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Description

Game to illustrate how different species are interrelated and depend on each other for survival.

Source Trefoil News May 2015
(Courtesy of: www.nonformalii.ro/uploads/resurse/fisiere/Environmental+games+and+activities+booklet+for+kids.pdf)

Resources

Scarves/neckerchiefs, pencil, paper watch

Instructions

Brownies are divided into 3 roughly even groups - one group are foxes, one rabbits and one are the leaves.

The foxes stand to form a circle. The rabbits each tuck their neckerchief into their belt/waistband for their 'tail' - they stand inside the circle. The leaves stand outside the circle - they cannot move.

Decide in advance on a length of time for each 'round' and how many rounds you will play (perhaps 6 rounds of 2-3 minutes each). At a given signal, the round commences.
The rabbits must try to get past the foxes to 'tag' the leaves - they can catch as many leaves as they are able.
The foxes try to catch the rabbits by pulling their tails; the rabbits are safe when they are in a crouching position, but they cannot move or tag a leaf when they are in a crouching position. The foxes can only catch one rabbit in any round.

When the time is up, call the end of that round.
Any rabbit caught by the foxes becomes a fox as well. If a fox fails to catch a rabbit within any round, it 'dies' and becomes a leaf.
If the rabbit fails to get a leaf, it also becomes a leaf.
When a rabbit gets a leaf, the leaf also becomes a rabbit.

At the end of each round, note how many there are in each group. When the game is over, discuss how the numbers varied - if there are too many rabbits, there isn't enough food, so some rabbits die; it is also easier for the foxes to get rabbits, so the number of foxes temporarily increases.
However if there are too many foxes, they can't all get rabbits, so some die - therefore it becomes easier for the rabbits to get food and their numbers increase!

Tags

• food chain
• Leave No Trace
• Nature
• respect wildlife

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