I am always looking for a fun classroom theme each fall! My classroom has a pond thing going on lately, so I have done frogs, fish, and rubber ducks over the past few years. This fall I am going to do an ALLIGATOR theme. It goes with my pond thing and our school mascot is a gator, so it works!
I have been hunting for some fun alligator things to do this fall as we all get to know each other! Here are some of the things I have found and/or made…
STEM Challenge – Alligator Rescue
I love getting my students right into STEM challenges as we begin the year! It gives them a chance to work together and have some fun.
For this STEM challenge, you need copy paper, tape, and a plastic or stuffed alligator toy. You only need one of these alligators, the kids can share!
Alligators and Crocodiles – Informational Text Unit
Learning how to read and understand informational texts is such an important skill for my intermediate students. This is a National Geographic book that can be found digitally on the Epic site or on Amazon if you want to use real books. These books are $5 on Amazon. These pages give students the opportunity to work their way through a nonfiction text!
Color Change Alligators
These color change alligators look like a fun science lab in the first week of school! I found them on Amazon. I think we will use them as we learn about making a hypothesis when we are doing science experiments. Each of the alligators changes into different colors and I think the kids are going to be so excited! Grab these alligators on Amazon!
Grab the Hypothesis Pack here!
Alligator Pens
I love giving my kids a fun treat on the first day of school and I absolutely love these pens! You can get 30 of these pens for $17 on Amazon! They bring a smile to my face and I think my incoming kiddos will love them!
Growing Gators – Weeklong Lab
This lab is a week-long lab we use with the growing alligators that can be purchased from different science stores. You can grab a set of 30 of these growing gators here.
Students are amazed to see these alligators grow over the course of the week. You just need some type of plastic container or tub and water for this lab! Once the week ends, students can also watch the alligators shrink once they are taken out of water. You can grab the lab pack from my tpt store here!
In this Classroom WE ARE…Poster – FREE!
This is a FREEBIE in my tpt store! I had it printed in a larger size at Staples and it is hanging in our classroom. There are some other mascots included in the pack, too. Grab this FREE poster here!
I think the poster is a great way to remind students of the qualities we are looking for in our classroom space. There is a colored and a black and white version of the poster included in the file! Hopefully it is something you can use in your classroom!
Alligators and Crocodiles – Life-size Posters and Reports
This pack is also a fun challenge for students to work on in pairs or trios. Students get a specific type of alligator or crocodile and they have to make a life-size model of it using bulletin board paper. We stuff them so they look really cool hanging up! Students also create an informational poster about the animal. Click here for the pack!
I plan on making a Welcome Bulletin Board using alligator clip art with student names under each one. I make these with black and white clip art and I print them onto brightly colored paper. This idea of using clip art will work with ANY theme!
I continue to look for some fun alligator stuff! If you have any ideas, please let me know!
Smart Chick
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