Updates from the Field

Activities: Environmental Camps


Team Building: Crane Egg Game
Developed by Jan Weiler, Golda Meir School

Level: Third grade and up

Materials: The materials needed are v-channel strips about 2 feet in length (one for each person), marbles (the simulated crane eggs), and a can.

Focus: The focus is on teamwork, cooperation, developing a strategy and problem solving.

The Simple Framing Question: How can we, as a group, safely move the crane egg (without touching it or dropping it) to the new nest? (Prior to the activity, you can discuss that in reality you would not move crane eggs. This activity is not a real life biology lesson, but more of a challenge activity to build on the above stated skills.)

Suggested Procedure: Ask people what they know about cranes and their nesting habits. Tell them that the cranes have made a nest in an unsafe area. Your task is to move the crane's egg on the v-channel without touching or dropping it. The new nest is the can in the designated spot within the area you are doing this activity. You cannot touch the marble with anything but the v-channel. If you drop or touch the marble, you must start over. You may not walk with the marble in your v-channel. Every tube or strip of v-channel in your group must be used once.

Possible processing questions:
How did we do? Was this fun? Did you feel safe? What did you learn?
Were we successful?
How did we plan to get the marble to the can?
Is it ever acceptable to interfere with nature and move or alter an animal's habitat?