Tell them that they need to survive by shaking their containers, listening carefully, and not talking. Instruct them to stop shaking their containers and stand together quietly when they feel their task has been completed. When the first trial is completed ask the ant acacia trees to raise their hands. If any tree has more than three ants the last ants to arrive must sit down. If any tree has less than three ants the tree and the ants must sit down.
More discussion follows later.
Have all of the students hand in their containers and cards and sit down. Redistribute the containers and cards for a second trial, but this time remove one tree and replace it with an ant container and card. Tell the students that a brand new hotel has been built and part of the forest was cut down. Instruct them to once again try to survive. This trial should find several ants without a tree.