Two Little Bear Dancing

Two Littlle Bear Dancing
-(Nature Game, Ice Breaker, Grouping, )-

This is a fun game, an energizing game - make me sweat a lot too. I modified this game to become more "nature game" from a game call "Pancoran Statue" , an energizing management skill training game (I got it from my friend M. Yasin in RMI).

To make it become more "natural", I choose to change the orders. This is a simply refreshing game and when I try to did it, children and adults always love it. It become my favorite game too.

Needs
Nothing, about 20 people or more

First, make a circle from people. Tell them to :
1. Make a solo when the teacher say "CHICKEN". They have to mimic a chicken with its sound : pek - pek - pek
2. When the teacher say "DANCING BEAR", they have to dance in two, mimic a dancing bear with its sound : na - na - na - na


3. When the teacher say "FLYING BEE", they have to make a tiny circle, in three with its sound : bzzzz - bzzzz - bzzzz. Don't forget, they have to "fly" in circle
4. When the teacher say "FLOWER", they have to make a flower formation in four. The children will hand in hand together. When the flower blossom, they will say "BLOSSOM". When the flower is in KUNCUP, they will say "KUNCUP" - it's a kind of open and close formation, like a flower blossoming.
5. When the teacher say "T", they must make a T letter in five man formation.

For the first 1-2 minutes, they will begin to train the move and the formation. After 3 minutes, you can begin the game. Everybody who is being kicked out from the game are they who is to slow to build the formation (means that in this game, speed is important).


The order can be this way:
First round : DANCING BEAR
SECOND ROUND : FLOWER
Third round : CHICKEN
FOURTH ROUND : BLOSSOM
Fifth Round : FLYING BEE
Seventh round : CHICKEN
Eight round : BLOSSOM
Ninth round : CHICKEN
Tenth round : T
You go on, as long as possible... ^^

Hints:
- Use order CHICKEN (solo) to divide team after some formation to distract them
- If the circle is broken (to many children play in the same area), please rebuild the circle again
- It is management game about change-happened around us, and how people must be ready for any change happened, but for a nature game, we also can discuss something like : - a topic related with an order (like : OK - now we will discuss about bee...); or who can tell me about chicken?
- You go on... I think your ideas are unlimited...

Guess the Peanut Number!

Guess the Peanut Number!
-(Nature Game)-

It is a simple game that we can play with 2 to 5 children. This game is good for increasing children imagination and to develop right and left brain. They need to use imagination, calculation and feel to win this game

Needs
Some peanuts (or another kind of seed in a same size)
-If we play in 5, maybe we need about 100 peanuts
Some bigger size of seed (for example, walnut)
-If we play in 5, maybe we need about 15 walnut

First, make a circle from 5 children. Divide peanuts and walnut into same number. If you play this game in 20 or 50, just make about 4 to 10 groups.

So, everybody will get about 20 peanuts and 3 walnut.

Then you say that we will need to practice. Everybody will hide peanuts in one or two of their hands, and after that everybody will show their hand(s) closed. And than everybody must guess the total number of peanuts in all hands.

The one who guess correctly will get all peanuts in everybody hands. If two kids guess the same number and win, their peanuts wil be divided by two.

Another rules:
- All empty hand(s) is forbidden, but it's OK to show one hand empty and the other is fill by some peanuts
- Use walnut to fill the hand and it will looks bigger (and the your friend will guess a big number)
- Hide all your peanuts in a closed bag or box, so nobody know your "ammunitions" number
- We can play time limit game, or a competition between groups if there are a lot of groups here

Relate it with environment issues
- Why this seed is different in size (peanut vs walnut)? And then you can talk about evolution, adaptation, species, even genetic differentation between same species
- Economic value of this products (peanut and walnut)
- The use of peanut and walnut in cooking, use for handicraft, farming, ...
- Use of peanut in organic farming (soil enrichment with N)
- The life cycle of peanut and walnut plant
- Or you can show them pictures, many kind of peanut and walnut varian in the world and relate it with geography module about country... ^^
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Pick An Alphabet

Pick An Alphabet
-(Nature Game, More ESD Activities, Language Game)-

Well, I don't know if this game is a kind of nature game or not - but in my opinion if we can play this game in our garden, at least it is fair enough to call it as a nature game.

I develop this game to Ms Sita Rani in RMI. She said that she need some game to help her do teaching activity. She is a teacher for alternative school in Cimande village, and her specialization is English (and after this writing hopefuly she will help me to edit this site because my English need some works ^^)

Needs
A lot of card (you may use paper for this). About 200-300 is enough I think if we play in a small groups

First, write an alphabet in each card from A to Z as many as you can (if you are a teacher, maybe some students may help you do it). You can add more card to write A, I, U, E, O alphabets.

The game is very simple. You may use garden, wood, near a river, or in a paddy fields. A room also acceptable for this game if there are some stuff in it.

Place all card alphabet in the ground. In five or ten minutes (your decision) one or two children must pick one alphabet each time and put it in an object, until it become a word that explain the object.

A "T, R, E, E" alphabet must be put under a tree
A "S, O, I, L" alphabet must be put in the ground
A "B, O, Y" alphabet must be put under a boy... and etc

If I assume that only one kid will do this game, in my opinion he will do some sports there. After he finish with one object, he can move to another object and repeat the steps.

If we play this game with 2 to 5 kids, I think they can cooperate together, and after some alphabets are gone, they must decide another objects which don't need that missing alphabets.

We also can use this game to learn another languages (including local language). Good luck ! In bigger groups, we can make a competition between groups...

Message In a Row

Message In a Row
-(Nature Game, Improve Listening and Observation, Communication)-

Message in a row is is a communication skill game, that can be modified into "a more nature game". The game is quite fun and easy to play too. I got the old version from my friend M. Yasin in RMI, and I modified it to discuss about reproduction, genetics, mutation and environment issues.

Needs
Nothing, 10 participants or more (better)

The game is simple. We must send a message from behind to the front of our group by tapping in our friend back / shoulder. No words are saying or we will get disqualified. For the front man, they will tell the message saying by do some move (we will learn the move later).

For 20 participants or more, we can make a competition between groups. Divide participants into groups of 10 people.

After children / adults make a fine row, they will face to the front. For a competition game, make a distance between groups. Then you tell them the orders (remember the move! Demonstrate the move )

3 taps : front man will do a sit up
4 taps : front man will shout "HEY !!!" loudly (to one of their opponents if this is a competition game)
5 taps : front man will stand in a chair and do salute (you also provide a chair in front of the front man)
6 taps : front man will do attack mode (like ULTRAMAN attack mode, you decide what it's like)
7 taps : front man will stand up in a chair and pose like a body building model ( ^_^)

After they repeat the order by themselves (so they will remember the move), the game will begin. First, you go to the back, tell the last man the number by writing (then you go to the front again, and in your order, let the game begin). Don't forget to tell them, there are no sound beside the clap sound.

After the first man (the man in the first row) do a move you are agree with, you ask to the group, is the message correct? Do some rounds (5 to 8 round) to look is there any change in their strategy. For the competition game, speed and correct answer will decide which group is the winner.

To relate this game to environment topics (well, beside communication we also can relate it to other topics) you can ask :
- If the process describe us about living creature reproduction (breeding, etc) and genetic's, try to relate it with mutation...
- What is mutation ?
- Try to find nature factors that can increase mutation probability
- Try to discuss evolution and mutation topics
- What is the benefit and disadvantage of the genetic code modification by human?
- You go on... try to relate it with another issues...

Picture taken from http://1.bp.blogspot.com

Card by Words

Card by Words
-(More ESD Activities, Language Game)-

I write this game for my friend, Sita Rani in RMI. She ask me if I had any ideas to make the children learn English in more attractive way. Well, maybe you can use this idea, Ms. Sita ^_^ . For teachers out there, if you want to learn different languages (include local language ; like in my country) maybe you also can use this activity.

Because this is an environment friendly site, I will bring this game into environment friendly topic too...

Needs
Some cards from paper
A field, forest, near a river or in a garden is acceptable

First, teacher look around his/her class. What is interesting in that place? And then in cards, teacher write down in English (or maybe you also can play this game to learn local language) about the things around you.

It can be (for example only) : CHAIR, TABLE, WOOD, IRON, FLOWER, SOIL, SNAIL, GRASS, BANANA TREE, ROCK, STONE, CRICKET, ANT, KID, SHOES, etc.

The game is simple. We can play it with two kids or a group of kids. In some modification, we can play this game like :
1. One kid mode : give all cards to them, they must place the cards into objects written in the cards. We note the time. To learn about speaking, we can modified this game: they must speak the word after they place the card. When they place the card in right place and say good pronounce they can move to another target
2. 1 group mode : the game is similar with game number one, but the rules is : one kid can only get one card to place. So in this game, all kids will learn English in random words. Don't forget, it's an estafet game - so they must place the card one by one.
3. 2 group mode (competition). Like game number two, but the speed is essential. If you have another teacher to accompany another group, it is better, so you also can learn about speaking too.

To connect this game into more environmental / nature friendly game, you can discuss some topics related with the cards we played.

Picture taken from www.royalweddingcards.com

Decomposition Status

Decomposition Status
-(Nature Experiment)-

This is a kind of a simple experiment to show children about decomposition process happened in our environment. This activity can be a useful activity to start dicussion about some of environmental topics (you can pick one of the topics below - or you can create it yourself)

First, we can find some leaves. Then we tie a line (a plastic, to mark position) to this leaves. Burried some of them in the backyard (a 5 to 10 cm deep is acceptable) and we will dig for it after some weeks.

We also do a same experiment in a jar contain clear water, and a jar contain mud (if you have a better place - like in the side of a river, just do it ^_^). Don't forget to make sure to have the line tied nicely, so we can easily know the location of our experiments (specially for the one in our backyard). For control, leave some leaves in open air.

Look for the result after 1, 2, and 3 weeks.
Questions:
1. Which leaves gone earlier (decomposed faster)? Why? - relate the answer with bacteria, and some living creature that help decomposition process...
2. What will our environment looks if the decomposition process never happened in our world?
3. Do you have any idea how to make this decomposition process faster? - example answer : with adding more decomposer-bacteria, in more practical activity-like adding more soil (contain many bacteria in it), fertilizer (source of energy for the bacteria),...

Hints:
-After this experiment, we also may discuss about humus layer, organic farming, making bio-fertilizer, economic value of bio-fertilizer,...(you go on)
-Do same experiment with anorganic matter to show how long it will take to decay - then we can talk about recycle products, environmental problem caused by anorganic matter (trash), healthy life and more...

Picture taken from http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3335/3509943070_255da84b73.jpg?v=0

Star Trek Game 1 : Planet Exploration

STar Trek Game 1 : Planet Exploration
-(Nature Game)-

This game dedicated for my favorite science fiction movie : Star Trek.

First we must write a strong plot for this story. You had to empower children imagination. Tell a story first when we start this game. We need a briefing "officer!" We have to explore this planet to find kind of living creature live here!

Mission : find, search and collect sample from living creature

Who will go to the planet surface:
1. First Officer: William Riker (Human)
2. Lt. Commander : Data (Android)
3. Chief of Security, Lt Sgt : Worf (Klingon)
4. Head of Engineer, Lt Sgt : Geordi La Forge (Human)
5. Observer : Spock (Vulcan) - you as a teacher

Tell the children they need to mimic the person they played. As Riker, they need to be "just human". Riker is the man who control the expedition. So you need to lead your team. Data is a robot / android. So you must speak more polite and discipline. Worf is powerful and he is a chief of security. You know what it's mean ! And La Forge is expert in engineer. We need him to make sure our tools are OK. Spock is an observer that suggest his best opinion about the situation.

Before this game, place some marks for the plant / living creature they need to collect (so you go explore the place first). You can mark the things by put an X, a bright spot, just an instruction or anything (including instruction like : collect all plants that is flowering,..). For advance, just tell them like this: we need a leaves from manggo, rambutan, banana, chocolate and coffee plant - that will make them think creatively.

Make a route: like from A to B then to C (a map would be interesting). This is a kind of route they will played.

Then start the exploration. Mr. Spock (as observer) will give his opinion only in an emergency situation / when they need it.

Rules:
1. Walk in this NORMAL position when in normal move (Riker leading)
2. Walk in this DEFEND position when there are threat (Worf leading)
3. When the team observe, only Data who only can touch the thing (Data is an android which is not sensitive to plant poison)
4. La Forge always carry a box / container to collect the plant without touching it. He also bring a note to simply writing about the plant location, condition, quality and quantity, or some ecosystem review.



Hints:
- Compete with other team. Which one explore better?
- Try different route, location and planet
- Explain about plant biology, ecosystem, economy value, and relation with social culture in the native tribe... when they are arrive...
- Use "tricorder, phaser, technological box" and more to support the journey
- Make the exploration tougher - cross the river and more
- Make more threat by the "Ferengi, Romulans and Borg" or the beast in this planet ^_^
- Conclusion : is this place is OK for human colonization? why?


Geordi picture taken from : http://uss-france.strangewc.com, Data and Worf picture taken fromhttp:// ex-astris-scientia.org, Spock picture taken from http://web.mit.edu, Riker picture taken from http://members.aol.com

How Do We Get Rubber from Trees?

How Do We Get Rubber from Trees?
-(Shocking Nature News)-

http://www.factbooks.blogspot.com

Rubber comes from a tropical tree. The juice of the rubber tree, called latex, is extracted through slanting cuts is the bark. The juice drips into a container attached to the tree. It is then collected and made into rubber, which can be used for car tyres, boots etc.,

Another juice extracted from trees is maple syrup, it comes from the maple tree which is grown in North America. The Juice flows out of holes bored into the wood of the tree. Maple syrup is popular in the USA and is used on pancakes and ice cream

How Many Languages Are in The World?

How Many Languages Are in The World?
-(Shocking Nature News)-
http://www.factbooks.blogspot.com

When people are asked how many languages they think there are in the world, the answers vary quite a bit. One random sampling of New Yorkers, for instance, resulted in answers like “probably several hundred.”

However we choose to count them, though, this is not close. When we look at reference works, we find estimates that have escalated over time. The 1911 (11th) edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, for example, implies a figure somewhere around 1,000, a number that climbs steadily over the course of the twentieth century. That is not due to any increase in the number of languages, but rather to our increased understanding of how many languages are actually spoken in areas that had previously been underdescribed.

Much pioneering work in documenting the languages of the world has been done by missionary organizations (such as the Summer Institute of Linguistics) with an interest in translating the Christian Bible. As of 1997, at least a portion of the Bible had been translated into 2,197 different languages, still a long way short of full coverage.

The most extensive catalog of the world’s languages, generally taken to be as authoritative as any, is that of the Ethnologue organization (http://www.ethnologue.com), whose detailed classified list currently includes 6,809 distinct languages.

Nature Detective

Nature Detective
-(Nature Game)-

This is a kind of game that increase children imagination. The game is quite simple but it needs strong storyline form us as teacher. First we need to make a story like this...

"Once upon a time there was a detective, who is so famous for his/her ability to find clue in outdoor environment. He/she can track various track through a forest, river, even in a water... (you go on... ^.^ )

The purpose of this activity is to have some "nature detective". We prepare children to watch closely, search for anything "strange" happenend around them - so the children will learn interesting things in their environment, even if it is so little that sometime miss from their attention.

Rules:
1. To seek clue, they must crawl - not walk (in order to make them look closer to the clue). Only when they seek clue in some place they can stand (like in some tree).
2. We may use magnifier to examine the clue.
3. They need to write what things are strange according to them (maybe a yellow leaves, a branch, or anything)
4. After 30 minutes, the activity is over, we discuss what they found

Because this is a learning season to become a real nature detective, you will explain the things they ask as clues.
- Explain why a leaves become yellow (because they getting old,...)
- Explain why there is a cut in grass (maybe because an grasshoper eat it?)
- Explain about the flower functions (yes, you also must read a lot ^^)
- Explain about geology of a stone (it's getting harder don't you think :) )

In the end, you may say : well that's enough for today, we will practice tomorrow in the beach..! TT myLot User Profile

Mini Ecosystem

Mini Ecosystem
-(Nature Experiment)-

This is a competition activity for the children while they learn about ecosystem. The purpose of this "Mini Ecosystem" activity is to show complex relation between biotic and abiotic factors in a small scale ecosystem. When "Mini Ecosystem" become stable from the beginning until the end of experiment, we may give children good score. Don't forget to ask the process and their argumentation, not only for the results, so the score will be given according : final results and argumentations

Needs
Some glass jars / small aquariums, plastic wraps, rubbers, some small water snails

Day 0-2:
First divide children into groups. They will have one glass jar (or a small aquarium) to decorate. Fill the jar with water.
You may help them in general, explain about relation between biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystem,
1. Give two days to the groups to let them decide what things are better to make a stable ecosystem.
2. Let them decide the water source for the experiments

Hints: a group that use water from a pond will get good score - because it rich with organic and anorganic matter (also it consist more phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacteria,..). A clear water will get only normal score.

Day 3-13:
Fill the jar with a snail and then other biotic and abiotic things (they choose themselves). Close the jar with plastic wrap. They may choose a place to put their experiments (they will decide direct sunlight intensity for their experiments). After picking places, they are not allowed to move the place, open the plastic wrap until it finish (day 14).

Day 14:
They may look their experiments. Are they make a stable mini ecosystem in their jar?

Question to discuss (just for an example):
- IS the snail still alive - why?
- Do you put plant in the water - why?
- Explain the relation between biotic and abiotic factors in this experiment
- Are we created a stable ecosystem from the beginning?
- Are the ecosystem reach stable condition in the end of the experiment? Why you say that?
- What is the meaning of a stable condition for an ecosystem?

There are no just "yes or no" answer. The best answer is if the children can explain the condition according scientific answer. Not to be forgotten, you also can add one more experiment, to show the children about pollution effect: add one experiment with pollution matter like detergent or oil... the result will be shown later and then, we also can discuss about water pollution.

Indian and Bandit

Indian and Bandit
-(Nature Game)-

Who likes play indian and bandit? That's my question when I play this game. It's a simple game - and every kids love the play it. When we play this game, we can learn history, biology, an other subject with help from some imagination. This game also make the children move and increase their ability to speak and working together with their friends.

First, divide children into two groups: as Indian and Bandit. Not like a war game - I prefer this game as a simulation for negotiation game. So Indian and Bandit must play their role to reach peace agreement rather than try to shoot each other ^_^

As Indian, they must dressed as Indian. Facilitate this groups to have make up from nature cosmetic (use clay and charcoal to make up their faces) and some leaves to decorate their clothes.

As Bandit, they must make a hat from leaves and make it to be a cowboy hat (or you can make a "moustache" from a corn plant ?)

Then the negotiation begin. The story is that for a peace agreement they need to barter some goods.

First round : 5 minutes, facilitator read opening topics (so you need make a good story first). Describe the history and the situation happened. You must make this two groups realize the situation and help them imagine better.

Second round : each group representation talk and share their opinion about this situation. Any comment from their member is OK but limitation is a must. Time 5 minutes for each groups.

Third round : facilitator say something first (bla-bla, so let's negotiate about this situation. We need to compromize your lost and say what you need, ...). And then facilitator say : ok, we have a deal that we need barter first... but we need some room and time to discuss with each member groups to make clear what the groups want...

Fourth round : break, facilitator help each groups to make a list for they want. Group needs can be (just for example) :
1. A fruit, branch of a plant
2. A map (maybe your playground)
3. A special thing from nature (a rock, sand, ...)
4. A small animal or insects

This is an example for Indian Group needs:
- 5 banana fruit (the Indian say we are starving now, give us food)
- 3 durian leaves (we need it for medication)
- 3 spoonfull of sand (we can imagine that this is a gold dust)

And this is an example for Bandit Group needs:
- A map of this area - you may limit the area (we need it to explore this area)
- A beautiful rock - you may translate this into interesting look from a stone (we need a beautiful jewel)

Fifth round : meeting, each group exchange their needs

Sixth round : 15 minutes (or more) activity, to find each group want

Seventh round : meeting, and result

Eight round : faciitator tell a story ( a history, economic value, biology, life cycle, ecosystem related,...) from some of the things they bring...

Hints:
- Prepare the situation first. You also may request some object into group (so you have your topic in group needs)
- You may repeat this game with another story (so children will not bored to your story) like farmer and trader story, wood cutter and fisherman, gold digger and indian, local tribe and doctor, and more :)

Do Dinosaurs Still Exist?

Do Dinosaurs Still Exist?

By Benjamin Radford, LiveScience's Bad Science Columnist

http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/090604-lost-world-dinosaurs.html

The idea of still-living dinosaurs has captured the public imagination for well over a century.
Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, published a 1912 novel called "The Lost World," set in the remote Venezuelan jungle where dinosaurs still survive in modern times.

Films such as "Jurassic Park" and "Land of the Lost," which opens Friday, were inspired by Conan Doyle's vision — in fact the sequel to "Jurassic Park" was titled "The Lost World."

The animated film "Up" (currently No. 1 at the box office) also takes place in this lost world, the plot involving the discovery of an unknown, multicolored dinosaur. For most of us, fiction is good enough. Yet some believe that giant dinosaurs still exist today, just beyond the reach of scientific proof.


Lake Monsters

There are hundreds of lakes harboring reputed monsters around the world, from Scotland's Loch Ness to Canada's Lake Okanagan, America's Lake Champlain to Argentina's Lake Nahuel.
The explanations for such monsters include dinosaurs and dinosaur-like animals. Believers and researchers ask what else could be so big, and account for the sightings.

Many believe that lake and sea monster reports can be "explained" as animals like the plesiosaur (a long-necked aquatic reptile that reached 40 feet in length) or the ichthyosaur (shonisaurus sikanniensis), which were as big as a submarine.


Mokele-Mbembe

In the remote jungles of central Africa, native stories tell of a dinosaur-like creature said to be up to 35 feet long, with brownish-gray skin and a long, flexible neck. Many believe that it lives in caves it digs in riverbanks, and feeds on elephants, hippos, and crocodiles.


Roy Mackal, a retired University of Chicago biologist who conducted two expeditions in search of the Mokele-Mbembe, believes that the descriptions of the creature suggest "a small sauropod dinosaur."


Despite more than two dozen searches for the "living dinosaur" as recently as last year, evidence is elusive. There are no photographs or films of the creature, no bones or teeth, no evidence beyond stories and anecdote.


The Surprising Truth


Of course the fatal flaw in the idea that giant dinosaurs still lurk in remote jungles or cold, deep lakes is that all the evidence suggests they died out about 65 million years ago. Many of the lakes said to hide dinosaurs were created only about 10,000 years ago.


If dinosaurs had existed up until much more recently — say, the Nixon administration or even Shakespeare's time — the likelihood of a few remaining, lonely huge dinosaurs might be plausible. But 65 million years is a long time for giant dinosaurs to live and die without leaving any recent fossils.


Yet scientifically speaking, not all dinosaurs died out. Most of us see dinosaurs every day, and some people even have them in their homes. Birds are the modern version of dinosaurs, though seeing Will Ferrell or Jeff Goldblum running terrified from an approaching pigeon just isn't very dramatic.