using Cuisenaire Rods. In the book, the alligator is formed by using red, orange, black and green rods, however by changing the values you can make the alligator entirely out of green rods with white teeth.
Start by having your children build the Cuisenaire Alligator on the template in the book. Once they have mastered the shape and form they will be able to exchange some the other colored rods for light green and dark green rods to create a green alligator.
Alligator Math Fun
Creating Alligator Fun with Math Manipulatives
Alligator Quiz
Fun Math with Alligators
Photo Credit: Cuisenaire Alligator
From A New Adventure Every Day
Used by Permission
In the Mouth of the Alligator!
Greater Than Less Than with Alligators
The greater than and less than signs can be confusing for children unless you introduce them to the Mouth of the Alligator! Alligators are always hungry as evidenced by their open mouths. Alligators are also greedy. They always want to eat the most or greatest amount. In order to point the Greater Than Less Than sign in the right direction, all you have to do is think of them as alligator mouths and have the alligator open its mouth toward the bigger number. What a fun way to learn math!
What will the Alligator Eat?
Fun Math with Alligators
Photo Credit: Greater Than, Less Than Alligator
on Flickr, Creative Commons
The alligator opens its mouth wide to much on the biggest food or number. To head the greater than or less than sign in the right direction, remember that the alligator likes to munch on the largest number.
Greater or Less Than Worksheets
Alligator Math Comparison Worksheets
Excerpt - Back Cover: "... concept of comparing numbers and reinforces the use of the greater than (>), less than (<), and equal (=) signs. ..."
If your child is having difficulty comparing numbers, fractions or coins. Try building the numbers using Cuisenaire Rods. Actually building the numbers with wooden Cuisenaire Rods helps Kinesthetic and Tactile learners feel the math. The colors, sizes and shape of Cuisenaire Rods helps visual learners see the math. After building each number, lay the Cuisenaire Rods out end to end to compare their lengths. The longer length is the greater number. Then make the alligator eat the greater number.
Greater Than / Less Than Worksheets with an Alligator Theme
Practice greater or less than with this alligator themed worksheet.1 point
The Hungry Alligators
Glue "Greater than Alligator" or "Less than Alligator" in each square to show which number is larger. Be sure the alligator is eating the bigger number. Printable Alligator Math worksheets with answers.1 point
Greater Than Less Than Worksheets | Greater Than Less Than Worksheets for Study
Compare fractions, coins and larger numbers. Greater Than / Less Than printable worksheets for more advanced learners. Post an alligator or create a Cuisenaire Alligator new your children's desks for reference.1 point
Alligator Stickers
Creating Math Patterns with Alligator Stickers
Tattoo King Multi Colored Stickers Alligator Fun; 6 Items/Order
Amazon Price: $7.74 (as of 05/28/2012)
Start with plain paper such as newsprint, tissue paper or butcher paper. Use a yardstick to make lines to keep your alligator patterns straight. Then spend a few minutes deciding on a pattern. An ABAB pattern might have alligator, dragonfly, alligator, dragonfly... while an AABA pattern might be alligator, alligator, cattails, alligator, etc.
What kind of pattern could you make using alligator stickers?
Wooden Alligator or Plastic Alligator?
Math Fun with Wooden or Plastic Cuisenaire Rods?
Do you prefer wooden or plastic Cuisenaire Rods for fun math Alligator activities?
Gimme plastic Cuisenaire Rods. The alligator is just going to eat them up anyways.
I prefer Wooden Cuisenaire Rods. They make the alligator look shiny and feel smooth.
theholidayplace says:
wooden
jadehorseshoe says:
Wooden.
Showpup says:
I always prefer wooden over plastic for kids toys. :)
How long is an alligator?
How do you measure an alligator?
Photo Credit: Measure an Alligator
From Look for the Brighter Side by Paula
Used by Permission
Do you just wade into a swamp with your fist full of Cuisenaire Rods to find out how long an alligator is? I don't think so! Here you see where a family has gone to a museum where the actual length of a 14 foot alligator has been painted on the wall. They used their bodies to measure the alligator. What other ways could you measure an alligator?
Math Fun Fans
Join the Math Fun Discussion
Each day we post more fun math sites and discuss fun math activities that will build your children's confidence in their mathematical abilities. One day we might be discussing the fun of creating Cuisenaire Alligators while another we might be discussing fun ways to teach about fractions. Every day the math is fun and you can join in on the conversation.
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Ask the Alligator
Commenting on Fun Alligator Math Activities
Photo Credit: Cuisenaire Rods Small Group Wood
Available on Amazon
Do you have any questions to Ask the Alligator about these fun math ideas? Here is your chance to leave comments, ask questions or suggest other alligator math activities. What would you like to Ask the Alligator?
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theholidayplace
Apr 14, 2012 @ 3:34 pm | delete
- will use this next time with my nephew
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artbyrodriguez
Mar 14, 2012 @ 9:56 am | delete
- Great idea for teaching math. Well done lens.
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jadehorseshoe
Dec 20, 2011 @ 5:17 pm | delete
- FUN lens.
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Showpup
Dec 14, 2011 @ 11:42 pm | delete
- I soooo love your teaching lenses!!
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traveller27
Dec 14, 2011 @ 1:49 pm | delete
- Great lens. Blessed by a travelling angel.
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About the Alligator Math Teacher
Beyond Alligator Math
by Evelyn_Saenz
My passion is teaching and finding ways to teach children in fun, hands-on, creative ways. The unit studies I make on Squidoo reflect my view that learning... more »
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