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MichiGame is a family-friendly way to hang out and enjoy a game night from your home. Test your knowledge of Michigan’s wildlife, history, trees and more! Work individually, or with a team, to compete and claim the title of “The Ultimate Michigander.”

THE GAME: Ages 13 and up, Three or more players.

• A computer or smartphone with access to a videoconferencing app. Your camera and audio will need to be enabled.

• A printed map of Michigan, a hand-drawn Michigan map OR your actual hand will do!• A marker and loose paper to write answers.• NO internet searches or outside sources allowed!

Materials needed

The MichiGame Master will present questions to the players. The questions can be given as multiple-choice or open-ended (depending on the skill level of the group).

If you answer questions correctly, you will earn points. The MichiGame Master will keep track of the score. The team/player with the highest score wins.

How to win

1. All players will utilize a videoconferencing app such as Skype, Zoom or Google Hangouts.

2. Make sure your video and audio are enabled so that all players can see and hear each other.

3. Choose a game leader. They will be asking questions and keeping score. They will be known as the ‘MichiGame Master.”

4. Decide if your group will be playing individually or in teams. Declare your team name!

Setup

Feel free to tweak to fit the pace, length of game and competitive nature of your participants.

Each game consists of four “quarters” - Select which four categories you will play out of five possible categories (each category includes five questions). After the question is read, each team has 30-60 seconds to come up with its answer (the game master gets to determine time allowed for each question). Each team writes its answer on a sheet of paper before the time is up. Each correct answer is worth 1 point, and there are no penalties for wrong answers. Halftime round: tree identification - At the halfway point (between the second and third rounds), this “just-for-fun” round features photos of four different native Michigan trees (see page 6). Ask the group to identify them. There are no penalties for wrong answers in this round. Final: Lighthouse lightning round - After the fourth quarter, there is one final round to determine the ultimate winner. The final round is a lighthouse identification round (see page 7). During this round, players can wager up to their total amount of points when they submit their answer. The wager should be written on the piece of paper with your answer. If your answer is correct, you will be awarded the amount of points you wagered. If your answer is wrong, the amount of points you wagered will be deducted.

Game format

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Choose four categories:

Category 1: THE WILDS OF MICHIGAN

Q: Michigan is home to this winged raptor that features ear-like tufts and also happens to be one of the few species that eats striped skunks. Whoooooo am I?A: The great horned owl. View a photo of a great horned owl.

Q: True or False. A deer can bed down on a cold winter night without melting snow.A: True. Deer grow hollow hairs that act as insulation to keep them warm in the winter months.

Q: You are a wildlife illustrator. Draw a picture of the animal found in nearly every county in Michigan that has been named the most vocal mammal in North America. Label your illustration with the animal you have drawn.A: Hopefully something that resembles a coyote.

Q: There is only one kind of opossum in the United States; the ____ opossum. Hint: It’s first name is that of a U.S. state. A: Virginia. It’s the only marsupial north of Mexico. Do you know about marsupials? They are mammals born incompletely developed and typically carried and suckled in a pouch on the mother's belly.

Q: Which native Michigan turtle species prefers to live in dry, sandy deciduous forests? a. Eastern box turtle b. Blanding’s turtle c. Snapping turtle d. Wood turtleA: Eastern box turtle. All other turtles prefer to live in or near bodies of water. Did you know that three of Michigan’s native turtles are listed as species of special concern and one species is listed as threatened? Learn more about the Eastern box turtle. Q: Put the following in order of maximum average weight (smallest to largest): Moose Black bear White-tailed deer Elk SturgeonA: Sturgeon (200 pounds), white-tailed deer (up to 300 pounds), black bear (up to 500 pounds), elk (up to 1,000 pounds) and moose (up to 1,300 pounds).

Category 2: FISH OF MICHIGAN

Q: What has had the greatest negative impact on Great Lake waters in the past 100 years? a. Birds b. Invasive species c. Air pollution d. PollinatorsA: Invasive species. From ballast water to zebra mussels, invasive species have changed Great Lakes aquatic populations and predator-prey relationships, thus completely changing this ecosystem. For more interesting info, visit Michigan.gov/Invasives.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=914108B9924FF034A3D4C3B1D09D2829B5BEC406&thid=OIP.0ui2qlyogReFHu4gglduuQAAAA&mediaurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdnr.maryland.gov%2Fwildlife%2FPublishingImages%2FGreathornedOwl.jpg&exph=324&expw=258&q=great+horned+owl+dnr&selectedindex=5&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=0,1,2,3,4,6,8,10http://www.herprman.com/species/turtles/eastern-box-turtlehttp://Michigan.gov/Invasives

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Q: Which native fish species is significant to the indigenous people of Michigan? a. Lake trout b. Whitefish c. Walleye d. All of the aboveA: All of the above.

Q: What native fish species disappeared from Michigan waters in the early 1900s after decades of overfishing and habitat loss from excessive timber harvest? a. Arctic grayling b. Grouper c. Atlantic salmon d. Rainbow darterA: Arctic grayling. Researchers from multiple agencies and universities are working with more than 50 partners to bring this iconic fish species back to Michigan. Learn about efforts taken to bring back grayling.

Q: Michigan state fish hatcheries rear and stock fish to increase fishing opportunities. What species has the DNR been raising for the most years in total in fish hatcheries? a. Whitefish b. Chinook salmon c. Walleye d. Brook troutA: Brook trout. Whitefish was the first species reared by the DNR, but brook trout have been raised the longest and are still reared today. The DNR stocks more than 21 million fish each year into Michigan waters. Learn how to identify a brook trout.

Q: Which of the following fish species are not native to Michigan? a. Coho salmon b. Rainbow trout c. Brown trout d. All of the aboveA: All of the above. Coho and Chinook salmon were introduced into Michigan in the late 1960s, rainbow trout were introduced in 1876 and steelhead returning to our rivers from the Great Lakes came some years later. Brown trout were introduced in 1883. Learn about all the different fish in our Great Lakes.

Q: How many inland lakes are there in Michigan? a. 7,000-plus b. 9,000-plus c. 11,000-plus d. 13,000-plusA: Michigan has more than 11,000 lakes, 3,288 miles of Great Lakes coastline (including islands) and tens of thousands of rivers and streams.

http://www.migrayling.orghttps://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,8817,7-350-79135_79218_79614_82522---,00.htmlhttps://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79135_79218_79614---,00.html

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Category 3: THE FORESTS OF MICHIGAN

Q: Which of the following species of trees live the longest? a. Aspen b. White birch c. Jack pine d. White cedarA: White cedar. Michigan’s white cedar trees can live hundreds of years – some on South Manitou Island are estimated to be 500 years old!

Q: Trees need water, nutrients, air and sunlight to survive. They get their water from the soil, where their roots suck up the water. How much water, in pounds, can a large tree "drink" in a day?A: As much as one ton of water every day! (That's 2,000 pounds!)

Q: How many gallons of sugar maple sap must be boiled down to make one gallon of maple syrup? a. 5-10 gallons b. 11-20 gallons c. 21-30 gallons d. 31-40 gallonsA: Between 31-40 gallons! All trees produce sap; however, the sugar maple produces the sweetest -tasting sap and is used in syrup production. The sap is boiled for many hours to remove the excess water and to turn the liquid into syrup.

Q: Bill and Betty were sweethearts in high school. They used to climb a sugar maple and sit on the lowest branch, that was at eye level, and talk for hours. Betty has since married someone else and is going back for her 25th high school reunion. She is planning to find the tree where she spent so many hours. If the tree grew one foot per year, how far up does Betty have to look in the tree to find the branch?A: It would still be at eye level. The height of a tree increases upward from new buds. The circumference increases, but the lowest limb of the tree would stay at the same height.

Q: “Ball hooting” is a term used for: a. Pulling trees up by their root ball b. Rolling logs down a hill c. Foresters watching for forest fires d. Blasting stumpsA: Rolling logs down a hill. This is an old logging term. Should you ever find yourself in a position to ball hoot, remember that a warning cry should always be given when the log starts to move (in accordance with the American Logging and Sawmill Safety Code of 1923).

Category 4: PARKS OF MICHIGAN

Q: What is the name of the state park in which Kitch-iti-Kipi is found?A: Palms Book State Park. Flowing year-round at a consistent 45 degrees, this natural spring gushes more than 10,000 gallons of water per minute through fissures in underlying limestone. A self- propelled raft allows visitors to see the spring from above. Explore Palms Book State Park.

Q: Smitten with the Mitten! Using your hand as a map, put dots on your “Michigan” to note the approximate locations of the following destinations: Warren Woods State Park, Ocqueoc (pronounced ock-e-ock) Falls Scenic Site, Wilson State Park and Sleeper State Park.A: Answer found on page 9.

http://www.michigan.gov/palmsbook

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Q: What is the name of this lake and in what park is it located? Bonus point if you can name which month this was taken. (Show the photo on page 8.)A: Answer found on page 9.

Q: What was Michigan’s first state park?A: There are two acceptable answers: Mackinac Island State Park or Interlochen State Park. Mackinac Island was technically the first, but Interlochen State Park was the first park established under the Michigan State Park Commission. Mackinac Historic State Parks has its own commission, budget and is managed independently of all other Michigan state parks. Learn about Mackinac Island State Park and Interlochen State Park.

Q: Which Michigan state park is named after Michigan’s first superintendent of state parks? a. Albert E. Sleeper State Park b. P. J. Hoffmaster State Park c. P.H. Hoeft State Park d. Keith J. Charters Traverse City State ParkA: P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. Located near Muskegon, this dune park is home to 3 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and the Gillette Nature Center. Explore Hoffmaster State Park.

Category 5: HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

Q: The first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was from Detroit. Who was she?A: Aretha Franklin. You must RESPECT the amazing talent she fostered nearly her entire life. Q: The state stone - the Petoskey stone - is actually not a stone. What is it?A: Fossilized coral. Petoskey stones are fragments of coral reef originally deposited during the Devonian period.

Q: What is Michigan’s largest inland lake by surface area? a. Houghton Lake b. Higgins Lake c. Lake Superior d. Lake MichigammeA: Houghton Lake. While it covers 20,044 acres (equivalent to 31.3 square miles), the average depth of the lake is just 7.5 feet with its deepest point at only 22 feet. Q: The first mile of concrete in the U.S. was laid in Detroit. Name the road.A: Woodward. Also known as M-1, this iconic road is now home to the Dream Cruise and is just under 22 miles long. Q: The James Scott Memorial Fountain on Belle Isle was built in 1925 at a cost of $500,000. What would be the equivalent cost to build it today? a. $2.2 million b. $4.9 million c. $6.9 million d. $9.8 millionA: $6.9 million. Upon his death in 1910, the less-than-beloved James Scott left his estate to the City of Detroit to build a monument for the people. However, it came with a catch. The city also had to erect a life-sized statue of him. Be sure to visit the Scott Fountain and the nearby statue of the man the next time you are in Detroit. Explore Belle Isle Park.

https://www.mackinacparks.com/https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?type=SPRK&id=460https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?type=SPRK&id=457http://www.BelleIslePark.org

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Halftime round: tree identification

Find the answer key on page 9.

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Final: Lighthouse lightning round

Find the answer key on page 9.

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parks of michigan question #3

What is the name of this lake and in what park is it located? Bonus point if you can name which month this was taken.

(Find the answer key on page 9.)

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Answer key

Smitten with the Mitten! What are the approximate locations of Warren Woods State Park, Ocqueoc (pronounced ock-e-ock) Falls Scenic Site, Wilson State Park and Sleeper State Park.

What is the name of this lake (found on page 8) and in what state park is it located?It’s Lake of the Clouds in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (and the photo was taken in August). This stunning expanse of wilderness lies in the western Upper Peninsula and is home to some of Michigan’s most iconic vistas, waterfalls and Lake Superior shoreline. It’s also home to the only downhill ski hill in a Michigan state park.

Halftime round: tree identificationA. White pine (Michigan state tree)B. Paper birchC. Red oakD. Tulip tree

Final round: Lighthouse lightningA. Grand Haven State ParkB. Tawas State ParkC. Holland State ParkD. Milliken State Park