Jellybean Classification Lab
“He [Harry] finally tore his eyes away
from the druidess Cliodna, who was
scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott’s
Every Flavor Beans.
‘You want to be careful with those,’ Ron
warned Harry. ‘When they say every flavor, they
mean every flavor—you know, you get all the
ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and
marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver
and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavored
one once.’
Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully,
and bit into a corner. ‘Bleargh—see? Sprouts.’
They had a good time eating the Every Flavor
Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean,
strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was
even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray
one Ron wouldn’t touch, which turned out to be
pepper.” (pp. 103–104)
Background: Most scientific names are in Latin or Greek and they often end in “ius” or “ium”. Some examples: Canius lupus (wolf)
Felix domesticus (housecat) Homo sapiens (human) The first letter is capitalized and the second is not.
Description: Scientists use classification keys to find names for living things. In this activity you will use a key to find names for
jellybeans. A key starts with numbered choices. As you decide on the characteristics of the bean, you move through the key.
Remember to always start with number one and then go where it directs you. The great thing about this activity is: You get to eat the
jellybeans and see if you have correctly named them!
*(Copy into your notebook)
Objective: To properly use a dichotomous key to identify the jellybean species.
Procedures:
1. Pick a bean to start with and list the numbers you follow to identify the bean. Always start with #1. Fill in the numbers in
the data as you go.
2. When you get to a description for the flavor of the bean, eat it. Put a star * by the number if you correctly identified this
species (it tastes like the flavor you identified).
3. Make up a scientific name for the bean. It must have 2 words that sound Latin or Greek. The first word is capitalized the
second is not. Example: Lemonus tastius for the lemon-flavored bean.
Data: (*copy into your notebook)
Brief description of bean
Numbers you followed
Flavor
Scientific name
Jellybean Classification Lab
1. Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink…
Purple, Green, Blue……….
Black, brown, tan, white…….
go to 2
go to 20
go to 29
23. Dark Purple…………..
Light Purple…………….
Black Purple…………..
Grape Jelly
Island Punch
Wild Blackberry
2. Yellow or orange…………..
Pink or red…………………
3
12
24. Opaque………………..
Transparent………….
Sour Blueberry
Berry Blue
3. Yellow………………………
Orange……………………..
4
7
4. Solid Yellow……………….
Yellow spots………………
5
45
25. Solid Blue……………….
Blue w/ spots………….
Foggy Blue………..
Blueberry
Plum
Sour Grape
5. Bright yellow………………
Light or Pale Yellow………
16
6
26. Solid Green………..
Green w/ spots….
27
28
6. Opaque Yellow…………
Transparent Yellow………
Pina Colada
Crushed Pineapple
27. Light Green…………..
Dark Green………..….
34
41
7. Solid Orange…………….
Orange with spots………
8
11
28. Green Spots…………..
Red Spots….…………
Green and Brown Spots.
33
Watermelon
Juicy Pear
8. Opaque Orange…………
Transparent orange…….
9
10
29. Brown or Tan………..
Black or white………….
30
36
9. Bright orange………….
Dark orange………….
Orange
Sour Orange
10. Tangerine orange………
Cantaloupe orange……
Foggy orange…………
Orange orange…………..
Tangerine
Cantaloupe
Pink Grapefruit
Orange Juice
11. Orange w/small spots…
Orange w/large spots…
Sour Peach
Peach
12. red………………………..
pink……………………….
13
17
13. Solid Light Red…………
Solid Dark Red …………
Red w/ spots…………….
14
15
39
14. Transparent Red…………
Very Cherry
Opaque Red………………
Red Apple
Spicy hot…… ……. Cinnamon
15. Red Red…………………
Maroon Red…………..
Foggy Maroon Red…….
Sour Cherry
Sour Raspberry
Raspberry
16. Opaque ….…………..
Transparent……….…..
Sour Lemon
Lemon
17. Solid Pink……………..
Pink w/ spots………….
18
19
18. Transparent Pink…..
Light Pink………….….
Foggy Marbled……….
Cotton Candy
Bubble Gum
Sour Strawberry
19. Light Pink w/Red Spots.
Dark Pink w/Red Spots.
Pink w/colored spots…
Strawberry Cheesecake
Strawberry Daiquiri
Tutti Frutti
20. Blue or Purple……….
Green…………………..
21
26
21. Purple……………….
Blue…………………..
23
22
22. Light blue…………….…
Dark blue………….……
24
25
30. Solid shade of Brown or tan.. 31
Spotted……………..….
42
31. Brown…………………
Tan………………………
32
35
32. Red brown…………….
Chocolate Brown……
Dark Brown…………….
Dr. Pepper
Chocolate Pudding
A&W Root Beer
33. Light Green w/ Dark Spots
Dark Green..…………
Mango
Margarita
34. Yellow Green……………
Bike Tube Slime Green..
38
Sour Apple
35. Light Tan…………………
Dark Tan…………………
Peanut Butter
Carmel Apple
36. White……………………
Black or Gray …………
37
43
37. White w/ spots…………
Solid white………………
40
44
38. Opaque………………..
Transparent……………
Kiwi
Lemon Lime
39. Yellow spots…………..
Dark Spots………………
Sizzling Cinnamon
Strawberry Jam
40. Black spots…………..
Brown spots………….
French Vanilla
Toasted Marshmallow
41. Opaque……………….
Transparent…………….
Sour Watermelon
Green Apple
42. White spots…………….
Orange/brown spots……..
Cappuccino
Caramel Corn
43. Black………………….
Gray…………………….
Licorice
Café Latte
44. Opaque………………..
Transparent……………
Coconut
A&W Cream Soda
45. Brown spots……………
White spots……………
Yellow spots…………..
Top Banana
Lemon Drop
Buttered Popcorn
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