HOW THE GATOR'S SNOUT GREW OUT
Dominie Readers Series
What’s inside...
Supports phonemic awareness and phonics instruction. Builds fluency and vocabulary. Develops text comprehension skills. When the gator gets his snout caught in a hollow log, it takes all his friend the muskrat's pulling to get free, and even so his face will never be the same.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
4-9
Length
23 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think the alligator felt when his snout started growing? Have you ever felt a similar way when you noticed changes in yourself?
Why is it important that the alligator adapted to his new snout? What does this tell us about dealing with changes in our lives?
What lessons can we learn from the other animals' reactions to the alligator's long snout?
How do you think the story would have been different if the alligator didn’t accept his long snout?
Can you think of a time when something unexpected turned out to be good? How did you adapt to it?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about the story and its characters. Validate their feelings, relate them to real-life situations and emphasize the importance of adaptation and acceptance in the face of change. Use expressive reading to demonstrate different emotions of the characters, making the story more relatable and engaging for the child.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Importance of Patience
Explanation: The story showcases how the young alligator learns to wait patiently for his snout to grow longer, emphasizing that some things take time to develop.
Real-World Application: Children can relate this to waiting for their turn while playing or for their birthdays to receive gifts, teaching them the virtue of patience.
Example Lesson: Self-Acceptance
Explanation: As the gator grows, he learns to accept and love his unique appearance and abilities, illustrating the importance of self-love and acceptance.
Real-World Application: This helps children understand that they are unique and should be proud of who they are, regardless of their physical appearance or abilities.
Example Lesson: Resilience
Explanation: Through various challenges, the young gator learns to overcome obstacles without giving up, demonstrating resilience.
Real-World Application: This can inspire children to keep trying and not be discouraged by setbacks, whether in learning new skills or dealing with personal challenges.
Example Lesson: Growth Mindset
Explanation: The gator's journey from being self-conscious to self-assured mirrors the growth mindset, where abilities and intelligence can develop over time.
Real-World Application: Children can be encouraged to embrace challenges and view them as opportunities to grow and learn, rather than obstacles.