Estafet Run

Estafet Run
-(Nature Game)-

This is a nature game designed for children, or for grown up who still love fun game and needs sweat. You can play this nature game outdoor or indoor, while modify it to explain many topics (biodiversity, many type of minerals, waste management, etc)

The purpose of the game is to introduce many kind of plant species regarding character of its leaves.

Needs
- A lot of leaves (from 3-5 species). If you don't have leaves you can replace it by seeds, stones or rocks
- Some containers (multiply the number of plant species with number of existing groups, so you got the number needed)
- group(s) of children

First divide children into groups. If you have only some children, lets play with time limited game (single competition).

Divide a groups into player number 1, 2, 3 and so on. Number 1 is as picker. And the last number will be as filter. The other player must be placed at some point (a post). The range of every post must be managed according to participants stamina.

The rule are simple :
1. First everybody must be ready in their post (just imagine estafet run)
2. Place a bucket full with leaves in start line.
3. Picker will pick the leaves, give it to player number 2. Player number 2 give it to player number 3 and so on.
4. Filter (the last kid) will put the leaves in the basket. What he/she must do is to collect same kind of leaves (species) in one basket, while use other basket for another species.
5. The winner is the group who collect more leaves.

Modification :
- To teach children about value, you can give different points for every leaves species. You can relate it with economic value of the leaves or give more endangered species higher point, or just play with colorhig (some color are higher than others).
- If you play with rule number one, change also the range for buckets. Higher value must be placed in more far buckets.
- Play with minerals, seeds, or with garbage (to teach children about organic, anorganic waste), etc

Notes:
- Divide participants into fair composition.
- Use fallen leaves. It's better rather than the fresh one.
- After the game, you better discuss about the topic immedietly. Show them picture, video, or tell them a story. Use the object (leaves, etc) and make them touch and feel the object.

Picture taken from http://www.thewe.cc

Lowest Temperature on Earth

Lowest Temperature on Earth
-(Shocking Nature News)-
from wikipedia.org

The lowest temperature ever recorded in nature on Earth was −89.2°C (−128.6°F) recorded on Thursday, July 21, 1983 at Vostok Station. For comparison, this is 11 °C colder than subliming dry ice. The highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was 14.6°C (58.3°F) in two places, Hope Bay and Vanda Station, on January 5, 1974.

The mean annual temperature of the interior is −57°C (−70°F). The coast is warmer. Monthly means at McMurdo Station range from −28°C (−18.4°F) in August to −3°C (26.6°F) in January. At the South Pole, the highest temperature recorded was −14°C (7°F). Along the Antarctic Peninsula, temperatures as high as 15°C (59°F) have been recorded, though the summer temperature is usually around 2°C (36°F).

Severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean. East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation. The Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate. Higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing.

Picture taken from http://academic.emporia.edu/aberjame/ice/lec11/vostok2.jpg

Search the Mineral

Search the Mineral
-(Nature Game)-

Basicly, this game is the same with "Guess the Peanut Number" game - the game I have already posted a couple months ago. This is a specific game that we can used to introduce mineral to participants. Sometimes we found difficulties to learn mineralogy - but why we don't speak in different language? Everybody love a game and with warm atmosphere, we should learn easier don't you think ^^?

Needs
Handkerchief

While do some walking in the field, garden, forest, or beach; try to encourage children to collect some small stone, rock, coral, sand or soil. You can divide children into groups. While one groups collecting stone, the other groups can collect rock, sand or something else...

After finish walking, gather and sit in a circle, you can start the game:
1. Children look the mineral with full attention
2. They can touch the mineral if they like
3. Close their eyes with handkerchief
4. You can give him/her one sample of mineral
5. After 30 - 60 seconds you can take the stone /rock back
6. The kid must recognize the mineral he/she already touch
Hints : for harder level of game you can give children similar shape / type of stone / rocks

What you can discuss:
- How can they recognize the mineral they touch?
- Is there any similarity between those kind of minerals?
- Give children information about geology, and how the minerals formed... (geology process)
- Why you can only found some types of minerals in certain area only?
- And many questions... you can relate it with different use of stone / rocks, economic value of minerals, and talking about mining and environment problem...

Which Animals and Plants are in the Most Danger?

http://factbooks.blogspot.com
-(Shocking Nature News)-

In this question, the ‘word’ danger does not refer to the danger to which individuals of any species may be subjected. Danger in this case means the danger to which a whole species is liable. In other words, species may be in danger of becoming extinct, and disappearing for ever from the face of the planet. Of course, we can tell from the fossil record that hundreds of species of animals and plants have come and gone throughout the span of life on Earth.

In the past, however, those species that have died out have done as a result of natural causes. The animals and plants that disappeared were those that were unable to adapt fast enough to changing conditions or were unable to compete with their rivals for the available food supplies. There are instance, however, such as that of the dinosaurs, in which it is not at all clear why they became extinct. Many dieas have been suggested, but none of them is wholly satisfactory.

For today’s wild life, there is another, more terrible threat to their existence – man. Man is endangering the lives of many species of animals and plants which are unable to adapt to the pressure of man’s increasing numbers and his changes to the natural environment. On the other hand, there are those species that have certainly benefited from man’s activities.

In Britain, for example, birds such as the black headed gull have increased in numbers quite dramatically in the last fifty years, adapting well to a semi-urban environment and feeding on man’s waste. Even the fox has been able to survive by adapting to become an urban scavenger in many large cities. Unfortunately, the lack of suitable foods has led to the foxes becoming deformed so that individual probably spends a great deal of their lives in considerable pain.

But man is threatening wild life in many ways. Firstly by his spread further and further into the rural areas, man is reducing the areas in which wild life can live. This also includes the effects of widespread farming where forests and heaths come under the plough and many kilometers of hedges are removed.

Secondly, man has hunted many animals to extinction. A good example of this is the destruction of the great auk during the last century or perhaps even more famous the death of the dodo. More recently the fate of many species of the giant sea mammals, whales, has been in the news, as their numbers fall to the more efficient whaler’s harpoon gun with its explosive harpoon. Pollution is also affecting the lives of many animals. Millions of sea birds die very unpleasant deaths as a result of their feathers becoming covered in sticky, black oil waste.

It is sometimes argued that if an animal or plant cannot survive man’s ravages, then this is just the course of evolution. Unfortunately, many beautiful and valuable species, on which man himself depends, may never be seen again.

Picture taken form http://desktoprating.com

Robot-Robotan or Balantrok

Robot-Robotan or "Balantrok"
-(Traditional Game, Nature Game)-

Robot-robotan or "Balantrok" is a traditional game in my place (West Java). But I think many variation of this game also being played by children all around the world. This is a fun activity to develop children creativity, and it also teach children to re-use and to re-cycle.

Needs
For this game we need 2 milk/biscuit can (larger is better) or 2 coconut shell (cut the shell into two, bigger is better), a small diameter of plastic rope (or you can use another rope as replacement), nail.

Make two hole in each can. The range between each hole is about 10 cm. If you choose coconut shell you can make only one hole.

Then tie a rope in both hole. You maybe need about 2 meters rope for each can (it will become 1 meter length after you divide it into both hole). For coconut shell, you need 1-1,3 meter rope. Place your feet in each can, and use your hand to control the rope, so you can step easily.

And now you can start the game. Play a competition game between children at the same age. This game is better if we can use used can / rope or get the stuff from nature e.q. rope from banyan tree hanging root.

Modification :
- Playing soccer with robot-robotan
- Playing run competition with robot-robotan
- Playing adventure / treasure hunting with robot-robotan