Ecosystem Jenga

Supplies

• Jenga
• colored stickers (6 colors)
• printed playing cards from http://njseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/EstuaryJenga-2.pdf
• table or hard surface (to set up Jenga on)

Set-up

• Place 3 blocks with green stickers side by side. Place 3 more layers of green blocks in alternating directions. You should have a total of 4 layers of green blocks. This represents the base of the food web and 1st trophic level of primary producers.
• As you did with the green blocks, stack 3 layers of blue blocks on top of the green blocks. This represents the next trophic level known as primary consumers.
• Stack 2 layers of yellow blocks and 2 layers of pink blocks on top of the stack. These represent secondary and tertiary consumers
• 4. Stack 1 layer of red blocks on your stack. These represent quaternary consumers or carnivorous predators
• Top your stack with 1 purple block. This layer represents the apex or top predator in our model.
• This models a food web in an estuary!

From The Education Program at the NJ Sea Grant Consortium njseagrant.org

http://njseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/EstuaryJenga-2.pdf

Instructions

• The first player picks a card, reads it aloud, and follows the instructions written on the card. Only the block being removed or returned may be touched. Player is not allowed to hold the rest of the stack together while removing the block(s).
• Once played, used cards should be put into a discard pile.
• Removed wood blocks should also be placed into a discard pile off to the side.
• Have students continue taking turns until the tower falls and the food web collapses.
• Reset to play again using the directions above.
• If time permits, discuss some of the threats an estuary faces and answer the following questions relating to the trophic levels represented in this game.

Points to Emphasize and Discuss

• How does a Jenga tower represent an ecosystem?
• Why does removing one small piece weaken the entire ecosystem?

Important Note: This activity is geared towards older students and was difficult for some of the elementary students to understand. I read and explained the cards for the students, but another option would be to simplify the cards before printing.

All information about this activity is from The Education Program at the NJ Sea Grant Consortium njseagrant.org. For more information, click here: http://njseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/EstuaryJenga-2.pdf