The Surrey Nature Centre

Last week we went on a field trip to the Surrey Nature Centre in Green Timbers Park.  We have been learning about plant and animal adaptations and food chains in Science, so this program fit right in.  It was POURING rain the entire day, but luckily Division 9 students are real troopers and we still had fun and learned a lot!  

First we went out into the forest to play a game called "Surviving the Food Chain."  Each person in the class was given a role:  squirrel, raccoon or coyote, and a number of "life cards".  All animals had to collect hidden symbols in the forest that represented food, water and shelter (the basic needs of all animals).  At the same time, the squirrels also had to watch out for their predators: the raccoons and the coyotes.  The raccoons needed to be on the look out for coyotes too because the  coyotes are also their predators.  If you were tagged by one of your predators, you had to give them one of your "life cards".  The coyotes could have one of their lives taken away by destruction or humans (played by a parent and Ms. Birdsall).  In order to survive the game, you needed to keep at least one life, and collect enough food, water and shelter symbols.  It was such a fun, fast-paced game, we didn't even mind getting soggy! 

Our leader, Sue, explaining the  forest boundaries.

The coyotes are coming to get you; watch out squirrels and raccoons! 

What a friendly looking raccoon!

We still have our lives!

Hiding in the bushes is a good survival strategy!

So is sticking to the outside boundaries.

 After warming up a bit inside, and having some lunch, it was time for our second activity, "Making a Dream Habitat." For this activity students were divided into groups of four.  Each group was assigned a different forest animal and given a fact card about that animal's habitat, food, shelter and adaptations.  Our task was to represent this information using things found in nature.  Here are some pictures of us reading about our animals.

When we had read the information and brainstormed some ideas we headed back out into the forest (and the rain!) to create our representations.

 

At the end, each group presented the imaginative ways they had represented the animal's needs using natural objects.

Overall, it was a wet, but wonderful day out in nature!