We dedicate this book to Ms. Shaw
and Miss Schiavi. Also, PS 239 and
especially Class 2-316 because they
inspired us and helped us make it!
Tina
Discovering
Alligators and Crocodiles
Written and Illustrated
By Class 2-316
Police Officer Ramon Suarez School
P.S. 239
Robin L. Connolly, Principal
Stella Kostopoulos, Debra Rudolph Lisa Hampton
Assistant Principals
© New York City Department of Education 2010-2011
Introduction
This book represents the culminating activity of an inquiry
based research project that integrates information literacy with
nonfiction and science. Every child participated in the process of
posing questions and researching material. Children learned the
value of reading for information from books and web sites and
working together in groups. They also learned important nonfiction
skills such as organizing information into chapters, illustrating text
with diagrams using captions and labels and defining new
vocabulary words in a glossary. As you read, you will notice the
glossary words appear in bold type.
Teachers worked collaboratively at different stages of
researching, writing, and illustrating this book. They are:
Ms. Schiavi
Mr. Alleva
Ms. Shaw
Ms. Sharma
Ms. Komae
Mrs. Hampton
Classroom Teacher
Science Teacher
Technology Teacher
Learning Leader
Library Teacher
Assistant Principal
We wish to take this opportunity to formally thank
Councilwoman Diana Reyna
for upgrading our computer lab in the spring of 2009.
A special note of thanks goes to Esperanza Cancel, President of
our Parents Association and the parents for binding the books. We
are forever in their debt.
Thank you one and all!
Table of Contents
What do Alligators and Crocodiles look like? ............................................................. 2
Different types of alligators and crocodiles ................................................................ 3
Where do alligators and crocodiles live? ..................................................................... 4
What do alligators and crocodiles eat?........................................................................ 5
How are alligator and crocodile babies born? ........................................................... 6
How do alligators and crocodiles stay underwater? ................................................ 7
Alligators and Crocodiles Self Defense ........................................................................ 8
What is made from alligator and crocodile skin? ...................................................... 9
What are crocodile tears? ............................................................................................ 10
Interesting Facts ............................................................................................................ 11
Glossary .......................................................................................................................... 13
More Reading ................................................................................................................. 14
Ms. Shaw holding a baby alligator in the Bayou of Louisiana
The alligator felt as cold as ice!
1
What do Alligators and Crocodiles look like?
Allan and Emerly
Alligators and crocodiles are reptiles. They have
rough skin. They can be green and black. They have
claws that are very, very sharp. When they go
underwater their ears close.
2
Different types of alligators and crocodiles
Tina and Trinity
There is the Gharial crocodile, the American alligator
the Nile crocodile and the Caiman.
3
Where do alligators and crocodiles live?
Brandon and Junior
In America alligators live in Florida in swamps,
lakes and the Mississippi River. Crocodiles live in
almost the entire world. Crocodiles live in the Nile
River which is in Egypt, Africa.
4
What do alligators and crocodiles eat?
Etab and Moses
Crocodiles eat baby alligators eat insects and small
fish and worms. Both alligators and crocodiles are
carnivores. They eat deer, fish and zebra.
Alligators also eat birds.
5
How are alligator and crocodile babies born?
Cristal and Jason
The male and the female mate together underwater.
Then the female poops out the eggs. There are 40 or
50 eggs. Do you know why? It depends on the
mother’s weight and size. The eggs hatch in 2 or 3
months. The baby alligators stay close to their
mother for a year.
A baby alligator is called a hatchling. Baby
alligators have a special way of calling their mother.
It is a sound that comes from their throat.
6
How do alligators and crocodiles stay underwater?
Jenee and Jillian
They have these little holes that look like horns on top
of their heads and they can breathe from under the
water.
7
Alligators and Crocodiles Self Defense
Yolanda and Jennifer
The enemies of the alligator are the poisonous snakes
and people.
When an enemy comes to eat a baby alligator the
mother puts the baby in her mouth but doesn’t eat it.
8
What is made from alligator and crocodile skin?
Malonie
Yolanda
Paechaence
You can make shoes, clothes, curtains, bags and hats.
9
What are crocodile tears?
Paechence and Heidy
Crocodile tears is an idiom that means you are
crying fake tears. Crocodiles cannot cry because
they do not have tear ducts.
10
Interesting Facts
Mother alligators put
their babies in their
mouth to protect them
from their enemies.
- Yolanda
The Gharial crocodile has 110 long thin teeth.
Crocodiles can stay
underwater up to 30
minutes if they are
hiding to protect
themselves.
- Jenee
Saltwater crocodiles have transparent eyelids
11
There are 23 species of
crocodiles
- Tina
The Saltwater crocodile grows to 23 feet.
Alligators and crocodiles
can live up to 80 years
or older.
- Brandon
There are more than a million alligators
that live in the Florida Everglades
12
Glossary
Bull
male alligator or crocodile
Carnivore
animal that eats meat
Hatchling
baby crocodile
Mate
To get together like in marriage
Predator
Animal that hunts for another animal
to eat it.
Prey
Smaller animal that gets killed by a
bigger animal for food.
Reptile
Group of animals that are cold-blooded,
can breathe air, lay eggs and they are
covered in scales
Tear ducts
The part of the eye that makes tears.
Transparent Something you can see through, like a
window for example.
Allan
13
More Reading
Books
Carver, Peter. Crocodiles . Danbury, Conn.: Grolier, 1990. Print.
Davies, Valerie. Killer Creatures . Columbus, Ohio: School Specialty
Pub., 2006. Print.
Kallen, Stuart A., and P. M. Boekhoff. Alligators . San Diego, CA:
KidHaven Press, 2002. Print.
Markle, Sandra. Outside and Inside Alligators . New York: Atheneum
Books for Young Readers, 1998. Print.
Morgan, Sally. Children's Ocean Life Encyclopedia . Bath, UK:
Parragon, 2008. Print.
Websites
We used www.kidrex.org, a search engine for children, powered by
Google, Yahoo Kids, http://kids.yahoo.com/ and paid subscriptions
to PebbleGo, www.pebblego.com, Encyclopedia Britannica,
www.school.eb.com, BrainPop, www.brainpop.com and NetTrekker
www.nettrekker.com .
During our research we came across the following websites:
 National Geographic http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
 Gator Beach www.gatorbeach.com
 Interesting Animals www.interestinganimals.net
 http://www.smart-central.com/alligatorpurse.htm (picture p. 11)
 http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/animals1/crocodile/amerall.
html
 Mr. Donn http://animals.pppst.com/alligators.html
 Ask Earl http://kids.yahoo.com/ask_earl/592694
 The Okefenoke Swamp
http://www.okefenokee.com/alligators_okefenokee.html
 Kidport Reference Library
http://www.kidport.com/reflib/science/animals/reptiles.htm
14
About the Authors
The authors of this book are in Class 2-316. This class likes to do
writing, math, gym, computers, reading and social studies. Some
of us are 7 and 8 years old. Even though we all live in New York
City, many of us are from foreign countries such as the
Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Ecuador, Yemen, Nicaragua,
Mexico, Puerto Rico, Nepal, and Guatemala. Some of us speak
Spanish at home. We love learning and hope you enjoy our book.
Allan
Brandon
Emerly
Jenee
Brian
Etab
Heidy
Jennifer
Malonie
Tina
Cristopher
Moses
Trinity
Jillian
Cristal
Jason
Junior
Paechaence
Valentina
Kaylan
Sadrish
Yolanda