Inuvik (June 13/03) - The Grade 3 students in Inuvik took part in an open-air classroom setting Monday where they learned about the animal world and how humans interact in that world.

Nature Day is an annual event hosted by the Gwich'in and Sir Alexander Mackenzie elementary school.

Marie Anick-Elie, communications manager with the Gwich'in Renewable Resource Board (GRRB), said the day has been observed for the past for years.

"It helps kids to learn a little more about the environment," Elie said. "We play all types of different games to give youth awareness about the different types of animals."

The students took part in a scavenger hunt where they had to find signs of human and animal use in the forest, what plants are edible to humans and what animals eat to live.

One game teaches about the migration of fish and the hazards and obstacles to fish along the migration route.

Another game shows how furs are harvested.

"We have a third game where all the different aspects of the real life of an animal are played out," Elie said. "It's a role play game where the kids can become a wolf or a ptarmigan."

"They have to hunt each other, or hide in the bush, and get food and water."

The GRRB host Nature Day in each community within the Gwich'in Settlement Region.

"In the next two weeks we'll also be putting it on in McPherson, Tsiigehtchic and Aklavik," Elie said.

Petra Raddi is in Mrs Nash's Grade 3 class and Petra learned about hunting.

"We learned that fish have to swim to the ocean and we learned how to hunt," she said.

Chantelle Cockney enjoyed the games and the rewards after.

"We hunted for stickers and we collected them and got juice," she said. "We learned where animals live and what they like to eat."