Alligators in the Classroom
Alligator Pie is a great poem for introducing the alligator theme. Use it in a reading chart and then go on to learn about the alligators.
Alligators bring us eye to eye with the watery, muddy world of the swamp.
Write a poem or explore an alligator hole. Get wet, muddy and excited about reading, science and math.
Slither into the Swamp of Learning...
Alligator Pie Table of Contents
- What is an alligator?
- Alligator Pie
- Dennis Lee wrote Alligator Pie
- The Alligator Hole
- The Alligator Nest
- Alligator Math
- What could you do with an alligator cookie cutter?
- Alligator Pie
- Alligators on eBay
- Alligator Teeth
- Alligator Games
- Alligator Arts and Crafts
- The Alligators are now in the News!
- Tell me your most exciting encounters with Alligators or other swamp creatures.
What is an alligator?
Alligators have a large, slightly rounded bodies, with thick limbs, broad heads, and very powerful tails.
Males can weigh 500 lbs to over 1000 pounds. Adult Alligators are about 13 to 14.5 feet long with half of that length being the tail.
The tail is mostly used to propel the alligator through the water.
Alligators travel very quickly in water but slow-moving on land.
They can, however, lunge short distances very quickly.
Alligators have five toes in front and four in back.
Everglades Poem!
by Susie Saenz
way it sounds like the wind through the meadows:
On the little meadow,
By the trails side,
In a little bush,
The mocking birds hide,
By the lily pads,
Underneath the waters glow,
An anhinga finds a fish,
Putting on quite a show,
Cicadas buzz 'round,As the alligators sleep,
The turtles come up to breath,
Then keep swimming in the deep,
Warblers flit around,
Through the tall grasses green,
The look around for danger,
With their little eyes so keen,
The green heron sits,
And seems to wait all day,
Until it spots it's lunch,
And, hunting, flies away,
A damselfly doesn't fly,
As well as a dragonfly,
But I know it'll probably try,
To soar, majestic, true and high,
Walking back on the trail I see,
Otters coming to greet me,
And air plants upon the trees,
Little fish are here swimming,
Purple flowers blossoming,
And tall grass blowing in the wind,
All this on the trail I've found,
And only by looking around,
The Everglades has much to see,
Just look around, take time like me!
Alligator Pie
by Dennis Lee
Alligator pie, alligator pie,If I don't get some I think I'm gonna die.
Give away the green grass, give away the sky,
But don't give away my alligator pie.
Alligator stew, alligator stew,
If I don't get some I don't know what I'll do.
Give away my furry hat, give away my shoe,
But don't give away my alligator stew.
Alligator soup, alligator soup,
If I don't get some I think I'm gonna droop.
Give away my hockey stick, give away my hoop,
But don't give away my alligator soup.
Dennis Lee wrote Alligator Pie
Dennis Lee is the Canadian Poet who wrote Alligator Pie in 1974.
- Dennis Lee, Poems
- Dennis Lee, Poems
Alligator Pie
From: Alligator Pie. Toronto: Macmillan, 1974. - Dennis Lee - New Stuff
- Welcome to www.AlligatorPie.ca! A tribute to Canadian author and poet, Dennis Lee. Includes Bio, list of books and poems and a guestbook.
Absolutely Alligators
This is one of the best books I have found for teaching beginning readers about Alligators and creatures of the swamp.
You make a Swamp Bucket by writing words from the poem Alligator Pie onto blank index cards. Use magnets to make the words stick. The children work together putting the words in order to form the sentences.
1. Make Swamp Buckets with magnetic words that form sentences.
2. Blackline Masters
3. Alligator Poems
4. Dragonfly Craft project.
Alligator Fiction
Reading and writing about alligators can be lots of fun.
Alligator Non-Fiction Picture Books
After reading these books to the children I like to make them available to take home in Take Home Literacy Bags.
Parents love to learn more about what their children are learning in school.
The Alligator Hole
During the dry season, alligators create "gator holes" which may be the only source of water around.
Make a bulletin board of an Alligator Hole and label it "Who Lives in the Alligator Hole?" As you read about alligators draw the animals and plants that are found in and around the hole. Label each one to make a thematic "Word Wall"
Alligator Chapter Books
The Alligator Nest
An alligator nest is a pile of rotting grass, other vegetation and mud. The pile is 3 1/2 to 6 feet across and 1 to 2 feet high, sitting in a site 13 to 18 feet across that has been cleared of vegetation by the female. By the first week in July, she lays a clutch of 20 to 70 cylindrical eggs. The eggs are 3 to 3 1/2 inches long, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and are buried 3 to 14 inches deep in the nests. Incubation takes about 65 days.
The female alligator stays close to guard the eggs from raiding raccoons, skunks and opossums. After the eggs hatch in late summer, the pod of baby alligators will stay together through their first winter and often through their second winter as well. The mother alligator stays close to her pod of babies, protecting them from male alligators, herons and humans.
Baby alligators must feed themselves. They eat minnows crayfish, snails, insects and tadpoles. They grow 9 to 10 inches each year for the first five years. As they mature, their diet expands to include fish, turtles, snakes, frogs, waterfowl, wading birds, raccoons, carrion and just about anything they can catch. By six years of age, they are mature and ready to breed.
WARNING: A female alligator will protect her family. Never approach a pile of rotting grass. Never approach a pod of baby alligators.
Look for more egg related lessons at Bluebirds and Take Home Literacy Bags.
Oviparous Center
Oviparous animals are animals that lay eggs.
1. Put an egg laying animal in each egg.
2. On the inside of the egg write the name of the animal.
3. Provide a recording sheet with the sentence "__________are egg layers."
4. Children open the egg and write the name on the record sheet.
Alligator Math
Use Alligator mouths to indicate Greater Than or Less Than signs.
This is a fun way to learn the Greater Than/Less Than symbols. You can even let the kids paint their hands green. Once dry, their hands become the alligators that eat the greater amount.
Go to Edutunes.com! to listen to the song.
What could you do with an alligator cookie cutter?
Add your ideas...
Make Cookies and frost with green icing.
The recipe could be written out and laminated for more...2 points
Cut alligator shapes out of green foam sheets.
Use these as manipulatives for doing math problems more...2 points
Cajun Night Before Christmas
Cajun Night Before Christmas (Night Before Christmas Series)
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 07/26/2008)
Alligator Pie
Alligator Pie (Collector's Edition)
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Alligator Pie and Other Poems
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Dinosaur Dinner (With a Slice of Alligator Pie)
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Alligator Pie is the Best
Alligators on eBay
These games would be great for learning centers or literacy bags.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Alligator Teeth
Scientists have learned much through the study of animal jaws and teeth - diet, predatory habits and species size to name a few. Until now, most classroom study was limited to text book pictures and descriptions. Hands on Animal Bites brings the study of animal habits to a much more personal level. Each kit includes a fascinating collection of teeth and mandible fragments chosen to reflect the diversity of diet and behavior within the animal kingdom. Three samples from each of the major dietary groups - herbivore, carnivore and omnivore - have been handcrafted to bring stark realism to the classroom. This unique science kit is ideal for the exploration and teaching of the differences and adaptability that occur in nature, and functions as an exciting learning center perfect for individual, group and classroom instruction. Included are replicas of a hippopotamus, beaver, mountain gorilla, coyote, Alligators, African Lion, human, , grizzly bear and baboon - each an excellent representative of it respective group. A set of classroom tested lesson plans and interactive exercises accompany each tooth kit, enabling teachers or parents to easily carry out an efficient, exciting and thought provoking learning experience.
Alligator Songs and Poems
There was an alligator sitting on a log.
Down in the pool he saw a little frog.
In jumped the alligator!
Around went the log!
Splash went the water, and away swam the frog!
Row, Row, Row your boat, gently down the stream,
If you see an alligator don't forget to scream!
Alligator Teeth Literacy Bag
Hand puppets offer a gateway to creative play, and this realistic alligator puppet extends an enticing invitation to explore the swamplands! This 24-inch-long plush alligator has an olive body with black scales, a scaly tan underside, and protruding black eyes. Slip your hand inside the overstuffed body and the alligator rests solidly upon your arm, awaiting your slightest movement. Wiggle your arm and the alligator walks along the swamp bank on four outstretched legs with his tail swaying. Open your hand and the alligator opens his jaws wide--watch out for those pointy white teeth! The best thing about this adorable puppet is that it's equally comfortable for pint-sized and full-sized hands! See ya later alligator! --Tami Horiuchi
There is also a Tooth Fairy Literacy Bag that the kids love to take home.
Alligator Games
- Alligator Swamp
- Can your child rescue the beanbag frog without stepping on any of the alligators?
- Alligator Pond
- Play the free strategy game trying to help the ducks cross the alligator hole before the alligator gets them.
Alligator Arts and Crafts
This project needs a lot of help for younger children. Invite an older class to come in and pair up with your children. This cooperative activity helps the social unity of the school.
Ask the older children to make extras of these alligator boxes for your learning centers. Write the word noun on one alligator box and verb on the other.
Make paper eggs and write words that the children are learning on the eggs. On the back of the eggs you could write the words noun or verb for self checking. The eggs should fit in the alligator box's mouth.
The children feed the right eggs to the alligators.
- Skip To My Lou
- How to make a Pillow Box Alligator
Alligators on CafePress
Fly to The Everglades to see the Alligators
The Alligators are now in the News!
Everglades python tries to eat alligator... and bursts!
Thank you to the Wheelers for including the Alligators in their Directory.
Internet Directory of Unit Studies
Encouraging, uplifting, interesting and perhaps ev more...2 points
Alligators move lungs to dive, roll in water - Yahoo! News
Alligators can stealthily maneuver<br />< more...1 point
Alligator and Snake Photo
Does a photograph show a snake that burst trying t more...0 points
Play of Alligator Pie in Canada
She hopes to continue to tour with the company, wh more...0 points
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Tell me your most exciting encounters with Alligators or other swamp creatures.
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Nice lens and cool, I like Alligators very much and it looks like dangerous. Thanks for providing more useful information about Alligators. Posted June 16, 2008 |
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JanaMurray
Yikes, my 6 year will love this one! Posted May 07, 2008 |