Goals and Objectives

Students will learn about habitats, about destruction of habitats and its impact.

Materials and Resources

Yellow yarn

Instructional Sequence

Create different sized circles using yarn…yellow is a good color to use b/c it will show up well in the grass.  Place the yarn circles randomly on the ground.  Make sure they are at least 5 yards away from each other.

To begin, have each student stand in a circle (one circle per student to start the game). Ask students if they know what a habitat is and invite them to share their ideas.  Students should know that a habitat is an area where animals can live and it provides them with the basic necessities to survive (food, shelter, water). 

Tell students that they are spotted turtles and the circles they are standing in represent their habitats.  The rules state that when the teacher says migrate they must move to a different circle and must be in a circle when the teacher says stop.  Students may share a circle if both feet fit within the circle boundaries.  Once students understand the directions try it.  As the game goes on, you should start to take away the circles, one at a time until only one circle remains.  I usually leave the largest circle so that all the students try to fit into one tiny space.  Once this happens, ask students how they feel.  Do they think they could live like this for very long?  What may happen to the food and water supply?  In the end, students should understand that by destroying habitats, wildlife will start to disappear.

Closing

 Tick check before leaving Ballard Park