Clothespin Iguanas

Grades 4-5
Grades 1-3

‘I’ is for iguana — make clothespin reptilians for a creative alphabet lesson!

Materials

Clothespin (1 Per Iguana)
Acrylic Paint
Green & Red Foam Sheets
Wiggly Eyes
Paintbrush

Scissors

Glue or *Hot Glue* Adult Supervision Requires

Instructions

Step 1.

Paint both sides of your clothespin green — or any other color you’d like your iguana to be!

Step 1.

Paint both sides of your clothespin green — or any other color you’d like your iguana to be!

Step 2.

While the paint dries, cut two legs from the green foam sheet, then cut a tongue from the red foam sheet.

Step 2.

While the paint dries, cut two legs from the green foam sheet, then cut a tongue from the red foam sheet.

Step 3.

Create your iguana’s face by gluing a wiggly eye on one side of the clothespin — on the top wooden piece close to the opening. If you’d like, you can add a second eye to the other side too!

Step 3.

Create your iguana’s face by gluing a wiggly eye on one side of the clothespin — on the top wooden piece close to the opening. If you’d like, you can add a second eye to the other side too!

Step 4.

Glue the 2 foam legs to the bottom of the clothespin, on either side of the coil. Cut and add 2 more legs on the other side to make your iguana stand up, or lay it down like it’s sunbathing!

Step 4.

Glue the 2 foam legs to the bottom of the clothespin, on either side of the coil. Cut and add 2 more legs on the other side to make your iguana stand up, or lay it down like it’s sunbathing!

Step 5.

Attach the red tongue to the tip of the clothespin by pinching the clothespin open — secure with glue if you’d like. Now, your clothespin iguana is finished!

Step 5.

Attach the red tongue to the tip of the clothespin by pinching the clothespin open — secure with glue if you’d like. Now, your clothespin iguana is finished!

Teacher's Corner

Craft an iguana clothespin and learn about this ‘i’nteresting letter!

Lesson Objectives

Scale Back: Like most vowels, there are a couple of ways to sound out the letter ‘I.’ Ask students to make a list of words with ‘I’ and decide as a class whether each one takes the long or short sound.
Take a Vowel: ‘I’ creates a different sound when it’s connected to another vowel in a word — which is also called a diphthong. Create a list of words that combine vowels to make new sounds, like “oil” or “pair,” and practice saying them out loud.

Follow-up Discussion

After finishing the craft and spelling lesson, turn your students’ attention to the world of science! Iguanas are cold-blooded creatures that are a part of the reptile family. They live around the world and come in all shapes, sizes, and colors — help your students learn more about these amazing creatures!