Aim of the game:
To encourage students to think about relationships within the waterways ecosystem

How to play:

• This game works best if students play in pairs as this encourages discussion. Two or three pairs can play per set of cards.
• Deal each pair of players 3 "component" cards (these cards show things that belong in the waterways ecosystem) and 2 "process" cards (these cards describe actions).
• Players look at their cards and try to form statements, e.g.,
  
  NOTE: The statements do not need to be grammatically correct – they just need to indicate a relationship between different parts of the waterway.
• One pair of students lays down the cards making the statement. As they do so they also say what the relationship is to encourage thinking about the relationships. They replace the cards they have used from the deck of cards, ensuring they still have 3 component cards and 2 process cards. The next pair then tries to make a statement by adding on to the statement there (like in scrabble) or adding a new one of their own.
  
• Continue like this until cards are used up or until no pairs can add anything.
• Encourage students to challenge statements they think are incorrect.

Follow up discussion
After playing the game discuss with students relationships within waterways. Talk about the different sorts of relationships and the complexity of these relationships. This is an important step to ensure students are thinking about the ideas in the game.

Variations

• Cards can be added or removed to better reflect the elements in a local waterway.
• Provide some blank cards for students to add their own process words.
• Encourage the students to make up their own rules once they have tried the game.
• If students have access to Inspiration they could construct their concept map on a computer.

water trees rabbits river bank river flies the Sun stream dragonflies sheep factories spilt oil bacteria rubbish possums trout milking sheds frog eel fertilizer fish weta shrubs cow dung

kingfisher grass nutrient run off insects water plants rain algae rocks pukeko humans catchment cows aquatic (water) insects mouse lakes ponds birds cats

Process cards  

eats shelters grows in eats provides oxygen for makes food from eats comes from lives beside protects cools lives in eaten by warms lives beside eaten by grows beside lives in eaten by grows beside shelters under erodes grows beside kills pollutes grows in breaks down shades grows in goes into