Who Am I?
Purpose
To spark conversation and reflection on biodiversity through a playful, accessible icebreaker. This method encourages participants to explore personal and cultural connections to nature, making biodiversity feel relatable and engaging. It is particularly useful for building rapport in workshops, community events or research settings.
Key Features
Participants:
- Ideal group size: 4–12
- Can be scaled up with multiple groups
- Suitable for all ages and backgrounds
Estimated Timeframe:
- Preparation: 30 minutes (basic) to a few hours (custom cards)
- Gameplay and discussion: 45 minutes total (flexible)
Budget Level:
- Low
- Requires only paper, pens, and optional printed cards or images
Materials Needed:
- Cards or paper with names/images of plants or animals
- Ribbon and Velcro, or Post-it notes, or other attachment method
- Optional: biodiversity fact cards for discussion
- Institutionally approved ethical information and consent forms (if collecting data)
Skills Required:
- Clear explanation of rules
- Inclusive facilitation and active listening
- Ability to guide discussion and manage group dynamics
- Sensitivity to emotional responses around biodiversity loss
- Adaptability and ethical awareness
Case Study
Method in Practice
Context of Use
Used in the PLANET4B UK case study to build connections between participants and biodiversity. Cards featured species familiar to the Chiltern Hills region. Researchers and participants played together, creating a shared space for learning and reflection.
How It Worked
Each player received a card with a species name/image they could not see. Through yes/no questions, they guessed their identity. The game was followed by a facilitated discussion exploring cultural, ecological and personal associations with the species.
Engagement & Participation
Participants engaged through play, curiosity and storytelling. The method supported inclusive participation and could be adapted for different age groups or knowledge levels. Facilitators encouraged reflection and shared learning.
Outcomes & Insights:
- Fostered dialogue and rapport
- Prompted reflection on biodiversity and cultural meaning
- Created a foundation for deeper engagement
- Encouraged participants to take the game into other contexts
- Supported emotional connection to nature
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths:
- Simple, low-cost, and adaptable
- Encourages inclusive and playful engagement
- Can be tailored to local biodiversity or cultural themes
- Builds trust and curiosity
- Suitable for warm-ups or standalone activities
Considerations:
- Impact depends on quality of follow-up discussion
- Species must be guessable and relevant to participants
- Facilitators should be prepared for emotional responses
- Not designed for formal data collection, but useful for rapport-building, and potentially also for providing an opening insight into participants’ knowledge, perceptions and feelings towards featured species
- Can be cascaded into other settings with simple instructions
