Habitat Game
Games
Grades3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
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Provided by Smithsonian Institute
What it is
- In this interactive game, students drag and drop animals into their correct ecological habitats.
- Students will discover the animals that live in deserts, coral reefs, jungles, and marshes.
Teaching tips
Positives
- Game-based learning has been proven to be a powerful supplement to more traditional styles of instruction and this engaging game would be a great addition to lessons.
- This game gives students multiple opportunities to try again with written prompts if they are incorrect the first time.
Prerequisites
- There is a brief paragraph about habitats before students play the game, but students should be introduced to the animals and habitats in the game before playing.
- Reviewing the directions to this game with students might support some learners, since there is no audio.
- Students can play this game on a desktop or laptop computer and need to be proficient with drag-and-drop.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Consider facilitating a discussion after students have played the game including questions like "What features of the habitats helped you determine which animals might be able to survive there?"
- Students receive immediate feedback after an incorrect answer along with information about the animal that might help them make a better selection, which will be helpful for strong readers, but younger students may need additional guidance.
- Allowing students to play in pairs may increase engagement and help develop oral discussion skills.
- Pair this lesson with other resources on related concepts such as this video that introduces the basics of habitats and this activity where students research three biomes.
From the scientist review
From this interactive game, students can learn how to cross-match different kinds of animals to their specific ecological habitats. This is recommended.
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Hosted on ssec.si.edu
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