First off… where do whooping cranes live?

And how are wetlands good for us?

Part 1:

• This game is just like musical chairs!
• Let’s pretend to be migrating whooping cranes – whooping cranes migrate every winter from Alberta all the way to Texas to stay warm in the winter
• Each one of the pads/mats represents a wetland.
• The whooping cranes need to fly around the room and keep moving. When an adult flashes the lights (or stops the music), whooping cranes must find a wetland to rest in and touch it with one foot.
• Before cranes take off to continue their migration, adults will take away some wetlands due to human impact
  • E.g. wetlands being removed due to agriculture, construction, building roads and a city, etc.
• Removing wetlands will cause crowding and competition
• As the students play more rounds… not every crane will find a wetland and is therefore out of the game if lights flash and they are not able to find a home.

Part 2:

• What can we do to bring back or protect wetlands?
  • Go through various actions that can protect wetland habitat
  • With each action, bring back wetlands and the cranes who lost in part 1 of the game
• Play a few more rounds with everyone back in the game!
• Discuss how removing wetlands cause overcrowding and competition among whooping cranes… and a large reason why they are a species at risk. At risk of what you ask? At risk of disappearing!

Discussion 

Reflect on the participants’ experiences in the game:

• How did it feel to be a whooping crane at the start of the game?
• What about when the wetlands started disappearing?
• What are some of the reasons that wetlands disappear in the real world?
• What are some actions that can help restore or protect wetlands?
• What is one action that you will commit to doing, in order to protect wetlands and whooping cranes?