![\"PRESENTING](\"http:\/\/www.socalwild.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/sunvalley2.jpg\")
<\/a>Most presentations were electronic but one group, the Thunder, created a handmade model of what a proposed wildlife corridor would look like. Plenty of cardboard, construction paper, milk cartons and glue were put into the model that depicted a green bridge spanning a concrete freeway with buildings off to the side.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnimals need to move around to expand their territory and find a mate,\u201d stated one Thunder member. \u201cThese bridges need to look natural and blend into their surroundings so animals will use them. They need California native plants like coyote bush and California lilac.\u201d<\/p>\n Using a real-world example of the current wildlife corridor fits in well with the Project Based Learning (PBL) that\u2019s the norm at this Environmental Studies Through Arts Academy magnet school.<\/a><\/p>\n The Wildlife Corridor lesson was more than two months in the making and involved vocabulary words, research on the internet, interviews, a trip to the Natural History Museum and, perhaps the most inspiring aspect, a tour of Liberty Canyon with Anne Dittmer, CSUN professor who is intensely interested in the proposed corridor.<\/p>\n Students learned first-hand about the problem and solutions, said teacher Joceyln Medina who first heard about the plight of habitat-boxed mountain lions and bobcats two years ago when Professor Dittmer was her instructor. \u201cThe issue was just perfect for the type of learning we advocate here in the classroom,\u201d she said. \u201cActive, real world and participatory.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe actually walked the same route that the mountain lions would have to take to get from the north side of the freeway to the south side, and I think that got their attention,\u201d said Dittman. \u201cIt was just an ordeal for them to get across without getting squished.\u00a0 Cars, and noise, and all suddenly got more real.\u00a0 I had hoped that the walk would impart just how scary the whole experience could be for larger predators\u2026and how much we needed a real corridor in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to touring Liberty Canyon, Professor Dittmer brought the youngsters to explore nearby Malibu Creek to understand the landscape \u2013 which is home to many critters that could potentially use the corridor.<\/p>\n After the presentations, students \u2013 now a bit more relaxed \u2013 were eager to share their knowledge and discuss their experiences related to the project. Many still had the image of Liberty Canyon in their heads. \u201cThere were just mountains there.\u201d \u201cHow long will it take to build the corridor?\u201d \u201cI wish they could just dig a hole for the animals to move around.\u201d \u00a0\u201cI saw lots of little holes in the ground. I think it was the under-squirrels.\u201d \u201cWhat does the P stand for in P-22?\u201d<\/p>\n Students knew the sad story of seeing dead animals on the street \u2013 raccoons, squirrels, even birds. Many advocated in their presentations that adults (including parents) should drive cautiously when they know that wildlife is around. Still, even with careful human eyes, that doesn\u2019t mean a critter won\u2019t take a chance at crossing.<\/p>\n The students were shocked to learn that often young mountain lion cubs in the Santa Monica Mountains have been killed by their father in the juggle for territorial dominance. \u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s just wrong.\u201d \u201cWhy?\u201d \u201cSick.\u201d<\/p>\n Yes, the ways of nature can be hard to grasp, but this fact sealed for the student\u2019s the pressing need to establish the corridor.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just need to share what we have with the animals,\u201d said one very wise sixth grader. \u201cWe should just do it. Now.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>