Forest Scavenger Hunt

It is time for an outdoor classroom adventure! This two-page forest scavenger hunt offers middle or high school life science and ecology students a chance to find a fantastic array of nature-themed species and objects. Many of the listed items are examples of symbiosis and other species' interactions. This activity doubles up as a classification exercise of species' interactions. Students will identify each recorded interaction of species description as mutualism, parasitism, commensalism, predator-prey, or herbivory.

It is the students’ mission to find over thirty nature-themed objects or species interactions for this activity. Here are some of the items on the eclectic list – fungal infections on tree trunks, signs of disturbance, pollination, signs of defoliation (partially eaten leaf), animal scat, and the scattered feathers of a kill site. 

This activity works best after the showing of the PowerPoint I published separately that illustrates the targeted items, titled Forest Scavenger Hunt Item Photo Gallery PPT

This activity includes the following:

• A complete key with the answers in red font
• A teacher discussion manual
• A legend on the top of the first page that outlines the nature of each species interaction (e.g., commensalism 0, +)
• Clarification under some of the symbiotic interaction lines over which species to consider for the interaction

This PDF file will become editable upon conversion to Microsoft Word using an Adobe Acrobat Reader DC app, and it complements the following resources in my store.

Symbiosis Classification Worksheet #1 Interaction of Species

Symbiosis Classification Worksheet #2 Interaction of Species

Forest Map Analysis Activity

Symbiosis Cryptogram Puzzle

Thank you for your interest. I have published science kits, activities, and lessons through several international science supply corporations dating back to 2002. I am confident this resource will serve you well.

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