Discuss with your students the concept of habitats at Great Sand
Dunes National Park and Preserve. Students should understand the
basic community types and gain a general understanding of some of
the species that live there. The difference between biotic
and abiotic should be discussed with your students. Only
a general understanding of habitats and community types is necessary,
the Help Cards within the Habistack deck will help students understand
exactly who lives in which community type at Great Sand Dunes.
Print one copy of the Habistack
cards per group of four on cardstock and cut each card out.
Before playing the game, organize the students into their groups
and give each group one deck of cards. Spread out the cards face
up on the floor and have the students practice building trophic
pyramids with the cards (see building trophic pyramids
below).
Object: To get the most points possible through the construction
of "trophic pyramids" and by playing Steward cards before
someone gets rid of all their cards.
Points: Each completed trophic level (layer of the pyramid)
is worth 10 points. Each successfully played Steward Card is worth
10 points. For each Steward Card remaining in a player's hand
when the first person goes out, 10 points are subtracted. Twenty
points are awarded for each fully constructed stack (pyramid).
The deal: Seven cards are dealt to each player. The remaining
cards are placed face down in the center. This is the draw pile.
The play: A player draws two cards from the draw pile
or two from the discard pile. If the player wishes to draw from
the discard pile and only one card remains, only one card can
be drawn. If possible, the player may build one layer or more
of one or more trophic pyramids. An entire layer must be played
at a time. At the end of your turn, discard one card.
Building trophic pyramids: Trophic pyramids have three
levels. The bottom level is the habitat level. One of the cards
must be one of the six habitat types. This fundamental habitat
card must be associated with a Biotic Card and an Abiotic Card.
The second level is the herbivore level. It contains two herbivores
that may be found in that habitat. They cannot be of the same
species. The top level is the predator level. It must be a carnivore
or insectivore that is frequently found in that habitat. Steward
Cards can help form a trophic pyramid, by being a substitute for
any card except the fundamental Habitat Card itself. Only one
Steward Card can be played per pyramid. Each layer must be played
completely during the player's turn—incomplete layers cannot
be played.
Steward Cards: During a player's turn, if a Steward Card
is on the table in another player's stack, it may taken. A card
in the player's hand that correctly fits in that location must
be substituted for a Steward Card. The player must then play the
Steward Card before the turn is over. A player may only take one
Steward Card per turn.
End game: The game is over when a player's last card is
played or discarded.
Game extension: Have each group compete for total group points.
This helps the students within the groups work together and assist
each other in learning how trophic pyramids are built.
