A super rare alligator was born at a wildlife park in Orlando, Florida. This special alligator is one of only seven in the whole world. It’s called a leucistic alligator, which means it has a partial loss of color. Unlike albino alligators, which have pink eyes and no color at all, leucistic alligators are just really pale. The president of the park said this is an incredibly rare event and it’s really amazing.

Leucistic alligators are really cool to see because they look so different from regular alligators. This new baby alligator is getting a lot of attention from experts and the public. It’s a reminder of how diverse and awesome nature is.

The birth of this special alligator is a reminder that we need to take care of wildlife. We have to protect these incredible animals and the places they live. The wildlife park where the alligator was born is important because it teaches people about conservation and shows them how amazing nature is.

This baby alligator is one of only seven in the whole world. It’s a really special animal and we should be happy about its birth. It reminds us how beautiful and unique animals can be. We need to make sure we take care of these rare and amazing creatures so that future generations can enjoy them too.

Original news source: See ‘beyond rare’ white baby alligator born in US (BBC)

Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Word Association
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Give each group a few minutes to brainstorm words that they associate with the concept of a rare alligator.
3. After the brainstorming session, have each group share their word associations with the class.
4. Encourage discussion and explanation of the connections between the words and the concept of a rare alligator.

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Provide each student with a copy of the article.
2. Ask students to read the article individually and take notes on the key points.
3. After reading, divide the class into pairs or small groups.
4. Have students take turns summarizing the article to their partners or group members.
5. Encourage discussion and ask follow-up questions to check comprehension.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Write two statements on the board: “The birth of the rare alligator is a cause for celebration” and “The birth of the rare alligator is not a big deal.”
2. Divide the class into two groups and assign each group one of the statements.
3. Give students a few minutes to discuss and form opinions within their groups.
4. Conduct a class poll by asking each student to stand up and state whether they agree or disagree with the statement assigned to their group.
5. After the poll, facilitate a class discussion where students can share their opinions and provide reasons for their stance.

– Sketch It
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs.
2. Give each pair a piece of paper and a pen or pencil.
3. Ask one student in each pair to describe the rare alligator from the article to their partner, while the partner sketches what they hear.
4. After a few minutes, have the students switch roles.
5. Encourage students to compare their sketches and discuss any differences or similarities.

– Future Predictions
Instructions:
1. Ask students to imagine and discuss what they think the future holds for the rare alligator species.
2. Divide the class into small groups and give each group a few minutes to brainstorm and write down their predictions.
3. After the brainstorming session, have each group share their predictions with the class.
4. Encourage discussion and ask follow-up questions to explore the students’ reasoning behind their predictions.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What makes a leucistic alligator different from an albino alligator?
2. Why is the birth of this alligator considered rare and amazing?
3. How do leucistic alligators look different from regular alligators?
4. Why is this baby alligator getting a lot of attention from experts and the public?
5. What does the birth of this special alligator remind us about?
6. Why is it important to protect wildlife and their habitats?
7. How many leucistic alligators are there in the whole world?
8. Why should we take care of rare and amazing creatures like this alligator?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A super rare alligator was born at a wildlife park in Orlando, Florida. This special alligator is one of only seven in the whole (1)______. It’s called a leucistic alligator, which means it has a (2)______ loss of color. Unlike (3)______ (4)______, which have pink eyes and no color at all, leucistic alligators are just really pale. The (5)______ of the park said this is an incredibly rare (6)______ and it’s really amazing.

(7)______ alligators are really cool to see because they look so different from regular alligators. This new baby alligator is getting a lot of attention from experts and the (8)______. It’s a reminder of how diverse and (9)______ nature is.

The (10)______ of this special alligator is a reminder that we need to take care of wildlife. We have to protect these (11)______ animals and the (12)______ they live. The wildlife park where the alligator was born is important because it teaches people about conservation and shows them how amazing nature is.

This baby alligator is one of only seven in the whole world. It’s a really special animal and we should be (13)______ about its birth. It (14)______ us how beautiful and unique (15)______ can be. We need to make sure we take care of these rare and amazing creatures so that (16)______ generations can enjoy them too.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a leucistic alligator?
2. How would you feel if you saw a leucistic alligator in person?
3. Do you like animals? Why or why not?
4. What do you think makes this alligator so special?
5. How do you think the public is reacting to the birth of this alligator?
6. Have you ever seen an animal that looked different from others of its kind? How did it make you feel?
7. Do you think it’s important to protect and take care of wildlife? Why or why not?
8. Why do you think the wildlife park is important in teaching people about conservation?
9. How do you think future generations will feel if they can’t see these rare and amazing creatures?
10. Have you ever been to a wildlife park? If so, what was your favorite part?
11. Do you think it’s possible for alligators to live in other parts of the world? Why or why not?
12. What other types of rare animals do you know about?
13. How do you think the birth of this alligator can inspire people to care more about nature?
14. Would you like to work at a wildlife park? Why or why not?
15. What can we do as individuals to help protect and conserve wildlife?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. leucistic
2. albino
3. diverse
4. conservation
5. incredible
6. reminder
7. experts
8. public
9. protect
10. wildlife
11. special
12. unique
13. future generations
14. enjoy
15. birth

Meanings:
(A) Having no color at all and pink eyes
(B) All the people in a society
(C) To take pleasure in or find enjoyment in something
(D) The act of protecting and preserving the natural world
(E) Extremely amazing or unbelievable
(F) People who know a lot about a particular subject
(G) The act of being born or coming into existence
(H) The people who will come after us in the future
(I) Having a partial loss of color
(J) To keep something safe from harm or danger
(K) Something that is not common or ordinary
(L) Showing a lot of variety or differences
(M) Animals and plants that live in their natural environment
(N) Something that makes you remember or think about something else
(O) Being the only one of its kind
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is a leucistic alligator?
(a) An alligator with pink eyes and no color
(b) An alligator that is really pale
(c) An alligator that is albino
(d) An alligator with a partial loss of color

2. How many leucistic alligators are there in the whole world?
(a) Seven
(b) Ten
(c) Fifteen
(d) Twenty

3. Why are leucistic alligators cool to see?
(a) Because they have pink eyes
(b) Because they look different from regular alligators
(c) Because they have no color at all
(d) Because they are really big

4. What is the president of the park’s opinion about the birth of the leucistic alligator?
(a) It’s not a big deal
(b) It’s an incredibly rare event and amazing
(c) It’s a common occurrence
(d) It’s a disappointment

5. Why is the wildlife park where the alligator was born important?
(a) It teaches people about conservation
(b) It shows people how amazing nature is
(c) It protects incredible animals and their habitats
(d) All of the above

6. What does the birth of the leucistic alligator remind us of?
(a) The importance of protecting wildlife
(b) The need to take care of rare and amazing creatures
(c) The beauty and uniqueness of animals
(d) All of the above

7. Why should we take care of wildlife?
(a) Because they are beautiful and unique
(b) Because they are important for the environment
(c) All of the above
(d) So that future generations can enjoy them too

8. What is the main message of the article?
(a) Leucistic alligators are really rare
(b) The birth of the alligator is a special event
(c) We need to protect and appreciate wildlife
(d) Nature is diverse and awesome

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Leucistic alligators, like this one, look very different from regular alligators and are really cool to see.
2. The wildlife park where the alligator was born plays an insignificant role in misinforming people about conservation and hiding the wonders of nature.
3. Unlike albino alligators, which have vibrant color and blue eyes, this alligator is just really dark.
4. The birth of this ordinary alligator serves as a reminder to neglect wildlife and destroy their habitats.
5. Experts and the public are giving a lot of attention to this new baby alligator.
6. The president of the park described the birth as an incredibly rare and amazing event.
7. A wildlife park in Orlando, Florida recently received a common alligator.
8. This special alligator is one of only seven in the entire world.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is special about the alligator born at the wildlife park in Orlando, Florida?
2. How is a leucistic alligator different from an albino alligator?
3. Why is the birth of this alligator important?
4. What can we learn from the birth of this special alligator?
5. Why is it important to take care of wildlife and protect their habitats?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What makes a leucistic alligator different from an albino alligator?
A leucistic alligator has a partial loss of color, while an albino alligator has pink eyes and no color at all.

2. Why is the birth of this alligator considered rare and amazing?
The birth of this alligator is considered rare and amazing because there are only seven leucistic alligators in the whole world.

3. How do leucistic alligators look different from regular alligators?
Leucistic alligators are really pale and look different from regular alligators, which have darker coloration.

4. Why is this baby alligator getting a lot of attention from experts and the public?
This baby alligator is getting a lot of attention from experts and the public because it is a rare and special animal.

5. What does the birth of this special alligator remind us about?
The birth of this special alligator reminds us about the beauty and uniqueness of animals.

6. Why is it important to protect wildlife and their habitats?
It is important to protect wildlife and their habitats because they play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems and preserving biodiversity.

7. How many leucistic alligators are there in the whole world?
There are only seven leucistic alligators in the whole world.

8. Why should we take care of rare and amazing creatures like this alligator?
We should take care of rare and amazing creatures like this alligator because they are part of our natural heritage and future generations should have the opportunity to appreciate and enjoy them.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) world
(2) partial
(3) albino
(4) alligators
(5) president
(6) event
(7) Leucistic
(8) public
(9) awesome
(10) birth
(11) incredible
(12) places
(13) happy
(14) reminds
(15) animals
(16) future
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. leucistic
Answer: (I) Having a partial loss of color

2. albino
Answer: (A) Having no color at all and pink eyes

3. diverse
Answer: (L) Showing a lot of variety or differences

4. conservation
Answer: (D) The act of protecting and preserving the natural world

5. incredible
Answer: (E) Extremely amazing or unbelievable

6. reminder
Answer: (N) Something that makes you remember or think about something else

7. experts
Answer: (F) People who know a lot about a particular subject

8. public
Answer: (B) All the people in a society

9. protect
Answer: (J) To keep something safe from harm or danger

10. wildlife
Answer: (M) Animals and plants that live in their natural environment

11. special
Answer: (K) Something that is not common or ordinary

12. unique
Answer: (O) Being the only one of its kind

13. future generations
Answer: (H) The people who will come after us in the future

14. enjoy
Answer: (C) To take pleasure in or find enjoyment in something

15. birth
Answer: (G) The act of being born or coming into existence
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is a leucistic alligator?
Answer: (d) An alligator with a partial loss of color

2. How many leucistic alligators are there in the whole world?
Answer: (a) Seven

3. Why are leucistic alligators cool to see?
Answer: (b) Because they look different from regular alligators

4. What is the president of the park’s opinion about the birth of the leucistic alligator?
Answer: (b) It’s an incredibly rare event and amazing

5. Why is the wildlife park where the alligator was born important?
Answer: (a) It teaches people about conservation

6. What does the birth of the leucistic alligator remind us of?
Answer: (c) The beauty and uniqueness of animals

7. Why should we take care of wildlife?
Answer: (d) So that future generations can enjoy them too

8. What is the main message of the article?
Answer: (c) We need to protect and appreciate wildlife
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Leucistic alligators, like this one, look very different from regular alligators and are really cool to see. (Answer: True)
2. The wildlife park where the alligator was born plays an insignificant role in misinforming people about conservation and hiding the wonders of nature. (Answer: False)
3. Unlike albino alligators, which have vibrant color and blue eyes, this alligator is just really dark. (Answer: False)
4. The birth of this ordinary alligator serves as a reminder to neglect wildlife and destroy their habitats. (Answer: False)
5. Experts and the public are giving a lot of attention to this new baby alligator. (Answer: True)
6. The president of the park described the birth as an incredibly rare and amazing event. (Answer: True)
7. A wildlife park in Orlando, Florida recently received a common alligator. (Answer: False)
8. This special alligator is one of only seven in the entire world. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧