A large number of alligators, flushed down toilets as babies, have grown up and proliferated in the bowels of New York City. Over the years, they have grown in number and size and frequently terrorize those foolish enough to visit the subways. This tale has been making its way around the Internet ever since there's been an Internet. It's wild enough to capture the attention of the average sixth grader, and because it's been published on the Internet, it's remarkably believable to many of them--especially English language learners (ELLs). The author defines media literacy as the ability not only to understand what is read, heard, or seen, but also to evaluate and make good decisions about what various media present, and suggests using urban legends and/or outrageous content as springboards to lessons on media literacy. This article describes how this alligator story can become a media literacy lesson addressing technology skills as well as content-area knowledge on laws, reptiles, and big-city life. In the process, students can practice reading, writing, and other skills included in the sixth grade curriculum.