Farmyard Fun!
An Alberta SPCA Animal Game
You are visiting your friend Alex, who lives on a farm. You’re excited to climb up and play in her treehouse, but first, Alex needs to do her daily farmyard chores. As a good friend – and also excited to see the animals -you decide to help! As you explore the farm answer questions about animals you see along the way and learn what it takes to care for them.
This interactive game introduces students to concepts related to animal welfare, behaviour and safety though 11 multiple choice questions The more we understand about animals and their needs, the better we can care for them!
This game can be played individually, in pairs or small groups. Younger students will require assistance from an adult to read the questions. Are you ready to help Alex and explore the farm? Play now!
Learn more about the answers to the questions:
Dogs
- 10 foods that are harmful to dogs (Ontario SPCA)
Bats
- Alberta Bats: Bats and Farms (video)
- Building Bat-Friendly Communities (Alberta Community Bat Program)
Horses
- Pediatric horse-related trauma (National Library of Medicine)
Cats
- Reducing Stress in Cats (Alberta SPCA)
Native Plants
- The Power of Pollinators (video)
- Make every drop count: Water conservation tips (David Suzuki Foundation)
- Alberta Native Plant Council
Donkey
- Why are donkeys stubborn? (video)
Chickens
Related Resources:
The Five Needs of Animals
A six-part video series that explores the needs of animals and how animals feel when their needs are met.
Curious Questions
Short videos of experts answering animal related ‘Curious Questions’ from students across Alberta
CTSanimals.ca
Free online course material for high school students to understand and apply best practices for the care of domestic animals
Curriculum Connections
Science
Organizing Idea: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
Guiding Questions: How can environments be explored?
Learning Outcome: Children examine and describe surrounding environments.
Skills & Procedures:
- Identify ways to protect and respect environments.
Science
Organizing Idea: Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
Guiding Question: How do plants and animals survive?
Learning Outcome: Students investigate and examine needs of plants and animals.
Skills & Procedures:
- Determine how a local environment meets the basic needs of plants and animals.
- Describe personal experience related to how humans take care of plants and animals.
Science
Organizing Idea: Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
Guiding Questions: How do plants and animals live and grow?
Learning Outcome: Students investigate the growth and development of plants and animals and consider their relationship to humans.
Skills & Procedures:
- Discuss ways to respect plants and animals while interacting in various environments.
- Explain positive and negative impacts of humane behaviour on plants and animals.
Science
Organizing Idea: Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
Guiding Question: How do plants and animals interact?
Learning Outcome: Students analyze and describe how plans and animals interact with each other and within environments.
Skills & Procedures:
- Reflect on and share actions that can be taken to protect plants and animals in local environments.
- Demonstrate respectful and safe practices during observations of plants and animals in local environments.
Science
Organizing Idea: Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
Guiding Question: In what ways do the structures of organisms support survival?
Learning Outcome: Students analyze organisms and relate external structures to functions.
Skills & Procedures:
- Demonstrate respect when interacting with plants and animals in local environments.
Science
Organizing Idea: Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
Guiding Question: In what ways are ecosystems complex?
Learning Outcome: Students investigate the characteristics and components of and interactions within ecosystems.
Skills & Procedures:
- Represent and connect the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem.
