Habitat Relay

Equipment list

  • Animal habitat lists (see below)

  • Hula hoops

  • Poly spots or floor markers

  • Pinecones (optional obstacles)

  • Printed animal cards with images and brief descriptions (optional)

  • Whiteboard or chart paper for tracking animal guesses (optional)

Explanation

This interactive relay game helps students explore local habitats and their animal inhabitants, connecting to the Grade 4 Social Studies curriculum outcome: “Learners will analyse interconnectedness of and within local habitats, inclusive of a Mi’kmaw perspective.”

Divide students into teams of 5. Each team forms a circle at their designated station. Players take turns navigating an obstacle course (using poly spots, hula hoops, or pinecones) to reach a leader holding an animal list. The leader quietly tells them the name of an animal.

The student returns to their group and acts out the animal using movement or charades. If needed, they can add animal sounds. Once the team correctly guesses, the next player goes. After all five animals have been guessed, the team must identify the habitat to which the animals belongs.

Animal Groupings by Habitat:

Wetland:

  • Frog, Duck, Trout, Muskrat, Beaver

Ocean:

  • Shark, Lobster, Whale, Tuna Fish, Jellyfish

Boreal Forest:

  • Black Bear, Fox, Raccoon, Crow, Squirrel

Freshwater Lake:

  • Trout, Otter, Leech, Turtle, Crane

Coastal Shoreline:

  • Seagull, Starfish, Crab, Clam, Seal

Variations:

  • Visual Aid Option: Students may ask to see a picture and description if they’re unfamiliar with the animal.

  • Animal Cards: Place animal cards in a bin for students to draw (but keep hidden from teammates). After guessing, they can reveal the card.

  • Guess Tracker: Use a board or chart paper to help teams remember which animals they’ve correctly guessed.

  • Flexible Movement: Encourage different ways to move through the obstacle course (e.g., hop like a frog or crawl like a crab).

Participant feedback:

These lessons were used on teachers who expressed that they would be excited to integrate these into their classrooms

ASK ID 2025-03-18-008-E

Grade 3 - 4Gasta DesignNature Science, Social Studies