Coyote Track: Exploring Real Science Data In Your Classroom

Explore Coyote Track interactive visualization tool. This online site developed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, centers around coyote ecology and behavior related to data collected from radio-collared coyotes in urban and rural areas of Illinois. Using real data, this workshop will guide participants through the visualization data tool and standard-based lessons that support the unit. Participants will learn about how and why scientists are studying coyotes in Illinois including learning about telemetry and how the information is gathered. The visualization tool takes data gathered from various scientific studies on coyotes in Illinois and makes them available for students and teachers to use in their classrooms. This tool allows students to manipulate the data to understand coyote ecology given them real data. Using real data in a class helps students better understand the ecological world we live in.

The site used will be https://coyotetrack.org/. The workshop is geared toward teachers of Illinois high school and middle school students. Upper elementary teachers are also welcome as the information can be used with younger students.

Lorna Shuman

Head of Education Division, Illinois Department of Natural Resources