Sustainable practice 1/Possum Picnic

Objective

Possum Picnic is designed to introduce and re-enforce ideas about the impact of introduced animal species but could also be used for introduced plant species and to show the relationships between living things in a community.

Activity

1. Students create the game as they go
2. Most are trees and one is a possum. The possum chases and tags the trees who then become possums. Linking arms will slow down the possums destruction somewhat.
3. When the initial game is over question the students on the reality of the situation, then ask them to create the next round, bringing in some kind of control of the possums. Facilitate the students to come up with the control system, use the resources as they wish and put rules in place to control the possums and reinact the current problem in NZ
4. Provide a number of resources - boundary area, balls to act as guns to shoot the possums, squares or hoops to act as traps, something that may represent poison.

Links and resources

• This resource may you help facilitate this activity. Note that this version is quite directive, perhaps aimed at younger students. The activity becomes useable for young adults with a student driven focus. The processing questions can also be adapted for your audience. http://www.doc.govt.nz/publications/getting-involved/students-and-teachers/activities/possum-picnic-activity/