Animal Reproduction Strategies Science Games

In this series of games, your students will learn about the behaviors animals use to raise their chances of reproducing. The Animal Reproduction Strategies learning objective — based on NGSS and state standards — delivers improved student engagement and academic performance in your classroom, as demonstrated by research.

Scroll down for a preview of this learning objective’s games and the concepts they drive home.

Concepts Covered

Animals have one main goal: to reproduce and preserve their bloodlines. Different animals have different techniques for achieving that goal, but groups with similar characteristics exhibit some common behaviors.

Very small animals tend to produce offspring in large numbers. They give very little care, if any, to their young, who reach the age of sexual maturity very quickly. However, many do not survive to this point, because they have lots of predators.

Larger animals generally have fewer offspring, and spend more time and effort caring for them. It takes longer for these species to reach the age when they can reproduce, but they tend to have a higher likelihood of getting there.

In order to maximize their offspring’s chances of surviving and being able to reproduce, many animals build nests for protection. Some also practice herding, keeping their young in the middle of a group of adults to shield them from predators.

Animals also work to increase their likelihood of reproducing in the first place. They commonly use mating calls, songs, dances, and other behaviors to attract a mate.

Even with these techniques for increasing the likelihood of reproduction, animals don’t have full control. Changes in their environment and population can make it easier or more difficult to reproduce.

A preview of each game in the learning objective is found below.

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