Lesson Plan - Animal Crossings

Watch a Video: Wildlife Crossings
Discuss: What is the purpose of animal crossings like the ones shown in the video?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know. 

• ecosystem
• coexist

Set a Purpose for Reading
Note the As You Read question. Define “win-win,” and have students think about why wildlife corridors are a win-win for people and animals. 

1. Based on the article, what are some reasons a wild animal might try to cross a highway?
Like the mountain lion described in the article, an animal might try to cross a highway to get prey, or food. An animal might also cross to escape a predator or to migrate from one place to another.
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2. What is a wildlife corridor?
A wildlife corridor is a pathway that is built over or under a busy road to enable wild animals to cross safely. Bridges and tunnels are two examples of wildlife corridors. 
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3. How did scientists in Washington State guide wildlife to use the animal crossings they built along the I-90 highway?
The article states that scientists put up fencing along the highway to guide animals to the crossings.
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FEATURED SKILL: Making Connections
Use the skill builder “What’s the Problem?” to have students analyze the main problem and solution described in the article. 
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