DINNER AT THE REEF - Teachers’ Notes
Who is it for?
7-11 year olds
How long will it take? Approx 1 hour. (Depending on group size and how many times you play).
Learning outcomes: Students learn about food chains in a marine environment, predator‐prey
relationships and the fine balance of an ecosystem.
What do you need?
Teacher resources:
-
-
Teachers’ notes
(including
discussion points
and a glossary of
terms)
Event cards
Student resources:
Other resources:
-
3 x sets of Species cards
Set 1: Sharks & toothed whales
Set 2: Big fish & rays
Set 3: Small fish & crustaceans
-
(There are three versions of these Species
cards to choose from: detailed, simplified and
blank).
-
-
Straws (or other small
objects) to represent
algae & plankton
A coral reef made up of
a row of chairs or stools
Internet access (if you
are using the ‘blank’
species cards)
Preparation guidelines:
1. Read through the instructions to make sure that you understand the game.
2. Prepare some questions to quiz the students (use the glossary of terms and discussion points
below, for inspiration).
3. Print (on card) and cut out, all of the Event cards.
4. Decide whether you would like to start the session with an element of research (in which case
you will require the blank Species cards), or if you would like to go straight into the game (in
which case you will require the detailed Species cards). Alternatively you could choose the
simplified Species cards for younger students. (There are three sets, within each of the three
versions).
5. Print (on card) and cut out all three sets of your chosen Species cards.
6. If you are using the blank Species cards you will need to arrange internet access for the
students.
7. Make sure that there is enough space for students to move about. (If you are in a lab with
fixed benches you may wish to book a room with more space).
8. Create a coral reef using a row of chairs or stools. Scatter algae and plankton over the reef in
the form of straws (or any other small, moveable items you would like to use to represent
algae and plankton).
9. Make sure you have spare straws in order to add to the algae and plankton if an Event card
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introduces more.
10. Designate areas of the room to be the coral reef, waiting room and OUT zone.
How to run the session:
Before the game
1. Choose which version of Species cards you would like to use, according to the needs of your
students. There is a full text version, a simplified version for younger students and a blank
version, which allows older or higher ability students to do their own research in advance.
2. If you have internet access and have older/higher ability students, you might like to add an
element of research before playing the game. In this case, use the blank sets of Species cards.
a) Allocate cards from the three sets of blank Species cards to each student
b) Instruct the students to log onto www.arkive.org
c) Get them to type the name of their species (on the Species card that has been allocated to
them) into the search box on the top right of the screen.
d) Instruct them to explore their species, looking at the habitat, biology and threats to the animal.
e) Get them to fill in the blank spaces on their Species cards with the information they find.
3. Before you play the game, start with a question and answer session to find out what the students
already know about biodiversity, food chains and the marine environment e.g.
a) Do you know what extinct means?
b) Do you know what endangered means?
c) Can you think of an example of an endangered species?
d) Do you know what lives under the sea?
e) What do sharks eat?
f)
What do fish eat?
g) Can you think of any reasons why an animal might be endangered?
h) What is a food chain/food web?
4. Think about how many players from each set you will need to start the game. It is recommended
that you double the number of players between each species group e.g.
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For classes of 28
For classes of 14
For groups of 7






4 sharks & toothed
whales
8 big fish & rays
16 small fish &
crustaceans
A reef with 32 algae &
plankton



2 sharks & toothed
whales
4 big fish & rays
8 small fish &
crustaceans
A reef with 16 algae &
plankton



1 sharks & toothed
whales
2 big fish & rays
4 small fish &
crustaceans
A reef with 8 algae &
plankton
(For other class sizes distribute the extras evenly. If there are odd numbers, add the extra
ones to the small fish & crustaceans. If you have more small fish & crustaceans, remember to
also add algae and plankton accordingly).
Playing the game
STEP 1 – Setting up
Figure 1
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a) Build a coral reef, by lining up a row of chairs and scatter straws on the reef to represent
algae and plankton.
b) Designate zones around the room. Allocate a waiting room, where fish go to wait for their
dinner and allocate an OUT zone, where students wait when they are out of the game.
c) Tell the students that there are three sets of Species cards: Set 1: Sharks & toothed whales;
Set 2: Big fish & rays and Set 3: Small fish & crustaceans. (From this point onwards these will
be referred to as sharks, big fish and small fish respectively).
d) Give each student a Species card from one of the three sets but do not distribute them
evenly. To start the game, each group should be double the number of the previous set, i.e.
there should be half the number of sharks as there are big fish and half the number of big fish
as there are small fish. There should be enough algae and plankton (e.g. straws) for each
small fish to have two each. If you distribute the numbers this way, then all students should be
able to remain in the game for at least the first round.
e) It would be a good idea to also give the students a coloured sticker, headband or some way
of wearing their species cards to distinguish between players from each of the three sets.
f)
Get the students to line up in the waiting area in rows, according to their set (e.g. small fish
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should line up at the front, big fish should line up behind them and sharks should line up at
the back.
STEP 2 – Dinnertime for the small fish & crustaceans
a) Announce that it is ‘dinnertime’ for the small fish and crustaceans.
b) All students with a small fish card should rush in and grab two plankton and algae (i.e. two
straws). (See Figure 2 below).
Figure 2
Figure 3
c) If there is not enough algae and
plankton for each small fish to have two
each, any players without two straws
are OUT of the game.
d) Instruct any players who are OUT to
return their Species card to the bottom
of the relevant pack (and remove their
coloured sticker/headband) and go and
stand in the OUT zone. They must wait
here until the game is played again OR
an Event card instructs them to return
as a new species.
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e) Those players who are still in the game should stand still, along the coral reef, holding their
two plankton and algae in one hand. Instruct them to hold the other hand out ready for the big
fish (as in figure 4 below).
Figure 4
STEP 3 – Dinnertime for the big fish & rays
a) Announce that it is ‘dinnertime’ for the big fish and rays.
b) All students with a big fish card should rush in and hold hands with two small fish. (See Figure
5 below).
Figure 5
6
Figure 6
c) If there are not enough small fish for
each big fish to have two each, any
players without two small fish are OUT
of the game.
d) Instruct any players who are OUT to
return their Species card to the bottom
of the relevant pack (and remove their
coloured sticker/headband) and go and
stand in the OUT zone. They must wait
here until the game is played again OR
an Event card instructs them to return
as a new species.
e) Once the big fish have captured their prey, the two small fish they have captured should join
hands or link arms and both hold the same hand of their shared predator, so that the big fish
can turn and hold out a spare hand for the sharks. (see figure 7 below)
Figure 7
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STEP 4 – Dinnertime for the sharks & toothed whales
a) Announce that it is ‘dinnertime’ for the sharks and toothed whales.
b) All students with a shark card should rush in and hold hands with two big fish. (See Figure 8
below).
Figure 8
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a) If there are not enough big fish for each
Figure 9
shark to have two each, any players
without two big fish are OUT of the
game.
b) Instruct any players who are OUT to
return their species card to the bottom
of the relevant pack (and remove their
coloured sticker/headband) and go and
stand in the OUT zone. They must wait
here until the game is played again OR
an Event card instructs them to return
as a new species.
c) However, some sharks are also sharkeaters. In the event that there is not enough prey, some sharks may be able to stay in the
game by eating another shark. Tell them to check their Species cards to see if they can eat
other sharks.
If they are a shark-eater and one of the shark species that they eat is still in the game, they
can replace that player (who would then be OUT).
STEP 5 – Take an Event card
Figure 10
a) Complete each round by drawing an Event card. Read it out to the class.
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b) The Event card will introduce an event and will also indicate a certain number of species to
remove from the game.
c) The Event card might target particular species (e.g. anybody with a seahorse card is OUT),
while other Event cards will be less specific (e.g. three big fish & rays and two small fish &
crustaceans are OUT). In this case you
Figure 11
would need to choose three big fish and
two small fish. Those chosen are OUT.
d) Some Event cards will tell you to add or
remove plankton & algae, in which case
add or remove the required number of
straws to/from the coral reef.
e) Some Event cards will instruct you to add
new species (see figure 11). In this case,
some players who are OUT may draw a
new Species card and rejoin the game.
(The card will indicate how many players
are to return and which sets they should
draw their cards from).
f)
At the end of the round, check to see if the children understood what happened during the
game. Point out how many plankton and algae, small fish and big fish it takes to sustain one
shark. Point out what happened when one player did not have enough food (i.e. its predators
also suffered food shortages. Point out the impact of human activity on each of the species
when the Event card was introduced.
STEP 6 – Round 2
a) Instruct the remaining players to get back to their starting positions, in their rows in the waiting
room. Any players who are still OUT should wait in the OUT zone. (See Figure 12)
b) Instruct any small fish who are still in the game to return their algae and plankton to the coral
reef. If necessary, rebuild the coral reef.
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Figure 12
c) Repeat each of the above stages for each round.
d) Repeat the rounds until one set has become extinct i.e. all sharks & toothed whales, or all
small fish & crustaceans. (Remember to complete every round by drawing an Event card – it
may look as though one set has become extinct but the Event card might mean that some
species are returned).
e) Play the game again, and see if you get different results each time. (Don’t forget to the shuffle
the cards).
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After the game
Lead the students in a discussion about what they have learned. Ask them what they think they
learned and point out what happened during the game.
Discussion points:
There are a number of opportunities throughout the game for you to pause and get the class to
discuss what is happening. Some discussion points include:

Look at the increasing numbers of prey required to support each player in a food web e.g. to
sustain one shark: two big fish and rays are required, which means that four small fish and
crustaceans are also required, which means that 8 algae and plankton are also required.
e.g.

Look at the impacts of threats to individual species on the rest of the ecosystem.

Look at the knock on effects of endangered species, on other creatures in the same food
web.

Look at the impact of human activity on a marine ecosystem.

Look at the positive impacts of conservation approaches such as reef restoration and bans on
fishing.
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
There is only one version of each Critically Endangered species in each set (and only two of
each Endangered species). If the player with that Species card is out, discuss how quickly
and easily an endangered species can become extinct.
Tips for Success:
1. Try using the full text Species cards – they may seem more complicated but you might be
surprised how much the students are able to understand.
2. Encourage the students to read their Species cards to find out more about the creatures they
are playing.
3. Find ways to identify players from each set e.g. coloured head bands, badges, stickers, or
some way of wearing their Species cards. This way, students know which of their classmates
they are targeting.
4. When explaining the rules to students it might be an idea to reference common playground
games that they are used to playing e.g. ‘musical chairs’, or ‘stuck in the mud’.
5. Make it clear that students must stand still and allow themselves to be caught .
6. Make sure that any players who are OUT return their Species cards to the pack, in order to
avoid confusion when an Event card returns them as a new species.
7. To help them feel included, it might be an idea to ask players who are OUT to help you pick
the Event cards.
8. Encourage students with small fish and crustaceans cards to raise their hands in the air when
they have captured two algae and plankton.
9. You might recommend that players who have gathered algae and plankton sit on the chairs
which make up the reef to wait for the big fish.
10. Make the coral reef more interesting by scattering algae and plankton (e.g. straws) both on,
around and underneath the chairs/stools.
11. Avoid the temptation to arrange the chairs in an interesting pattern (e.g. a circle) as it can
confuse the students as to which of the classmates is their prey. A row works best, but you
could try back to back chairs (as in ‘musical chairs’).
12. Stop at various points along the way to point out what is happening and encourage the
students to think about the consequences of different events.
13. Don’t forget that there is a glossary of terms available, to help you answer questions or
discuss the events mentioned on the Event cards.
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Activity Items:
1. SPECIES CARDS
There are three sets of Species cards: Sharks & toothed whales; Big fish & rays; and Small fish &
crustaceans. Each set features a number of different species from that category. In each set
there are multiples of some species depending on their status i.e. Four cards for species
considered Least Concern or Near Threatened, three cards for species considered Vulnerable,
two cards for species considered Endangered and only one card for species considered Critically
Endangered.
SET 1: Sharks & Toothed Whales
There are 20 cards in set 1, consisting of:

4 x Blue shark

4 x Tiger shark

4 x Orca

3 x Shortfin mako

3 x Sperm whale

2 x Great hammerhead
SET 2: Big Fish & Rays
There are 23 cards in set 2, consisting of:

4 x Blue spotted stingray

4 x Swordfish

3 x Bigeye tuna

3 x Hogfish

3 x Queen triggerfish

2 x Giant devilray

2 x Humphead wrasse

1 x Southern bluefin tuna

1 x Goliath grouper
SET 3: Small Fish & Crustaceans
There are 25 cards in set 3, consisting of:
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
4 x Coconut crab

4 x Longsnout seahorse

4 x Rainbow parrotfish

4 x Small giant clam

3 x Lined seahorse

4 x Crown of thorns starfish

1 x Cuban cave shrimp

1 x Sterrer’s cave shrimp
There are three versions of these Species cards available, depending on how much time you
want to allocate to the activity and the age or ability of the students involved. There is a ‘detailed’
version of these Species cards, containing information about the animals in question; a more
‘simplified’ version for younger students; and a ‘blank’ set, containing Species cards with gaps to
be filled in by the students, (using the ARKive website for research). The third set will require
access to the internet and may be suitable for older groups and higher ability classes.
2. EVENT CARDS
There are 30 Event cards but, if you wish, you can create additional Event cards of your own. You
should draw an Event card after every round.
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Glossary of terms:
Algae:
Small, mainly aquatic, unicellular or multicellular organisms with chlorophyll and
other pigments
Biodiversity:
The degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem.
Coral:
The hard, variously coloured skeleton of marine polyps, which often join together
and form reefs
Coral reef:
A marine ridge consisting of coral and other organic material consolidated into
limestone
Conservation:
A movement to protect a species from injury and further loss. (With the aim of
preventing extinction)
Crustacean:
An arthropod (a creature with an external skeleton, segmented body parts and
jointed appendages) which is mostly aquatic (water-based). The body is usually
covered in a hard shell or crust e.g. lobsters, shrimps, barnacles and crabs.
Echolocation:
A system used by certain mammals e.g. certain species of whales and dolphins,
used for navigation and to detect the location of objects and prey. The location of
objects are determined by the direction of sound and the time it takes for an echo
to return.
Ecosystem:
A biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area,
as well as all the nonliving, physical components of the environment with which
the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight.
Endangered:
A species which has declined in numbers and is threatened with extinction
Extinct:
A species which has entirely died out. There are no living members of the species
left anywhere.
Food chain:
A series of organisms related by predator-prey and consumer-resource
interactions (what species eat what other species).
Food web:
The entirety of interrelated food chains in an ecosystem.
Habitat:
The natural environment (home) of an organism
Husbandry:
The science of raising crops or animals
Mangrove:
Any tropical tree or shrub of the genus Rhizophora, the species of which are
mostly low trees growing in marshes or tidal shores
Marine:
Of or pertaining to the sea; existing in or produced by the sea.
Organism:
A form of life considered as an entity e.g. an animal, a plant, a fungus etc
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Photosynthesis:
A process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially
sugars, using the energy from sunlight.
Plankton:
A collection of passively floating, drifting, or somewhat motile organisms
occurring in a body of water, primarily comprising microscopic algae and
protozoa.
Predator:
A carnivorous animal which hunts and kills its prey.
Prey:
A living creature which is hunted, or seized, for food by a carnivorous animal.
Species:
The basic category for biological classification. A class of individuals which are in
the same sub-category of genus. These individuals are able to breed with each
other but cannot breed with animals from other species.
Symbiosis:
Two dissimilar organisms living together for mutual benefit
Toxic algal bloom: A rapid increase in the numbers of toxic algae in an aquatic environment
Toxin:
Any poison produced by an organism
Trawl fisheries:
Trawling is a method of fishing that involves pulling a fishing net through the
water behind a boat, to capture any fish or other creatures in their path.
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