Alligator Lapbook for Elementary and Middle School

Learn all about alligators in this fun nature study Alligator lapbook.  

alligator lapbook printables

With 14 different activity booklets for this Alligator Lapbook, your elementary and middle school students will learn where alligators live, what they eat, the difference between alligators and crocodiles, and much more!

Not sure what a lapbook is? Find out here

Glue all of the alligator lapbook activity booklets into a learning folder to review and share with their friends and family later.

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If this is your first time completing a lapbook, read this first to learn how to fold your folders to create the lapbook base.

Here are the resources used in the Alligator Lapbook:

Library List

select one or two of these books:

Alligators and Crocodiles by Gail Gibbons (highly recommended)

All About Alligators by Jim Arnosky

Alligators & Crocodiles (beginning reader) by Laura Marsh

Crocodiles and Alligators by Simon Seymour

If you can’t find the books above, you can use any non-fiction alligator books that are available to you from your home or local library. Or check on Open Library

Online Resources

World’s Most Ferocious Animals video on Prime (family-friendly)

10 Alligator Facts from Gatorland

Wild Kratts: Alligators vs. Crocodiles

Caiman v. Alligator from A to Z Animals

Cool Facts about Alligators and Crocodiles from Nat Geo Kids

How alligators work from How Stuff Works

Different Types of Alligators (American and Chinese)

What sound does a gator make?

Alligators Sleep Behaviors

Scientific classification of alligator (family tree)

And if your Preschoolers & Kindergartners want to learn about alligators too, check out this cute patterning song, Alligator Chomp from Jack Hartmann, and this sweet book, Alligator Baby by Robert Munsch

Alligator Lapbook Activities:

Activity 1: Crocodile and Alligators Use this booklet to show the differences between alligators and crocodiles.

Activity 2: Alligator Locations On this world map, color in the two places alligators live in the wild. Make a legend on the map.

Activity 3: Habitat Write about an alligator’s habitat in this mini book.

Activity 4: Carnivorous In this envelope fold, write about what an alligator eats. You can cut out the picture of the alligator and glue it on the front of the envelope.

Activity 5: Physical Characteristics Make this alligator card using the directions from Enchanted Learning. Inside, describe the physical characteristics of an alligator.

Or use the included Physical Appearances mini booklet, instead. Be sure to include information about their eyelids, scales, and toes, as well as information about sweat glands (hint: they don’t have any). Older students should include information about how they are ectothermic animals.

Listen to the noises that an alligator makes in the video listed above.

Activity 6: Reptile Use this flap book to write about the characteristics that make an alligator a reptile.

Activity 7: Reproduction Use this shutter tab book to answer questions about alligator reproduction.

Activity 8: Baby Alligators Use this egg shape book to show what they alligator’s life cycle looks like.

Activity 9: Behaviors In this fan-fold booklet write about an alligator’s behavior. Be sure to include how they move (swim and walk) and their social behavior.

Activity 10: Interesting Facts Use this tri-fold booklet to write some interesting facts about alligators, such as whether they are good swimmers, or how fast they can run on land.

Activity 11: Sensory Receptors Draw sensory receptors on the alligator and describe how the sensory receptors (sometimes called ISOs or DPRs) work.

Activity 12: Alligators compared to their cousins, the Caiman Describe how alligators are different from the caiman reptile (sometimes spelled “cayman”).

Activity 13: Alligators’ Family Tree Alligators are a part of the crocodilia order. Make a family tree showing the order crocodilia, the families alligatoridae and longirostres, and the subfamilies caimaninae, alligatorinae, crocodylidae, and gavialidae.

Activity 14: How do Alligators Sleep? Use the mini-booklet to describe alligator’s sleep behaviors. Alligators sleep with a behavior called unihemispheric sleep. They also often use “gaping” while sleeping, which is keeping their mouths open to help regulate their temperature.

This updated Alligator Lapbook is available in the Homeschool Helper Online Shop at a very affordable price

OR you can download the older version of the Alligator Lapbook with only 10 activities from the Free Resource Library. Look under Lapbooks

Not a member of the HHO Squad yet? Scroll down to the light blue box at the bottom to sign up and get immediate access to the Free Resource Library.

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alligator lapbook printables