OUTLINE FOR SHORT UNIT ON CLASSIFICATION (YEAR 7)
(focus on Animal Classification)
SESSION 1: 10 – 11am
1. Introduction (20 mins)
(a) Reasons for classification – prevent confusion of common names; for ease of communication
between scientists; easier to think in terms of groups than individual organisms.
(b) Six Kingdom Classification
1. Archaebacteria – the Archaea bacteria; primitive bacteria or prokaryotes that have DNA sequences
different from other bacteria
2. Eubacteria - true bacteria and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
3. Protista - one-celled organisms such as some algae and Protozoans
4. Fungi - uni-cellular and multicellular fungi, yeasts and moulds
5. Plantae - multicellular plants
6. Animalia - multicellular animals
2. Activity (30 mins)
(a) Animals have coverings that perform different functions – what are some of these? (Camouflage;
protection; insulation)
(b) One group (the Chordates or Phylum Chordata) have 5 sub-groups or Classes – Fish, Amphibians,
Reptiles, Birds and Mammals. Students can use the objects in the kit, some extra animal coverings,
and their own knowledge of these groups to complete the activities on p. 13-14 of Micro Marvels
Teacher Resource Booklet. (Group Work)
3. Discussion (10 mins)
Class discussion of the results of the activity
SESSION 1: 11:30 – 12 noon
1. The Levels of Classification (10 mins)
(a) Does anyone know the scientific name for humans? (Homo sapiens)
(b) Homo is the genus name and sapiens is the species name.
(c) At the most specific level is the Species. Similar species are grouped into the same genus. Similar
general are grouped into the same family and so on.
Therefore the levels of classification from most different to most alike are:
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species
Least alike
Most alike
(Memory jingle to help remember the sequence:
Kings Play Chess On Funny Green Squares )
2. Activity (20 mins)
Dichotomous keys are used to help identify specimens. They can be for the phylum group or there are
more specific keys that will even identify specimens down to species level.
Take the 6 specimens in the Animal Diversity box (bug, clam, coral, crab, snail, sea star) and use the
dichotomous key (p. 16 of the Micro Marvels Teacher Resource Booklet) to try to work out in which
animal group these specimens belong. Complete the table on p. 15.
SESSION 2: 10 – 11am
1. Discussion (10 mins)
Discuss the results – Table on p. 15 from last week
2. Classification Exercise (35 mins)
Arthropods can be classified into 5 classes: Insects, Arachnids (spiders, scorpions, ticks and mites);
crustaceans; centipedes; and millipedes. Using the 20 numbered specimens and the dichotomous key,
identify the animal group to which each belongs. (These 20 can include vertebrate and invertebrate
specimens collected by the teacher or brought in by students.) Note any interesting features and complete
the table provided. (Group work).
3. Discussion (15 mins)
Class discussion of the results of the classification exercise (Extra interesting facts about the 20 specimens
that were used with a local school group have been added at the end as background teacher information.)
rd
Wed 23 Nov 11:30 – 12:15pm (Need access to computers & hand lenses)
1. Insect Classification Intro (10 mins)
(a) Examine the insect tray in the Micro Marvels kit. About 9-10 different insect orders are represented here
– pass around class. Show images of halters of fly taken with the digital microscope.
(b) View the videos on Hints on Identifying Insects (4:07 mins) and Using an Interactive Key (3:40 mins) at
the following link:
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/microsites/wild/identify-insects.asp
2. Insect Classification Exercise (25 mins)
Use the CSIRO online interactive invertebrate key to identify the insect orders in the unidentified insect trays
(not part of the kit but can be borrowed separately from QM Loans.)
http://www.ento.csiro.au/education/key/couplet_01.html
(Set up digital microscope in the kit for students who want to zoom in on any insect features.)
3. Discussion (10 mins)
Go over the answers. i.e. the numbered specimens belong to the following Insect Orders:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Blattodea - cockroach
Diptera – fly
Coleoptera – Beetle
Mantodea – praying mantid
Lepidoptera – butteryly or moth
(a) Hemiptera – bug (dorsal view)
(b) Hemiptera – bug (ventral view) – showing sucking tube or rostrum
7. Hymenoptera – wasp
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Further Activities:
Students can collect their own invertebrate specimens from a schoolyard safari.
To see how to set up pitfall traps and do beating and netting etc, view the videos at
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/microsites/wild/collect-insects.asp
CLASSIFICATION EXERCISE
Using the dichotomous key on p. 16 the Micro Marvels Teacher Resource Booklet,
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Group/Phylum
Class
Name of Specimen/Interesting Features
identify each of the 20 specimens
CLASSIFICATION EXERCISE
ANSWERS
No.
Group/Phylum
Class
1
Chordates/
Chordata
Reptiles/
Class
Reptilia
2
Arthropods/
Arthropoda
Chordates/
Chordata
Arthropods/
Arthropoda
Chordates/
Chordata
Crustacea/
Cirripedia
Fish/Pisces
6
Cnidarians/
Cnidaria
Anthozoa
7
Chordates/
Chordata
Mammals/
Mammalia
8
Arthropods/
Arthropoda
Chordates/
Chordata
Worms/
Nematoda
Arthropods/
Arthropoda
Echinoderms/
Echinodermata
Millipedes/
Diplopoda
Reptiles/
Reptilia
13
Molluscs/
Mollusca
Gastropoda
14
Chordates/
Chordata
Reptilia
15
Molluscs/
Mollusca
Arthropods/
Arthropoda
Bivalvia
Molluscs/
Mollusca
Sponges/
Porifera
Sponges/
Porifera
Gastropoda
Echinoderms/
Echinodermata
Echinoidea
3
4
5
9
10
11
12
16
17
18
19
20
Insects/
Insecta
Birds/
Aves
Arachnids/
Arachnida
Echinoidea
Crustacea
Name of Specimen/Interesting Features
Snake skin - Snakes are entirely covered with scales or scutes
of various shapes and sizes. Scales protect the body of the
snake, aid it in locomotion, allow moisture to be retained within,
and alter the surface characteristics such as roughness to aid in
camouflage.
Acorn Barnacle – jointed appendages extend from the opening
and rake the water for food – plankton is filtered out
Fish skin – scales of dentine and enamel overlap to protect the
fish and provide greater flexibility
Bug – Order Hemiptera – has a sucking tube or rostrum; 6 legs
Cassowary feathers - insulate birds from water and cold
temperatures. They may also be plucked to line the nest and
provide insulation to the eggs and young.
Coral – hard exoskeleton of hard corals (brain corals, staghorn,
star, elkhorn, and pillar corals etc) is made of calcium carbonate
which is secreted by tiny soft bodied animals called coral polyps.
Wombat fur – a hide that is difficult for a dingo's teeth to
penetrate. In the absence of a wombat tail, there is nothing for a
predator to grasp onto, either.
Millipede – many segments; 2 prs legs/body segment
Turtle shell – horny scales or scutes overlap the seams between
the shell bones and add strength to the shell.
Roundworm – Ascaris sp – internal parasite – this one in
digestive system of pigs
Spider – 8 legs; exoskeleton
Sea Urchin test - Their shell, or ‘test’, is round and spiny, which
protects them from predators as they move slowly, feeding mostly
on algae. The spines are attached to the test.
Cowrie shell - Most shelled gastropods have a one piece shell,
typically coiled or spiraled. The shell protects the snail from
mechanical damage and reduces the amount of evaporation.
Crocodile skin – hard plates on dorsal surface is armoured with
large osteoderms. The armoured skin has scales and is thick and
rugged, providing some protection. They are still able to absorb
heat through this thick, rugged armour as a network of small
capillaries push blood through the scales to absorb heat.
Scallop shell – has two halves or ‘valves’
Crab – Order Decapoda – 10 legs. Hard carapace; Front
chelipeds for processing food – some developed into claws or
pincers; last pair may be swimmerets in swimming crabs.
Snail shell - Melon Snail; Xanthomelon sp. (See snail shell
above)
Sponge skeleton of Lanthella flabelliformis; protein framework mesh of keratin fibres.
Sponge - asymmetrical; many pores; inlet and outlet tubes bring
in water current containing food; high water-absorption ability;
used in the cosmetic industry
Sand dollar – flattened burrowing echinoderm; test covered with
skin and velvet-textured spines in life; has radial symmetry;
central mouth on underside of body.