This desire to tell stories gives me a great opportunity to remind my kiddos about watermelon seed writing.
In second grade we talk a lot about ZOOMING in to one small moment and telling lots of good details about that small moment. At the beginning of the year we used the "watermelon seed" analogy. Click here to get my watermelon freebie.
So my whole trip to Florida would be the watermelon, one whole day might be a slice of that watermelon, but I want to pick just one seed. The seed I am picking is the morning we went to the Everglades and I got to hold a baby alligator.
If I tried to write about the whole watermelon, my story might sound more like a list.....
On my spring break vacation I did a lot of stuff. I flew on an airplane to Florida. I went to the Everglades and saw alligators. I held a baby alligator. I ate a huge coconut milkshake. I went to lots of restaurants. I went to the beach. I got sunburned. I went parasailing. I went shopping. I read books. I watched movies. I bakeD cookies. I met new people. I made new friends. I played with Sadie Lady.
If I chose just one seed, I can add lots of details about one small moment.
I have always been intrigued by alligators. They always look like they're smiling but they're also intimidating with their big snapping teeth! When I had the opportunity to go see alligators up close in Florida, I knew I couldn't resist! My two friends and I piled into the car and drove the 45 minutes to the Everglades. Once we arrived my heart started pounding. I was about to see real life alligators in their natural habitat! I've seen alligators on TV, and at the zoo but I couldn't wait to see what they were like in their marsh homes.
My friends and I got on the boat that would take us around the marsh. The boat was loud as it drove us around so whenever we saw an alligator, we just had to stand up and point. The wind whipped in our faces but we didn't care. After about half an hour of looking at alligators, the boat's captain stopped. He gave an interesting lecture about the history of the everglades and some fun facts about alligators. I was listening, but I also couldn't wait to get back on land. I heard someone say that there was a baby alligator we could hold. I tried to pay attention as the man in the ranger outfit talked about the difference between swamps and marshes, but I kept imagining myself playing with a baby alligator! Finally the boat turned around and we headed back.
My friend Vanessa snapped lots of pictures of the alligators but I didn't want to waste time getting out my phone. I wanted to spot all the hiding places of the alligators. There were some swimming in the water, and some sunbathing.
As soon as we got to land I went to the captain and asked about holding a baby alligator. He smiled and lead my friends and I to a grassy area with trees. He told us to wait there and be ready to pay three dollars each. We all looked at each other. Three dollars? That was it!? I would pay a lot more to hold an alligator! As we waited I felt like a kid waiting for my first roller coaster ride.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, the man came back with the cutest little alligator I have ever seen. The little alligator seemed just as excited as I was. The way he was wiggling made me think of the way my puppy Sadie looks when I'm holding a treat.
I told Jacklyn and Vanessa that they could go first. I wanted to make sure they didn't get eaten before I held Snappy. The captain explained how to hold him under the neck and under the tail. He said to hold Snappy away from our bodies so he couldn't bite us.
When it was my turn I held out my hands and the captain gently placed Snappy into them. Snappy felt light, cool, and rubbery! I expected his belly to feel rough, but it was smooth. He felt like a wet beach ball.
Vanessa snapped a picture, and then I had to give Snappy back.
It was absolutely worth the three dollars and I will always remember my first time holding an alligator. I hope to someday hold another one!
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