Winter 2026 Jeopardy LLHS

Winter Ecology

100

Name the term for traveling to a new area to avoid temperatures and find food; triggered by the length of daylight 

What is migration

200

Name three specific winter animal OR plant adaptations

Fat storage, food storage, changes in fur/feathers, shedding leaves, torpor, dormancy, hibernation, migration

300

Name the hibernation-like state used by cold-blooded reptiles and amphibians

What is brumation

Food Webs & Food Chains

100

Describe a food chain

A food chain shows how each living things gets food, and how nutrients and energy are passed from creature to creature. Food chains begin with plant-life, and end with animal-life. Some animals eat plants, some animals eat other animals.

200

Name the three categories of organisms in food webs (hint: what are the different trophic levels)

Producers, consumers, and scavengers/decomposers

300

What is the difference between scavengers and decomposers?

Scavengers and decomposers both consume dead organic matter but differ in size, method, and function. Scavengers are typically larger animals (vultures, hyenas) that eat carcasses, breaking them into smaller pieces. Decomposers are smaller microorganisms or fungi (bacteria, mushrooms) that break down those smaller pieces, returning nutrients to the soil.

Warm, Wooly, Wild

100

Describe hibernation

An inactive state resembling a deep sleep for long periods of time where an animals' breathing, body temperature, and heart rate slows to conserve energy

200

Name three characteristics of mammals

Covered with fur or hair, warm-blooded, young are born alive and relatively well-developed, young are fed with milk produced by their mothers, vertebrates (have internal bones)

300

Name a New Jersey animal that goes into torpor

Black bears, raccoons, skunks

All Things from Trees

100

Name parts of a tree you can use to identify the species

Bark, leaves, fruits/seeds

200

Name two trees we found on our scavenger hunt

Sycamore, Black Birch, Sassafras, Black Walnut, Tulip Poplar, White Pine, Holly, Beech, Sweetgum, White Oak, Douglas Fir

300

Name three products from trees we guessed in our Headbandz game

Sponge, tape, nail polish, pencils, chocolate chips, cinnamon, tires, apples, yarn, glue, woodchips, erasers

Winter Birds

100

What are two reasons why birds migrate

Food availability, breeding and nesting, warmer weather, instinct and internal cues

200

Name a winter bird you've seen at Fernbrook

Dark-eyed Junco, Blue Jay, Cardinal, House Finch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Canadian Goose, Snow Goose, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk

300

Name one ingredient in birdseed

Sunflower seeds, oats, cracked corn, millet, milo