Deer and Resources: Populations Rise and Fall

One group plays deer looking for food, water or shelter and the other group plays those resources; a deer that doesn't find what it needs becomes a resource, so nobody is out. It mixes reaction sprints with a basic ecology idea: populations change with available resources.

How to play

1. Two parallel lines 15 m apart: on one side, a third of the class as deer; on the other, everyone else as resources. Explain the signs: hands on stomach = food, on mouth = water, over the head = shelter (3 min).
2. Each round: everyone faces away and secretly picks a sign; on "Go!" deer run to find a resource showing the same sign and walk them back by the hand (2 min).
3. Back-to-back rounds: a captured resource becomes a deer; a deer that finds no match becomes a resource. One student chalks the number of deer on the ground after each round (8 min).
4. Add two predators in pinnies who start on the sideline and tag deer on their way; a tagged deer becomes a predator next round and the predator becomes a resource (6 min).
5. Read the chalk graph: what happened to the deer when resources were scarce? (4 min).
6. Clean-up with discussion (2 min).

Rules

• Pick signs while facing away and don't change them after turning around.
• Run straight; walk the resource back holding hands.
• Predators tag on the shoulder and don't chase past the line.
• Resources stay on their line.

Variations

Adaptations

• Visual impairment: resources call out their sign ("Water!") when a deer comes close.
• Limited mobility: always plays as a resource, or as the graph keeper who explains it at the end.
• Slower runners: deer can go out in pairs and look for resources together.

Learning goals

• React and decide quickly in short sprints.
• Experience how populations depend on the resources in their environment.
• Take part in a game where no one is eliminated.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cones: 8
• pinnies: 4
• chalk: 4

Teacher tip

This is an adaptation of a classic environmental-education game; the chalk graph is what makes it stick. Common mistake: deer switching signs after seeing what's in front of them; insist on choosing while facing away.

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