1396: "An Animal Lying on the Side of the Road Probably Isn’t Sick or Napping"

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Written By JC

Interesting Things with JC #1396: "An Animal Lying on the Side of the Road Probably Isn’t Sick or Napping" – A deer in the ditch with stiff legs isn’t snoozing. Roadside naps aren’t real.

Curriculum - Episode Anchor

Episode Title: An Animal Lying on the Side of the Road Probably Isn’t Sick or Napping

Episode Number: 1396

Host: JC

Audience: Grades 9–12, college intro, homeschool, lifelong learners

Subject Area: Biology, Environmental Science, Public Safety, Sociology

Lesson Overview

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Define the term “roadkill mortality” and explain its ecological and human impacts.

  • Compare different species affected by vehicle collisions and the outcomes for both wildlife and humans.

  • Analyze the misconceptions about animals lying by the roadside and why these beliefs are inaccurate.

  • Explain how human transportation systems intersect with animal migration and behavior.

Key Vocabulary

  • Roadkill (rōd-kil) — The remains of an animal killed by a vehicle on a roadway. Example: "We saw roadkill on the drive to school."

  • Mortality (mor-tal-i-tee) — The condition of being subject to death; in ecology, used to describe death rates in populations.

  • Collision (kuh-li-zhuhn) — An instance of one object striking another, often used in traffic and accident reports.

  • Possum (pä-səm) — A small marsupial known for its defense mechanism of “playing dead.”

  • Ecosystem (ē-kō-sis-təm) — A community of organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment.

Narrative Core

  • Open: JC describes the familiar sight of animals lying on the roadside, sometimes humorously mistaken as “napping.”

  • Info: Presents statistics on animal-vehicle collisions in the U.S., noting deer as the most commonly hit large animal.

  • Details: Explains that animals rarely die instantly; many move to the side of the road before succumbing to injuries.

  • Reflection: Highlights that roadkill affects both animals and humans, causing injury, death, and financial costs.

  • Closing: “These are interesting things, with JC.”

Transcript

You’ve probably seen it before. A deer laid out on the ditch bank. A raccoon on its side with its legs stiff. If somebody tied a “get well soon” balloon to it, or tucked a blanket over it, you might laugh and think it looks like it’s just under the weather. But animals don’t pull over for a nap, not on the side of the highway. If they’re lying there, it’s because they got hit.

Here in the U.S., cars hit more than a million big animals every year. Deer make up the biggest share—about 1.3 million collisions annually. Then you’ve got the raccoons, possums, squirrels, turtles, and birds. Add them all up, and we’re talking tens of millions of animals every year. Scientists call it “roadkill mortality.” Folks around here just call it what it is—dead on the road.

Most of the time, the animal doesn’t just fall over instantly. A deer might get clipped, run a few yards, and then go down. A possum might crawl to the shoulder. From a distance, it can look like they’re just lying there. But stillness like that usually means they’re badly hurt or already gone. That “playing possum” trick? In the wild, they do it hidden in the brush, not out in the open where cars go by.

And it’s not just the critters that pay the price. Deer collisions alone kill more than 200 people every year in this country, and injure more than 10,000. That’s a lot of busted cars, hospital bills, and tough phone calls home.

So when you’re driving past that stretch of county road and see an animal stretched out in the grass, don’t kid yourself—it’s not just taking five. It’s a reminder that our roads cut through their paths, and we’ve got to keep our eyes open, especially where woods and fields meet the blacktop.

These are interesting things, with JC.

Student Worksheet

  1. What does the term “roadkill mortality” mean, and why is it significant?

  2. How many deer are involved in vehicle collisions in the U.S. annually?

  3. What common misconception might people have when they see an animal on the side of the road?

  4. Why is “playing possum” not a likely explanation for an animal lying on the highway?

  5. What risks do deer collisions pose to humans?

Teacher Guide

  • Estimated Time: 45–60 minutes

  • Pre-Teaching Vocabulary Strategy: Preview terms with real-world visuals (e.g., photos of deer crossings, traffic signs).

  • Anticipated Misconceptions: Students may believe animals lie roadside to rest; clarify the biological and behavioral realities.

  • Discussion Prompts:

    • How do roads impact ecosystems?

    • Should humans change road design to reduce collisions?

    • What responsibilities do drivers have in wildlife-heavy areas?

  • Differentiation Strategies:

    • ESL: Use visuals and bilingual word banks.

    • IEP: Provide guided notes and chunked transcript readings.

    • Gifted: Research mitigation strategies (wildlife corridors, underpasses).

  • Extension Activities:

    • Create an awareness campaign poster on roadkill safety.

    • Map local areas where wildlife-vehicle collisions are likely.

  • Cross-Curricular Connections:

    • Physics: Impact forces in collisions.

    • Sociology: Human-wildlife conflict.

    • Ethics: Our responsibility toward nonhuman life.

Quiz

  1. What does it usually mean if you see an animal lying on the side of the road?
    A. It is napping
    B. It was likely hit by a car
    C. It is playing possum in public
    D. It is looking for food
    Answer: B

  2. Approximately how many deer collisions occur annually in the U.S.?
    A. 100,000
    B. 500,000
    C. 1.3 million
    D. 10 million
    Answer: C

  3. What is the scientific term for animals killed by cars?
    A. Vehicle mortality
    B. Roadkill mortality
    C. Traffic deaths
    D. Collision fatality
    Answer: B

  4. About how many people die annually in the U.S. from deer collisions?
    A. 50
    B. 200
    C. 1,000
    D. 10,000
    Answer: B

  5. What is one reason a possum lying by the road is unlikely to be “playing possum”?
    A. They only do it at night
    B. They only do it when safe from predators
    C. They only do it when in the brush
    D. They don’t actually play possum
    Answer: C

Assessment

  1. Explain how road systems affect both human safety and animal populations.

  2. Suggest one solution that communities could adopt to reduce roadkill mortality and justify its effectiveness.

3–2–1 Rubric

  • 3: Accurate, complete, thoughtful

  • 2: Partial or missing detail

  • 1: Inaccurate or vague

Standards Alignment

  • NGSS HS-LS2-7: Design solutions for reducing impacts of human activities on ecosystems.

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.2: Determine central ideas of a text and provide an analysis.

  • C3 Framework D4.6.9-12: Use disciplinary and interdisciplinary concepts to explain challenges and approaches.

  • ISTE 3b: Evaluate accuracy, perspective, credibility, and relevance of information.

International Equivalents:

  • UK AQA Biology GCSE 4.7.3: Ecosystem relationships and human influences.

  • IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies 2.2: Communities and ecosystems, including human impacts.

  • Cambridge IGCSE Biology 18.1: Human influences on ecosystems.

Show Notes

In this episode of Interesting Things with JC, the focus is on animals lying by the roadside and what that really means. With more than 1.3 million deer collisions annually in the U.S. and tens of millions of smaller animals killed by vehicles each year, roadkill mortality is both an ecological and human safety issue. Students will explore the biological realities, the misconceptions people hold, and the broader consequences of roads cutting through animal habitats. This lesson is a powerful reminder that the design of human systems intersects with the natural world—and that awareness is key to reducing harm.

References

JC https://jimconnors.org
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