Wild City Teacher Guide Wild City Teacher Guide
Lesson: Urban Outlaws | Grades 7-9
Lesson Objective
Students will evaluate the implications of urban wildlife and human-animal conflict. They will analyze evidence regarding coyote adaptability and debate whether cities should prioritize removal or coexistence strategies.
Time Breakdown
Warm-up 5 min
Video Viewing 5 min
Research/Prep 15 min
Debate 15 min
Closure/Policy 10 min
Preparation & Materials
Urban Outlaws Slides
Includes embedded video and debate prompts.
Mayor's Desk Worksheet
Includes reading articles and argument prep.
Neighborhood Watch Cards
Discussion prompts for small group exploration.
City Council Scenarios
Role cards for the debate segment.
Instructional Walkthrough
1
Warm-up: The Road Crossing (5 min)
Display the slide with the coyote crossing the road. Ask students: "Is this dangerous? For whom?"
Discussion Focus:
Guide students to think about both sides: danger to drivers (accidents) and danger to the animal (hit by car). Introduce the concept of "Human-Wildlife Interface."
2
Video Deep Dive (5 min)
Watch the Coyote segment (3:30 - 4:09) of the video "Canine Capers."
Highlight the keyword: Adaptable.
Note the visual cues: Coyotes looking comfortable in human-made settings.
Point out the narrator's mention of "opportunistic feeding."
3
Research & Prep (15 min)
Distribute the Mayor's Desk Worksheet. Students read the two perspectives (Ecosystem Service vs. Public Risk) and use the T-chart to prepare for the debate.
Coexistence Points
Rodent control, scavenger services, biodiversity, coyotes learn human boundaries if not fed.
Removal Points
Pet safety, risk of rabies, habituation to humans leads to aggression, property noise/nuisance.
4
The Great Debate (15 min)
Question: "Should cities try to remove coyotes or learn to coexist?"
Divide the class into "Removalists" and "Coexistents."
Give each student or group a City Council Scenario role to ground their arguments in a specific perspective.
Challenge: Students must use the video's point about coyote "resilience" and "adaptability" as evidence for or against their case.
5
Closure: Policy Recommendation (10 min)
Students synthesize the debate into a written recommendation for a hypothetical mayor on the final page of their worksheet.
Urban Outlaws Slides Urban Wildlife Study
Urban Outlaws
Navigating the complex relationship between humans and city-dwelling coyotes.
Warm-up: The Crossing
🦊
"Imagine a coyote crossing a busy city street near a school. A warning sign is posted nearby."
Is this dangerous?
For whom?
Video: Canine Capers
3:30 - 4:09
Embedded media
Watch for: Adaptability
Watch for: Diet
The Adaptable Outlaw
Habitat
From deep forests to urban alleys. They can live almost anywhere humans can.
Diet
Opportunistic feeders. Rodents, fruit, garbage, or even small pets.
Resilience
Extremely difficult to remove. If some are removed, others quickly take their place.
Class Debate
"Should cities try to remove coyotes or learn to coexist?"
TEAM REMOVAL
TEAM COEXIST
Ground Rules
1
Use evidence from the video or articles.
2
Speak from your assigned stakeholder's view.
3
Address the counter-argument directly.
4
Respect the "Speaker's Chair" (one person at a time).
The Mayor's Desk
Based on our debate, write a 3-sentence policy recommendation. How will our city handle the urban coyote?
Final Mission
Mayor Desk Worksheet Mayor's Desk: Case #742
Urban Wildlife Management Briefing
Agent Name:
Date:
Confidential
Part 1: Research Briefing
Perspective A: The Ecosystem Ally
Coyotes are often "nature's pest control." In cities, they primarily hunt rodents like rats and mice, which carry diseases. Their presence keeps city parks more balanced. When coyotes are removed, rodent populations often explode, causing more damage to city infrastructure. Furthermore, biologist Dr. Marcus Vane notes, "Coyotes are incredibly resilient; if you remove one pack, a new, more adaptable one will simply move into the empty territory within weeks."
Perspective B: The Public Risk
As cities expand, coyotes are losing their fear of humans. This is called "habituation." When coyotes become too comfortable in neighborhoods, they begin to see small pets (cats and dogs) as prey. There have been increasing reports of coyotes approaching people during daylight hours. Resident Sarah Miller argues, "Our neighborhoods are for families, not predators. A city's first job is the safety of its citizens, and having large wild animals on our sidewalks is an unacceptable risk to our children and pets."
Part 2: Argument Preparation
Use the briefing above and the "Canine Capers" video to list key evidence for both strategies.
Strategy: Coexistence
Strategy: Removal
Final Recommendation to the Mayor
Synthesize your research and the debate into a clear policy. What should our city do next?
Official Memo Output:
Authorized Signature
Neighborhood Watch Cards Neighborhood Watch Cards
Small Group Discussion Prompts
The Ethics File
Defining "Wild"
If an animal like a coyote is born in a city, eats city trash, and sleeps in city parks, is it still a "wild" animal? Or has it become something new?
Public Policy
Whose Home?
Humans built the city, but animals were there first (or were drawn back by the food we leave). Who has the "right" to the land: the builders or the inhabitants?
Adaptation
The Learning Curve
Coyotes have adapted to living around cars, lights, and humans. Why do humans find it so much harder to adapt to living around wild animals?
The Future
Urban Evolution
Imagine a city 50 years from now. Will we have more wild animals in our streets, or will they be completely removed? What causes that change?
Safety First
Limits of Tolerance
At what point does an animal go from being "part of nature" to being a "threat"? Should we wait for an accident to happen before taking action?
Coexistence
Education vs. Removal
Is it easier to train humans (don't leave trash out, keep pets in) or to remove the coyotes? Which is more sustainable long-term?
Instructions: Cut out these cards and distribute one to each small group. Have groups discuss their prompt for 3 minutes before sharing their findings with the class.
City Council Scenarios City Council Stakeholder Briefings
Assigned Roles for the Urban Coyote Debate
STAKEHOLDER #01
Dr. Elena Vance
Wildlife Biologist
"Removing coyotes doesn't work. When you remove a pack, 'social triggers' cause surviving females to have larger litters. Within months, the population is back to normal. We should focus on hazing —making them afraid of humans again by using loud noises."
Key Goal: Scientific Sustainability
STAKEHOLDER #02
Mr. David Chen
Elementary School Principal
"I have 400 children playing at recess every day. We’ve seen coyotes near the fence twice this week. I can't wait for 'sustainability'—I need my students to be 100% safe now. Removal is the only way to ensure parents feel safe sending their kids to school."
Key Goal: Immediate Public Safety
STAKEHOLDER #03
Maya Rivera
President, 'Paws & Claws'
"Our pets are family members. Residents are afraid to walk their dogs at night. We shouldn't have to live in a 'wild zone.' If the city can't remove them, they should at least fine people who leave food out, which draws coyotes into our yards."
Key Goal: Pet Protection & Regulation
STAKEHOLDER #04
Officer James Miller
Animal Control Officer
"Trapping is expensive and rarely works for smart animals like coyotes. We don't have the budget or the staff to clear a whole city. Coexistence isn't a choice; it's a reality. We need to teach people how to coyote-proof their homes instead."
Key Goal: Budget & Practicality
STAKEHOLDER #05
Avery Sterling
Urban Ecology Activist
"Coyotes were here first. They keep our rat and rabbit populations in check, which protects our gardens and city hygiene. Removing them is cruel and ruins the local ecosystem. We need to learn to share the space respectfully."
Key Goal: Animal Rights & Ecosystem Health
Citizen "X"
Create Your Own Persona
