ALCA Members PLC Domains Data Standards Map Plan Curriculum Assessment Strategies

Crossing Signs - What Creature Crosses Here? Copy

Traveling in automobiles, we see evidence of creature crossings on the roads. We also see warnings about these crossings. In this activity, students will observe and record the locations of deer crossing signs in their local area. Students will interview a game warden to find the locations of deer killed by traffic. Locations will be plotted on a map. In their study, students will consider the following questions: Were the signs correctly placed? Why do deer cross here? When are they more likely to be crossing? Is there a difference in the number of male and female deer that are hit by traffic? Are there certain times that they are more likely to cross? When? Why? How does this compare with other communities? Are there no deer crossing the roads where you live?

Engaging Questions

  • What is the purpose for Deer/Animal Crossing Signs?

  • Did the activity show these signs to be useful?

Teacher Goals

  • Comparing Results - The learner will formulate a general statement to represent the collected data to compare their results with the results of other communities.

  • Plotting Sign Locations - The learner will report collected data, using a local map to plot the locations of deer/animal crossing signs found on the roads surrounding their community.

  • Interviewing Game Warden - The learner will communicate the results and give explanations based on the data collected by interviewing the local game warden to find the location of local deer/animals killed by traffic in the last year.

  • Locating Deer/Animal Crossing Signs - The learner will develop descriptions, explanations and predictions based on evidence after observing, and locating deer/animal crossing signs on roads surrounding their community.

  • Plotting Hit Deer/Animal Locations-The learner will report collected data by using a local map to plot, in their surrounding community, the locations of deer/animals hit by traffic.

Required Resources

Optional Resources

  • Highway Safety Department Addresses

    The mailing address or eMail addresses of officials the students may want to contact.
     

  • Map plotting materials needed:

    • yellow push pins
    • blue push pins
    • red push pins
    • brown construction pape
    • purple construction paper
    • green construction paper
    • orange construction paper

  • Digital Camera

    A regular 35 mm camera can be used if a scanner is available to digitize the image.

  • Aurora Tool

    The Aurora Tool, How to Construct a Cause and Effect Chart, can be used to extend this lesson.
     

  • Official Directory of State Patrol & State Police

    This web site, by Senior Sergeant (Retired) Terrance D. Martin of the Vermont State Police, has links to the state patrol agency of each state; these agencies investigate highway accidents, including those involving animals.

Steps

  1. Locate Deer/Animal Crossing Signs

    1. Locate the placement of Deer/Animal Crossing Signs on your assigned highway.
    2. Use a digital camera, if available, to take a picture of the area on each side of the highway where the sign is placed.
    3. Look at the sign location pictures with your classmates. Discuss what the locations have in common. Why do you think the crossing signs were placed in these locations? You can organize your discussion by using the Aurora Tool: How to Construct a Cause and Effect Chart.

  2. Plot Crossing Sign Locations

    Stick a yellow push pin into the deer/animal crossing sign locations on the class map.
     

  3. Plot Crossing Sign Locations

    Stick a yellow push pin into the deer/animal crossing sign locations on the class map.
     

  4. Interview Local Game Warden

    Invite the game warden to speak to your class. Ask the following questions:

    1. What were the locations of deer/animals hit by automobiles during the last year?
    2. s there a time of the day or night that more deer/animals are crossing roads? Why?
    3. Does the season of the year have anything to do with the frequency of hit deer/animals? Why?
    4. Is there a difference in the number of female or male deer/animals hit by automobiles? Why?

           Game Warden

       
    5. Plot Hit Deer/Animal Locations
      Using the data provided by the game warden, plot locations for the deer/animal hit by traffic, using the GeogTool entitled Mapping: Making a Map with a Local Photograph. Use color coded dots to represent the deer sex, and the season it was hit. Make sure you make a color-coded map key for your map.

      If you are unable to use the GeogTool, you may plot the animal sex and season it was hit with colored push pins. Use blue for males, red for females. Stick the push pin through a small construction paper circle to indicate the season (brown for fall, purple for winter, green for spring, orange for summer).

      Use a digital camera, if available, to photograph each side of the road at the locations where deer/animals were hit by traffic.


           Mapping: Making a Map with a Local Photograph

       
    6. Compare Results
      Use the photographs taken at the sign location and the photos taken at the locations of hit deer/animal to compare. Discuss how the locations are alike and how they are different. What makes the area a popular place for the deer/animal to cross?

      Figure the fraction of the deer/animals hit within one mile of the sign.How many deer/animals were hit on your assigned highway? This number is your denominator. How many deer/animals were hit within one mile of the deer/animal crossing sign? This number is your numerator. Were the signs correctly placed? If you were given enough money to place another sign, where would you place it? Why?

      Compare your plotted map, crossing sign and frequently hit deer/animal photographs and fraction to results from other locations by completing the data form. Were your results similar? How?
       

Teacher Notes

  • Set up cooperative groups for this activity. Placing the students in groups according to home location, making sure at least one member lives on the assigned highway, is helpful.

    Make a large class community map. Use colored push pins to keep track of the information being plotted. The students could plot the data on a map on the computer.

    Additional Activities: After comparing results, if the sign placement does not coorespond to deer being hit by traffic, students could write letters to county highway officials making suggestions as to additional sign placement.

    If there are not any deer crossing signs in your area, do the same activity with the animals in your location.

  • Deer Sign Crossing Location is a homework assignment. Plotting the sign location would take approximately ten minutes. Interviewing the game warden and plotting deer hit by traffic locations would take a 45-minute class period. Comparing would take an additional 30 minutes.

Learner Notes

  • Make sure that you record the location of Deer Crossing Signs to present these data accurately to the class.

    If there are not any deer crossing signs in your area, do the same activity with the animals in your location.
     

Mentor Notes

  • Drive in each direction ten miles on highways from your community to determine deer crossing sign locations.

    Additional Activities: After comparing results, if the sign placement does not correspond to deer being hit by traffic, your child could write letters to county highway officials making suggestions as to additional sign placement.

    If there are not any deer crossing signs in your area, do the same activity with the animals in your location.

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