The Pond Wildlife Survival Game

The Wildlife Survival Card Game:
Rules & Graphics

© Cory M. Wisnia, A MendoWorld Science Tech Guy
cwisnia@mcn.org
Mendocino Middle & High School, Mendocino CA 95460
http://www.mcn.org/ed/cur/cw/cwhome.html

This Card Game is Adapted from a science unit written by The Wizard called "Where The Land And Water Meet"

This is a CARD GAME played much like gin-rummy, which looks at the relationships between wildlife which inhabit ponds and waterways. You will need to download and cut out the cards to play. Hope you enjoy the game! Write to me, The Wizard, at cwisnia@mcn.org with your comments.

How To Play

Cards are in sets of four "suits', type of animal, habitats, prey, predator (or threatening influence), with the animal's identity on each card. For instance there are four "mouse" cards: one for animal type, mammal; one for habitat, hole in ground or log; prey, seeds; and predator(s), Hawk, Owl. There are 100 cards, plus 2 FREE Cards. (note: the 2 Free Cards are those without numbers shown just below)

These free cards aren't numbered but all others are numbered from 1 to 25, with the lower numbered cards being lower on the food chain. Part of the idea of this game is to see that the higher animals mostly are threatened by human influence. Another idea is to see that each animal needs to have a habitat, and has both predators and prey. Another is that animals are grouped by their general type, such as mammals, insects, fish, reptiles etc.

Feel invited to COLOR IN the cards and glue them on to index card stock!

The game is played like gin rummy. Dealer is determined by draw, with the smallest animal dealing the first hand, then rotating to the left. Each player is dealt 8 cards. They need to put them into sets.

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SETS of Cards

The possible SETS and points are:

3 or 4 of the cards of a Particular animal,
such as all of the Egret cards: >>>>>>>>>> 10 pts ea.

3 or more different animals, in a obvious
Predator/Prey Relationship, such as mammal, fish, insect: >>>>>>>>> 10 pts ea.

3 or more Type cards or Habitat cards, or
Prey cards or Predator cards of the SAME kind:>>>>>>>> 10 pts ea.

3 or more cards in NUMBER RUN order of the
same category (i.e. Prey, 10-9-8)>>>>>>>>>> 10 pts ea.

Adaptation (free card, optional)Can be used with any set:>>>>>>>> 5 pts ea.

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PLAY & Special Rules

After dealing, the deck is placed top down and the top card turned over to be used as a pickup card or place discards on top of it. There is a special play that happens only at the beginning of the game (see below) Players draw from the top and discard. They also can take sets out of their hand on their turn. They can add to their own other other sets for extra points. They can pick up one or more cards from the discard pile, which is face up. But if they pick up more than the top discard card, they must lay down at least the bottom card as part of a set in that turn. (these rules are typical rummy rules). When a player gets rid of all of his/her cards, they go out, which counts as 20 extra points. Any card left in other players hands count as 5 against them.

Special Rule #1 (Optional): Players should seek to have AT LEAST one TYPE card as part of a set. If they don't include one of these, deduct 15 points.

Special Rule #2 (Optional): At the beginning of the game each player takes out of their hand one Habitat card if they have one, and they put it on the table in the middle. If the table map is used they can be put on to the map in the pond or at the right habitat spot. But the map is optional. There can only be one type of any habitat card put out at this point, and players put them out starting to the left of the dealer. If a player doesn't have a unique Habitat card when it is their turn, they don't discard, but start with 8 cards instead of 7.

While these cards are on the table, when it is time for a player to play he or she may play on one of these cards to try to make a set. If that is accomplished, that player can pick up the set, and lay it down in front of him or herself and count it for credit.

The Game can be played to 200 or 500 points to win. Have fun playing it!

Note, this game including all artwork, concepts and rules, is the creative property of Cory M. Wisnia. The game can be used for non-commercial educational purposes only without the consent of the author, by companies or individuals with for the purpose of financial gain

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