Animal Jam

Leah Chandler, Damien Rochette, Cristin Smith, Erin Arrowsmith

EDPB 503 F17 NO2 Child and Youth Development - October 30, 2017

Concept:
Our game, Animal Jam, uses Vgotskys theory that teachers ...present material that is too difficult
for children to learn by themselves. Good instruction, Vgotsky believed, ...should march ahead of
development, pulling it along, helping children master material that they cannot immediately grasp
on their own,. (Crain, W. Theories of Development: Concepts and Applications, p. 241.)
Additionally, Vgotsky reminds us that ...childs play, although spontaneous and imaginative, is
not completely free. In the childs mind, there are rules to be followed. Children ...behave
according to what they think a role requires, not their immediate desires. (Crain, W. T heories
of Development: Concepts and Applications, p. 240.)
Animal Jam helps children learn about the unique habitats and traits of various animals, using
First Nations medicine wheel directions to move around the classroom to answer questions.
Animal Jam teaches biology, centred around Big Ideas in the new BC Curriculum, such as:
Living things have features and behaviours that help them survive in their environment
(Science curriculum, grade 1)
Living things are diverse, can be grouped and interact in their ecosystems (Science
curriculum, grade 3)
It is our hope that children take on the role of becoming the animal theyve chosen to play
Animal Jam within the rules laid out below, to learn more about the animals all around them.

Objectives:
Students role play and categorize different animal traits and activities
Students learn and use compass directions for movement
Students use reading skills to help classmates play the game
Students are encouraged to work together to determine animal traits if they dont know them

Instructions:
1) Separate two decks of cards by colour (green - direction cards and brown - action cards)
2) Post First Nations medicine wheel direction signs (North, South, East, West)
3) Go over medicine wheel directions to remind students.
4) Each student picks one stuffed animal from a bag without looking.
5) Start with all students in the middle of the room.
6) Teacher picks and reads a card from the deck:
a. If the statement on your card is true, move to that part of room.
b. If there is an action on your card, do that action.
c. Leave some thinking time before picking another card so that students can discuss their
response if necessary.
7) Everyone moves back to the middle of the room once the action is complete.
8) Read another card from the deck. Continue picking cards until deck is done, or until time is up.
10) Switch animals if you want to play again.

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Pictures:
Stuffies

Card deck

Signs

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Adaptations/Extensions that our Group Considered:
Students who need assistance could work with a partner and share an animal.
Students who are good readers could take turns reading the cards for the class.
Pick a question that you have about your animal and learn more about it. Students could also
more thoroughly research their animals and then play the game again once research is
complete.
Research and create a panel about your animals habitat. Use the panel as what the partners
stand on in the middle of the room to play the game.
Adapt to different subject areas e.g. geography
Students could come up with sets of questions that could be targeted to different curriculum
areas.

Adaptations Suggested by Colleagues on Oct. 30/17:

Adapt to other subject areas: e.g. periodic table, only BC animals & how they interact with
each other, use animals on certain continents
Other questions could include Stand in order of the food chain or Stand in order of
the evolutionary chain
Trade animals with other students
Bring your own animals
Use cards that include information about each animal, or plastic animals instead of stuffies
Play with mystery animal and see if other students can guess who you are
Share more information about medicine wheel connections, e.g. seasons, animals, gifts

Materials: 2 decks of cards with questions, 20-30 stuffed animals (or pictures cards) as follows:
owl scorpion
dog crab
cat lizard
horse chipmunk
bear raven
sea otter mouse
pig ladybug
cow rabbit
hummingbird stork
bat ram
monarch butterfly hedgehog
cheetah lion

Questions for cards:

If youre a mammal (invertebrate, insect, bird), move ...
If you fly, move south
If you swim, move east
Show how your animal moves
If you live in North America, move west

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Questions for cards (cont.):
If you live on the west coast of BC, move north
If you live on Vancouver island, move south
All animals with feathers, make your call
If youre a carnivore, say what you eat
If you are nocturnal, move east
If you can see at night, show us your eyes
I hibernate (in the winter, duck for cover), move north
I lay eggs in a nest, move south
I can run faster than your teacher, move east
I live by myself, move west
I live with other animals like me, move north
If you are a predator and see a prey, point your finger at the prey (and show youre
hungry)
Wild animals : gather together, domesticated / farm : animals gather together
Show how your animal goes to sleep.
Find another animal you feel you could be friends with (groups ok). Whats the name of
your team?
If you think you can live more than 10 years, stand up. If not, sit down.
If your animal is grumpy in the morning, make a grumpy face !
If you build your own shelter or nest, go hide.
If you can eat a leftover doughnut, jump in the air (youre having a sugar high)
If you think you could escape the classroom through the window, go by the window (but
dont jump through the window)
If you have a magical power, share it with the class.
If you live in the water, lay on your belly
If your animal has scales, move north
If you camouflage, hide beside an object that is close to the same colour as you
If you are born from an egg, crack out of your shell
Make your animal's sound
If you have fur, move south
If you have big teeth, show them off
If you have a beak, make a beak with your hands.
Show your animal's ears
Move like you are your animal
If you are poisonous, move south
If you live in the ocean, move west
If you live in the desert, move east
If you eat fish or seafood, move north
If humans eat you, move east
If you might attack a human, move south
If you are endangered, move west
If you are a herbivore, say what you eat

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Questions for cards (cont.):
If you fly, show how big your wing span is
If you can climb a tree, move north
There are First Peoples legends about me, move south
I live where it is cold, move north
I live where it is hot, move south
I bathe in the mud, move east
I like ice cream, move west
My house is underground, move north
Joker : Make up a question of your own or ask someone to do so.