< Back to Library

Building Safe Crossings for Animals

  • Difficulty: Grade 3-5
  • Time: 45-60 min
  • Categories:

In this lesson, students will explore the concept of wildlife crossings and their importance in preserving animal migration routes and protecting biodiversity. They will learn about different types of wildlife crossings, particularly focusing on animal land bridges and culverts.

Get Started

What this lesson includes

  • Lesson Content

    Ecosystems

  • Real-World Example

    Banff National Park

  • Coding Tutorial

    Block-based

  • Assessment

    Triangulated Assessment Options

Educator Resources

Looking for  more educator resources

Overview Accordion

Learning Goals

  • Explain how the human development of housing and roadways presents barriers for animals
  • Identify the different types of wildlife crossings
  • Explain how wildlife crossings help preserve biodiversity and ensure safe migration paths
  • Build a wildlife crossing prototype that:
    • uses a servo motor, solar sensor, and sonar sensor from the Climate Action Kit
    • automatically opens and closes the tunnel gate based on light levels
    • uses the sonar sensor to count animals as they cross

Preparation Accordion

Materials

  • Climate Action Kit
  • micro:bit V2
  • Computer with access to Microsoft MakeCode
  • Optional: Flashlight

Get to Know the Content

  1. Make sure you've completed our 'Getting Started with the Climate Action Kit' course
  2. If it has been awhile, review the kit components featured in this lesson:
  3. Review the lesson, particularly the following thinking routines from Project Zero (Harvard Graduate School of Education):

Activity Accordion

Big Idea (30 minutes)

Learn about the importance of wildlife crossings and the challenges animals face in moving across human-made barriers.

Students will:

  • Explore the reasons animals need safe crossings, especially on busy roads.
  • Discuss how wildlife crossings, such as bridges and tunnels, help animals move safely.
  • Describe three ways scientists study wildlife crossings to determine their effectiveness

Take Action (60 minutes)

Students will build their own wildlife crossing prototype that is capable of automatically opening and closing gates and counting the number of animals that cross.

We've provided 3 ways students may build the project to support scaffolding and differentiation in your classroom: 'Use', 'Modify', and 'Create'.*

Activity Description
Use

Students will follow a step-by-step tutorial to build & use their wildlife crossing prototype.

Success Criteria

I can:

  • build a wildlife crossing with a bridge and a tunnel
  • predict how different animals, like deer or turtles, might use the crossing
  • explain how to use button press events and a motor to open and close the tunnel gate
  • explain how to use variables to count the number of animals that cross the bridge or tunnel

Resources

Tutorial
Final Code
Modify

Students will follow a step-by-step tutorial to build their wildlife crossing prototype. After this, they will modify the code and complete a challenge to demonstrate their understanding.

Success Criteria

I can:

  • build a wildlife crossing with a bridge and tunnel
  • explain how sensors and conditional statements can be used to automate tasks
  • write a conditional statement that uses the solar sensor to open the gate during the day
  • write a conditional statement that uses the sonar sensor to count animals as they pass

Resources

Tutorial
Final Code
Create

Students will work in a small group to design, build & code their own wildlife crossing prototype.

Success Criteria

I can build a wildlife crossing prototype with the Climate Action Kit that:

  • has both a bridge and a tunnel for animals of different sizes
  • automatically counts the animals that cross
  • prevents predators from trapping prey in the tunnel

and uses at least:

  • one sensor

Resources

Blank Project

*Irene Lee, Fred Martin, Jill Denner, Bob Coulter, Walter Allan, Jeri Erickson, Joyce Malyn-Smith, and Linda Werner. 2011. Computational thinking for youth in practice. Acm Inroads 2, 1 (2011), 32–37.

Assessment Accordion

Use the following criteria to assess student learning. Students can:

Conversations

  • Explain how wildlife crossings help animals cross safely
  • List two benefits of using sensors and coding to automate wildlife crossings (Use, Modify, Create)
  • Discuss the role of each smart component (servo motor, solar sensor, sonar sensor) in the main build (Use, Modify, Create)
  • Explain how conditional statements are used to automate the gate and count animals (Use, Modify, Create)

Observations

  • Methodically test and debug their code to ensure it functions as intended (Modify, Create)

Products

  • Add comments to the code to demonstrate their understanding of each block (Use, Modify, Create)
  • Create their own conditional statements for automating the crossing (Modify, Create)
  • Design their own prototype that satisfies provided criteria (Create)

Standards Accordion

Next Generation Science Standards

Grade 3-5

3-LS4-4 Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.

5-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment.

3-5-ETS1-1 Define a simple design problem reflection a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

3-5-ETS1-2 Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

3-5-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

Computer Science Teachers Association Standards

Grade 3-5

1B-CS-01 Describe how internal and external parts of computing devices function to form a system.

1B-CS-02 Model how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks.

1B-CS-03 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies.

1B-AP-09 Create programs that use variables to store and modify data.

1B-AP-10 Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals.

1B-AP-12 Modify, remix, or incorporate portions of an existing program into one's own work, to develop something new or add more advanced features.

1B-AP-13 Use an iterative process to plan the development of a program by including others' perspectives and considering user preferences.

1B-AP-15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended.

1B-AP-17 Describe choices made during program development using code comments, presentations, and demonstrations.

Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

Grade 3-5

4.OA.C.5 Generate a number or shape pattern that follows a given rule. Identify apparent features of the pattern that were not explicit in the rule itself.

4.MD.C.5 Recognize angles as geometric shapes that are formed wherever two rays share a common endpoint, and understand concepts of angle measurement.

4.MD.C.6 Measure angles in whole-number degrees using a protractor. Sketch angles of specified measure.

5.MD.A.1 Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real world problems.

Common Career Technical Core Standards

STEM Cluster: Engineering & Technology Career Pathway

ST-ET 1.3 Use computer applications to solve problems by creating and using algorithms, and through simulation and modeling techniques.

ST-ET 2.1 Select and use information technology tools to collect, analyze, synthesize and display data to solve problems.

ST-ET 3.1 Use knowledge, techniques, skills and modern tools necessary for engineering practice.

ST-ET 3.2 Describe the elements of good engineering practice (e.g., understanding customer needs, planning requirements analysis, using appropriate engineering tools, prototyping, testing, evaluating and verifying).

ST-ET 3.4 Illustrate the ability to characterize a plan and identify the necessary engineering tools that will produce a technical solution when given a problem statement.

ST-ET 4.1 Explain why and how the contributions of great innovators are important to society.

ST-ET 4.2 Explain the elements and steps of the design process and tools or techniques that can be used for each step.

ST-ET 4.3 Describe design constraints, criteria, and trade-offs in regard to variety of conditions (e.g., technology, cost, safety, society, environment, time, human resources, manufacturability).

ST-ET 5.1 Apply the design process using appropriate modeling and prototyping, testing, verification and implementation techniques.

ST-ET 5.2 Demonstrate the ability to evaluate a design or product and improve the design using testing, modeling and research.

ST-ET 5.3 Demonstrate the ability to record and organize information and test data during design evaluation.

ST-ET 6.1 Apply the use of algebraic, geometric, and trigonometric relationships, characteristics and properties to solve problems.

STEM Cluster: Science and Math Career Pathway

ST-SM 1.1 Apply science and mathematics concepts and principles to resolve plans, projects, processes, issues or problems through methods of inquiry.

ST-SM 1.2 Use the skills and abilities in science and mathematics to access, share, and use data to develop plans, processes, projects and solutions.

ST-SM 1.3 Use the skills and abilities in science and mathematics to integrate solutions related to technical or engineering activities using the content and concepts related to the situations.

ST-SM 1.4 Explain the role of modeling in science and engineering.

ST-SM 1.5 Explain the use of models and simulation in hypothesis testing (i.e., the scientific method).

ST-SM 1.6 Communicate with others on inquiry or resolution of issues/problems in the global community.

ST-SM 2.1 Demonstrate the ability to recognize cause and effect when faced with assigned projects or issues.

ST-SM 2.4 Predict the outcomes based on data collected in a project or experiment.

ST-SM 3.1 Evaluate the impact of science on society based on products and processes used in the real world.

ST-SM 3.2 Evaluate the impact of mathematics on society based on products and processes used in the real world.

ST-SM 3.3 Research how science and mathematics influence the professions and occupations supported by the STEM Career Cluster.

Information Technology Cluster: Programming & Software Development Career Pathway

IT-PRG 4.1 Employ tools in developing software applications.

IT-PRG 6.1 Explain programming language concepts.

IT-PRG 6.3 Demonstrate proficiency in developing an application using an appropriate programming language.

IT-PRG 6.4 Explain basic software systems implementation.

IT-PRG 7.1 Develop a software test plan.

IT-PRG 7.2 Perform testing and validation.

Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Cluster: Natural Resources Systems Career Pathway

AG-NR 1.5 Execute natural resource strategies and activities applying scientific knowledge from the study of ecology and wildlife.

AG-NR 2.3 Examine natural cycles and related phenomena to describe ecologic concepts and principles.