Activity

1. Show an image of deforestation in the rainforest and ask the class what they think it is showing. Elicit to find out what they know - do they know about animals losing their homes due to human expansion?
2. Discuss how easy or difficult it might be to have to change where you live due to the impact of others.
3. Ask the class to stand. Use cones (or chairs or even string) to slowly reduce the size of the classroom, so that students have to leave their desks and move into the smaller area. Do this a little at a time, each time, ask checking questions about the ease/difficulty of this as the room is getting smaller.
4. As the room shrinks, encourage students to ask each other questions about the topic and how they think this might be for animals whose habitats are shrinking due to human activity. How might they feel? How would it impact their lives?

Reflection

• How did putting yourself in the place of an animal help you explore and investigate the effect of shrinking habitats?

• Why is this happening to animals?

• What can we (humans) do to help?

• What can we (as individuals/a class/a school/a community/a country) do to help?

Go Further

Each student becomes a different animal, some of whom have to stay away from each other e.g. a deer needs to stay away from a Jaguar, and jaguars can’t stand next to each other. Repeat the activity and find out how that might make it even more challenging. You could also introduce other human aspects, such as cars, pollution, etc.

Inquisitive: Exploring and Investigating

Students explore what it is like to be an animal whose habitat is shrinking and are given the chance to wonder about possible solutions.