NatureBridge Games
Shark Fish Algae: Similar to Rock, paper scissors.
1) Group is divided in 2- Have the kids count off “1,2”
2) The person in charge marks a centerline in the room and 2 safety zones- one
on each side.
3) Each group huddles up on its side of the center line and the person in charge
gives them 1 minute to decide if they will be shark, fish or algae.
4) Once both groups have made up their minds, the kids line up behind their
side of the line facing a kid from the other team.
5) Instead of saying “rock, paper, scissors,” the kids say “shark, fish, algae”
6) After the word “algae,” the students made the sign their team agreed on
a. Sign for shark- Arms in front, straight and separated like jaws
b. Sign for fish- Hand open in shape of jaws
c. Sign for algae: Hand wiggling on top of head
7) The shark beats fish, the fish beats algae and the algae beats shark (person in
charge will explain why this is the case at the end).
8) The losing side will run back to their safety zone before the winning side tags
them (the winner of “shark fish algae” will chase after the loser and try to get
him before he gets to his end zone).
9) If the winner tags the loser before he gets back in his safety zone, the loser
joins the winner’s team creating one side to be bigger than the other. If the
loser gets back to his safety base without being tagged he can stay with his
team for the next round.
10) Eventually one side will get bigger and bigger and once there is only one side
remaining the game is over.
Purpose
The purpose of this game is to teach kids about marine life. It helps to draw a
picture/diagram showing the food chain. The fish eat the algae and the shark eats
the fish. But the algae beat the shark because of a long word called biomagnificationthe idea that in the food chain fish eat lots of algae, and sharks eat lots of fish.
Consequently, if the algae has pollutants in it, then the shark will receive LOTS of
pollutants because it ate lots of fish who each ate the algae.
How do pollutants get in algae? Lots of the pollutants in the ocean come from
manmade materials like plastic. Plastics have harmful chemicals in them, and if fish
and sharks eat them, they could get very sick. It is important to do everything we
can to reduce our use of plastic (what do you do?) and make sure that if we do use
plastic we put it in the right bin (recycling). You can also help by picking up litter if
you see it.
http://www.joshgitalis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Biomagnification-1024x680.png
Predator, Predator, Prey
1) Kids stand in circle with one kid in the middle (predator).
2) The person in the middle starts out by turning around, pointing to people in
the circle and trying to say “predator, predator, prey,” before the person
whom he/she is pointing to says “prey.” If the person in the middle succeeds
in saying “prey” first, the two students will swap spots and the new person is
the predator.
3) After the kids get the hang of that, you can start adding in new superpowers
for the predator.
4) First the predator has the option of adding the “superpower” of prey. When
the predator points to a person around the circle and just says prey, the
person whom he pointed to has to stay silent.
5) Then, the predator has the option of saying either one of the first 2
superpowers or the 3rd one: camouflage. When the predator points to
someone and says camouflage, the kid is expected to crouch down while the
people on each side of him put their hands out in front of the kid being
pointed to, to help “camouflage” him.
6) The 4th superpower is trickery. The person being pointed to has to hop of one
leg and flap his arms like a broken-winged bird. The people on each side
make a confused arm & face gesture and say “WHAT?”
7) Superpower 5: Speed. This can only be used twice by the person in the
middle. The person in the middle can point to someone in the circle and say
“speed” in which case the person being pointed at has to run (skipping also
works- adapt to safety concerns) around the circle and back to his spot. This
is the only superpower where you cannot get someone in the middle.
8) Once you add in a superpower, you can still use the old ones you have
learned and mix them up. If the person on the outside messes up, he
switches spots with the person in the middle.
9) You can put a time limit on the game part- otherwise it could go on forever.
Purpose
The purpose of the game is to teach the kids about natural adaptations. You can
even ask the kids, “do you know what is another name for these superpowers?”
(adaptations). Explain how animals adapt to their environments by showing them
pictures with examples of each, and after showing them the pictures asking them to
guess which “superpower” or “adaptation” the animal is using. Have conversations
with the kids to see if they know any other animal with that superpower. See if they
can name any other adaptations.
a) Camouflaging- chameleon
b) Speed- Cheetah
c) Trickery- Bird with wing that looks broken so the predator will come after it
instead of the eggs.
Camouflage (“Hide & Seek”)
1) One