Forest soil communities and ecocystems
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3. Forest soil community - Sensory card deck
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The illustrated cards in this deck introduce the living community of the forest soil. Each card approaches an organism through scientific knowledge as well as imagination, creativity, and activities that combine different senses related to the organism.
The cards are especially designed for outdoor learning and can be used together with the Forest Soil Communities and Ecosystems materials as a workshop, but they also work perfectly on their own. There are 25 cards in the deck, complemented with longer texts for each organism for deepening the topic in teaching. The cards and their supplementary materials are available in both Finnish and English. There are many ways to use these imagination‑ sparking cards, below we have gathered a few ideas. What other uses can you come up with together? Printable materials:
* Sensory cards, 25 double‑sided cards. Download the printable cards here. Four cards fit on one A4 page. The file is designed for easy double‑sided printing. * Sensory Cards in larger size (A5), download here. * Science‑based background texts for each organism featured on the cards. Download the texts with references here. |
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What is on the back side of the cards?
The title on the yellow background is a sense or sensation that is in some way related to the organism on the card. In the upper right corner, on a pink background, there is the organism’s size and a symbol indicating whether the organism can generally be seen with the naked eye, or whether a magnifying glass or a microscope is needed. On the white background there is a short scientific text about the organism, and at the bottom, on a blue background, a text written from the organism’s perspective, discussing the sensation mentioned in the title and accompanied with an exercise. |
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Ideas for using the cards:
Cards are ideal to use in the forest, so that participants get to know the organisms with the help of cards. Here are some alternative ways to use them. 1. Introduction Cards / “Check in” You can use the cards for checking in with the group or helping the group introduce themselves at the beginning of a lesson. Place the cards in the centre of a circle, picture side up. Participants choose a card that reflects their mood for the day or that answer to other light introductory question of your choice. The task is to intuitively choose one card that helps them describe themselves or their feelings — what was it about the chosen card that resonated with them? 2. Orienteering Create an orienteering task by placing cards in suitable spots outdoors. First, read the tasks on the cards yourself and think about which outdoor locations best fit each organism and activity. Define and describe a limited area within which participants must find the cards assigned to them (for example, 5 cards per group), familiarise themselves with the organisms, and complete the tasks on each card. You can adjust the difficulty level by choosing a larger or smaller search area. At the end, meet to discuss the card tasks and observations. Tips: - For a more advanced version - students can design the orienteering route themselves and design a map that includes map markings for another group to complete. -Go through the type of habitat in which one of the card’s species lives or is typically found (for example, the trunk of an aspen). After that, the students can try to search for the card within a designated area and can reason that it makes sense to look only near aspens… 3. We Have Something in Common Each participant receives a card, gets to know it independently, and completes its task. After everyone returns to the gathering point, participants must find a partner or group whose card shares something in common with theirs. Then they learn about each other’s organisms. Possible grouping criteria could be: Find an organism … … that is mentioned on your own card. … that moves in a similar way to yours (jumping, crawling, walking on four legs, slithering…?). … thrives in similar conditions. … who could be your resource … with whom you could co-operate with …with whom you could live with … that has (you decide what)? 4. Clans A variation of previous task no 3. The cards can also be pre‑sorted into thematic groups, and after completing their tasks, participants must find which group they belong to. Possible groups could be, for example: underground dwellers, symbiosis, competition, predation (incl. herbivory), parasitism, fliers, cards connected to the sense of smell, cards related to aspen tree - or any other groups that make sense? 5. Who Am I? A guessing game that is familiar to many. Each player receives a card and attaches it to their forehead or back so that they cannot see it themselves. They try to guess which organism they are by asking yes/no questions from other players. Examples: Am I small? Do I have fur? Do I eat insects? Can I be seen with the naked eye? Do I require a magnifying glass to be seen? Do I have good vision? Do I smell strange? Can I survive without a member of my own species? Am I a mammal? Am I an insect? Am I a multicellular organism? The first person to guess their organism wins. The game can be made easier by giving participants access to the shared deck for reference. 6. Forest Community – Imagination Task Alone or in groups, choose a certain number of cards (e.g., 3–5). Based on the selected cards, create a story, drawing, painting, or even a comic strip that includes all chosen organisms. Consider for example: What kind of forest do they live in? How are they connected to one another? What real or imaginary interactions emerge? For inspiration, you can have a look at the works from our art exhibition Soil Dwellers (2025). |