Crocodilians & Elephants at the Waterhole

We looked at Crocodilians, comparing and contrasting the alligator and the crocodile. They both are reptiles with scaly skin in the same Order. The scales on the crocodile, however, have a dot in the middle of each scale. We discovered that the easiest way to tell the difference between them is to look at their snouts. When they are closed, if you can still see teeth poking out then they are crocodiles; no teeth showing means that they are alligators. Alligators have U-shaped snouts and crocodile's snouts are more V-shaped. Alligators usually live in fresh water and crocodiles usually live in salt water. The boys colored pictures of alligators and added them to their zoo, which already had a crocodile.

Next we looked at the elephant's ears. These large features of the elephant are used for swatting insects and for fanning the air on hot days. They are also used for defense, making the elephant look larger and more fierce. The boys made elephant ears and enjoyed pretending to drink at the waterhole.

Then the Crocodilian came up out of the water....and the boys made themselves look sufficiently fierce!

Sources: GEMS: Elephants and their Young
Grades Preschool-1
4 Activities
100 Pages

In these playful and interesting activities, young children learn all about the African elephant, its unique body structure, and its fascinating social behaviors. Activities on elephant tusks, trunks, feet, and families involve young children in learning basic science concepts through art, drama, and role-playing. Mathematics and physical science concepts include measurement, weight, volume, and comparisons of many kinds. Children also learn about elephant conservation efforts.