Coexisting with Carnivores

The "Coexisting with Carnivores" project uses this overall driving question:
How can humans and carnivores peacefully coexist--meet our needs while allowing carnivores to meet their needs?

Before beginning the project, please take the perception Google Form survey.

Part 1: Carnivores in Our Community

Part 1 focuses on this driving question: 

• What are the carnivores in our community and what impacts do humans have on their lives?

Humans and carnivores each have needs to survive. Some carnivores like cougars need large open spaces to move, hunt, and live. Increasing human populations require more space for built homes, and that impacts space available for carnivores like cougars.

Watch the Coexisting with Carnivores Introduction Slideshow. During the slideshow, and based on the slideshow and 8 minute CBS News episode, in your journal, fill in your "Notice/Wonder" chart and add to your Venn diagram of human and carnivore needs.

If Time: As a class, we read the Olympic Cougar Project Introduction article. During the article, in your journal, fill in your "Notice/Wonder" chart and add to your Venn diagram of human and carnivore needs.

If instructed, take the Pre-Survey before beginning. (Here are responses in a spreadsheet.)

If instructed, use sticky-notes and put them on the full-class display.

Part 2: Resources in Our Community

Part 2 focuses on these driving questions: 

• What are resources in our community that provide for the needs of us & carnivores? 

• What has changed in this place over time?

Our community has many assets to allow us to live healthy lives. There are carnivores that are found in our community that use the same resources for survival.  In this lesson we analyze maps of our area and discuss the various natural and cultural resources. 

As a class, watch the slideshow. In your journal, add to a new "Notice/Wonder" chart.  
After the slideshow, do the following and add more to your "Notice/Wonder" chart: 

• Individually, on a Chromebook, observe this Sample Map.

• Individually, on a Chromebook, explore the "Carnivore Spotter" website.

• Individually, on a Chromebook, observe the Stevens Middle School Trails Map to help choose a location for a carnivore camera on our campus.

Return to today's 2 driving questions and discuss answers with tablemates: 

• What are resources in our community that provide for the needs of us & carnivores? 

• What has changed in this place over time?

We plan to report our sightings to the "Carnivore Spotter" website and possibly make our own Google My Map (like the Sample Map and Trails Map) of our data.

Optional: We consider how the land has changed over time and the impact to the natural systems in our communities. 

• History of Place

Optional: We share family stories about carnivores spotted in our area and learn about the connection between us and the carnivores that live on the land around us.

• Learning in Places - History of Places Framework and Activity 

Part 3: Scientists Studying Carnivores

Part 3 focuses on these driving questions: 

• What can scientists tell us about the populations of carnivores and the impact of humans? 

• What questions are scientists asking about carnivores?

Scientists are studying populations of various types of carnivores.  Scientist use various technologies to monitor carnivore populations. Wildlife biologists study different populations of animals to learn about animal needs and to keep populations safe and stable into the future. Here on the Olympic Peninsula there is a research project to monitor cougar movement called Panthera. Scientists use tracking devices and camera traps to identify locations of these animals.

We will have a local carnivore researcher present to students.

Part 4: Humans Impacting Carnivores

Part 4 focuses on these driving questions: 

• How do humans impact carnivores?

• What are the patterns of carnivores found in certain areas? 

• What types of human activity affect carnivore populations? 

We collaboratively identify an investigative question and consider data collection methods to help answer our driving question. 

• Wildlife can be observed using camera traps 

• Data from traps can be analyzed to identify patterns 

• We identify a research question connected to learn more about carnivore vs human interactions  

Watch the slideshow. As instructed, discuss in groups and as a full class and decide on an investigative question for our class. 

Links from the slideshow: 

• Investigative Question Ideas.

• Driving Question Board

• Sample Map.

• "Carnivore Spotter" website.

. 

Part 5: Investigating Carnivores 

Part 5 focuses on this driving question: 

• What is the best investigative method and types of data we can collect?

Data about carnivores can be collected with various methods. Field cameras help us identify what species, how many, and where. Different types of data have both pros (advantages) and cons (disadvantages) when doing a field study. 

The methods we select should match with our investigative question.

Possible methods we can use:

• Field camera data 

• Surveys and questionnaires 

Possible products:

• Map with carnivore data collected from across the region 

• Tables to display data 

• Survey

As a class, observe our Investigative Question Ideas and decide on a question and methods.

Part 6: The Stories in Our Data

Observe the Carnivore Data:

• Google Map of Carnivore Sightings.

• Spreadsheet of Carnivore Sightings

• Coexisting with Carnivores Initiative Webpage

• Woodland Park Zoo's Carnivore Spotter

• Student Pre-Survey Data

We focus on this driving question:  What story does our data tell me?

• Images from camera traps help us identify patterns of carnivore activity in our area.

• Images can reveal how human activity impacts carnivore activity. 

• We examine the data collected by our camera traps and surveys to notice and wonder about patterns to help us answer an investigative question of our choosing or the driving question our class came up with. We can graph data, analyze and Interpret data, and discuss patterns. 

Students then use the links above in Part 6 to observe data on their own or in groups.

Reference document from Woodland Park Zoo

Part 7: Action Steps

Watch a 45 minute part of the full-length "Heart of a Lion" movie that came out in 2025 and includes our local Olympic Cougar Project. 

Part 7 driving question: How can I help people peacefully coexist with carnivores?

-Our camera data reveals certain patterns of carnivores activity in various habitats.

-Our survey data also reveals current perceptions of carnivores in our community.

We should acknowledge limitations of the data we collected & make recommendations to our community for how to more peacefully coexist with carnivores.

We then decide on and complete an independent or team project about this question:  

-How can I help people peacefully coexist with carnivores?

Project Options (How can I help people peacefully coexist with carnivores?):  

• Slides

  • Create slides using PowerPoint or Google Slides. Students may also use Prezi).

• Tri-fold poster 

• Use a tri-fold poster to display the recommendation and project elements.

• Public Service  Announcement  (PSA)

• A PSA reaches a specific group with a message that will change their behavior. 

• Infographic 

• Make an image, chart or diagram to represent information or data. Infographics make complex subjects eye-catching, shareable, and easy to digest.

• Blog Post(s) 

• Platforms may include Kidblog, WordPress, Blogger, Tumbler.

• YouTube Video 

• Make a video about your project. (More about using YouTube in school) 

• Write a Claim - Evidence - Reasoning conclusion to an investigative question.  

• Write a full scientific conclusion based on our data.

Reference document from Woodland Park Zoo

Part 8: Post Survey & Presentations

Take the Post Survey. 

Discuss with your team then share with full class your thoughts on this project.

• What went well with this project?

• What should we improve for the future?

• What "Action Step" project ideas do you think are best for this?

For presentations, choose between these 2 options:

1. Share your Coexisting with Carnivores project with the team next to you.

2. Share your Coexisting with Carnivores project with the class.

Coexisting with Carnivores Extension 1: Upload Data to Carnivore Spotter Website

Check camera traps and download data. 

• Use Wildlife Insights AI online tool to process photos. Record carnivore sightings in our CWC Spreadsheet.

Coexisting with Carnivores Extension 2: Upload Data to Carnivore Spotter Website

Check camera traps and download data.

• "Carnivore Spotter" website to upload sightings. Use carnivore sightings from our CWC Spreadsheet.

Coexisting with Carnivores Extension 3: Google My Map

Make a Google My Map with our data from this project. For help with how to make a Google My Map, use these instructions about making a map of Elwha River fish and these instructions about making a map of campus trails. Use carnivore sightings from our CWC Spreadsheet.

Coexisting with Carnivores Extension 4: Coexisting with Cougars Article

Read these 2025 articles about Kim Sager-Fradkin's work with cougars.

Crowding Out Cougars - Inside Climate News

How Indigenous collaboration is saving the cougar - CSMonitor.com

Write a 5-paragraph expository essay on this topic. 

Note to teachers: This is based on the CWC Project.