Unit Lesson Plan: Classification
Day 1Unit Lesson: Introduction to Classification
Objective: Students will learn why and how to classify organisms, Students will also
understand the importance of the seven levels of classification.
Materials:
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Cup
Paper shapes
Chalk
Chalkboard
Student Worksheet (Shape Sorting)
Magnetic shapes (optional)
Engagement:
Activity Title: “How Can Shapes Be Classified”
Procedure:
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The teacher should prepare a reusable container to fill with a variety of paper
circles, squares, and triangles. Each shape should be in two noticeably different
sizes, big and small. Per type of shape (triangles, squares, circles), for example there
should be at least 2 big red triangles with dots, 2 big blue triangles with dots, 2 small
red triangles with no pattern, and 2 small red triangles with no pattern. This should
be the same for each types of shape. You can use any color of pattern at all. It is best
to stick with 2 colors and 2 patterns.
Place your students in groups of four or five.
Explain to students that today they will be engaging in a process called
“classification”.
Tell the students to empty the container of shapes and sort them any way they
desire. Give them a minute or two to do so!
As a class, discuss how each group sorted, or classified, the shapes and what
characteristics they noted. Write these characteristics down on the board.
Ask the class to identify which student group they believe had the correct
characteristics. They should believe it was their own group.
Ask the students if they believed it is possible to sort or classify the shapes by more
than one characteristic.
Exploration:
Unit Lesson Plan: Classification
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Have the students return to their groups and continue to break down and build a
multilayer classification system.
Lead the class through the classification system on the board. Start the chart by
writing “Shapes” at the top of the board. (This chart will be a hierarchy.)
As a class, choose five or six categories by which to sort the shapes based on
characteristics. Tell students to think about the characteristics of the shapes. There
is a sample graphic organizer at the end of the lesson.
As a class, write all the categories that the groups created on the board and have the
students compare it to their own worksheets.
As you go through each tier of the organizer, have students separate their shapes
based on the characteristics of that category. *It may be helpful to have a magnetic
set of the shapes at the board, so you can model the sorting activity for them.
When students are finished you may have them copy down the chart you drew on
the board on a piece of paper or you could make a chart for them to fill in.
Explanation:
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Tell student that they have just done an exercise in classification and it can be used
to sort anything.
Ask students to name other things that can be sorted this way. They should list
living and non-living things. Ask students if they know the name for all living things.
(Wait 10 seconds. You can tell them it starts with an “o”.)Then tell students the
name for all living things is organism.
Using chalk, chalkboard, poster, video or slide of the 7 levels of classification, place
the levels on the board or on the screen.
Explain to students that this is the way biologists classify all living things. (The
poster should be listed in hierarchy will all* seven domains are shown. *Kingdom,
Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.)
If students are having trouble understanding the concept of classification. Do the
following activity:
o Have them “Sort the Class”. First ask everyone to stand up.
o Second, you can have the students take turns picking a characteristic (for
example brown eyes, glasses, shoe type, etc.) and have everyone in the
class who does not have that characteristic sit down.
o Third, pick another characteristic until only one or a few students are left
standing.
Elaboration:
Unit Lesson Plan: Classification
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Ask students, what types of living things are there? And have students list as many
living things as they can think of in 2 min. then have them share with their groups.
Have one person from each group write their list on the board. (Students will
probably name all animals. Mentally gifted students may name animal groups, such
as reptiles or mammals.)
Go over the list with students and ask if they can group any of these living things
together. *Be aware that students may list non-living things, like rocks and viruses
or things that were living, like wood. If they write germs, direct those towards
identifying exactly what germs are.
Now write the groups of the board. (You do not have to list their living things under
each category, especially with crunched for time. You could ask them to pick other
organisms from the list that belong in that same group.) *If “germs” (bacteria) are
mentioned have them tell you what animal group they belong to. Or you could ask
“what about germs are they living?” (Students will probably say animal.)
Ask them, if they think that all living things are animals and plants? How they
believe naming can help scientists communicate clearly about living things?
Finally, explain that all living things are not animals and plants.
Evaluation:
Within this day’s lesson introducing classification and its activities, evaluation was
conducted throughout. Assessments are occurring in the engagement through the
group activity: How can Shapes Be Classified? When I monitor, question and observe
that the students understand the concept of classification using simple shapes.
In the exploration students were challenged to create a multilayer classification system
using the shapes. In the explanation the connection between classification and the
grouping of living things is made. Finally in the elaboration students start to focus on
the seven levels of classification.
Day 2 Unit Lesson: Scientific Names
Objectives: Students will learn how classification relates to the scientific names of
organism.
Engagement:
Activity: Classification Practice-Animals (created by Mark Goddard)
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Materials: Animal grouping Worksheet
Unit Lesson Plan: Classification
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With minimal instruction, the students will demonstrate their ability to group a
given list of animals into specific, related groupings by creating a minimum of two
subgroups from the given group.
Provide students with the worksheet on animal groups. Have them group the animal
in any way they choose. They should work independently. When they are finished
(approx. 10 min.) have them share with the class the different ways the animals
were grouped. Ask them to think about other characteristics, which could have been
used to group the same animals.
Exploration:
Lab: Shape Island
Objective: This lab is intended to help student understand classifying organism and
naming organisms.
Overview: You are a biologist exploring uncharted parts of the world to look for new
animal species. You sailed for days across the ocean and finally found Shape Island
hundreds of miles south of Hawaii. Shape Island has some very unusual organisms.
The shape of each organism is a variation of a geometric shape. You have spent
more than a year collecting and classifying specimens. You have been able to assign
a two-part scientific name to most of the species that you have collected. Now, you
must assign a two-part scientific name to each of the last 12 specimens collected
before you begin your journey home.
Procedure:
1. Draw each of the organisms pictured on the facing page. Beside each
organism, draw a line for its name, as shown. The first organism pictured has
already been named, but you must name the remaining 12. Use the glossary
of Greek and Latin prefixes, suffixes, and root words in the table to help you
name the organisms.
Analyze Results:
1. Analyzing Results If you gave species 1 a common name, such as round-faceno-nose; would any other scientist know which of the newly discovered
organisms you were referring to? Explain. How many others have round face
and no nose?
2. Organizing Data Describe two characteristics that are shared by all of your
newly discovered specimens.
Draw Conclusions:
Unit Lesson Plan: Classification
3. Applying Conclusions One more organisms exists on Shape Island, but you
have not been able to capture it. However, your supplies are running out, and
you must start sailing for home. You have had a good look at the unusual
animal and can draw it in detail. Draw an animal that is different from all of
the others, and give it a two- part scientific name.
Explanation
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Discuss how classification helps with naming organisms. By classifying organisms,
biologists are able to give organism scientific names. A scientific name is always the
same for a specific kind of organism no matter how many common names there
might be. For example, the scientific name for the Asian elephant is Elephas
maximas.
Elaboration
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Applying Your Data: Look up the scientific names Mertensia virginica and Parcellio
scaber. Answer the following questions as they apply to each organism: Is the
organism a plant or an animal? How many common names does the organism have?
How many scientific names does it have?
Think of the name of your favorite fruit or vegetable. Find out if it has other common
names, and find out its two-part scientific name.
Evaluation
Within this day’s lesson reviewing the ideas behind Scientific Names and its activities,
evaluation was conducted throughout. Assessments are occurring in the engagement
through the Classification Practice-Animals (created by Mark Goddard), which targets
accumulation of prior knowledge.
In the exploration we ask students to do thought-based lab called Shape Island, which
has the students doing creative and critical thinking to understand and practice the
concept of scientific names and their parts, The explanation has students doing inquiry
and the elaboration has the students applying their data.
Day 3 Unit Lesson: Dichotomous Keys & Classification
Objective: Students will be able to describe how the dichotomous keys help in identifying
organism.
Prior Knowledge: This lesson built on the prior day’s lesson on Classification. Students
should be aware of why and how we put things into orderly groups based on similar
Unit Lesson Plan: Classification
characteristics. They should understand that what they are learning falls under taxonomy,
the science of describing, naming and classifying organisms. Finally students should have
knowledge of the seven levels of classification, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus,
and species.
Engagement:
Activity: “Silly Science- Dichotomous Keys & Classification” (derived from: T.Trimpe,
Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Materials Needed/ Answer Key:
A “Whatnot”: White marble, A “Fancy Whatnot”: Colored marble,
A “Screecher”: white chalk, A “Wadget”: unsharpened pencil,
A “Cubey”: die,
An “Oopsy”: eraser (less than 10 cm),
A “Widget”: sharpened pencil (more than 10 cm),
A “Gadget”: wooden splint (Popsicle stick),
An “Itsy Bitsy”: small paperclip (less than 3 cm),
And a “Super Duper”: large paperclip (more than 3 cm).
Student Worksheet
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This is a quick and easy activity to introduce students to the world of dichotomous
keys, which are available for a wide range of items, from trees to insects.
Before the students attempt to use other dichotomous keys, such as one for animals,
use this one to teach students how to simply use a dichotomous key by creating a
key with common objects given silly scientific names.
Now, give each student the Student Worksheet with the dichotomous key for the
common objects with their silly scientific names and have them classify each item.
Exploration:
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As a class, quickly go through the silly scientific dichotomous key and answers and
start a discussion on other things that can be classified using this method. Write
these ideas on the board.
Now, have the class create their own keys using ordinary items they encounter
everyday (art supplies, food, clothing, shoes, candy, etc.). In my example below I will
be using shoes.
Unit Lesson Plan: Classification
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Separate the student into groups and do the group activity on Classifying Shoes. In
this activity each group will develop a system of classification for shoes (see below).
Procedure:
1. Gather 10 shoes. Number pieces of masking tape from 1 to 10. Label the sole
of each shoe with a numbered piece of tape.
2. Make a list of shoe features. Make a table that has a column for each feature.
Complete the table by describing each shoe.
3. Use the data in the table to make a shoe identification key.
4. The key should be a list of steps. Each step should have two contrasting
statements about the shoe. The statements will lead you to either the next
step or to a specific shoe.
5. If your item is not identified in one step, go on to the next step or steps until
your item is identified.
6. Trade keys with other group. How did the other group’s key help you identify
the shoes?
Analysis:
1. How was listing the shoe features before making the key helpful?
2. Were you able to identify the shoes using another group’s key? Explain.
Explanation:
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At this point, as a class, discuss how the dichotomous keys they created were used
as an aid to first identify the silly objects and then the shoes. Discuss how they can
now identify organisms by coming up with answers to a series of questions.
o What did you use to determine the silly object or the shoes? (Ans.
Physical characteristics, i.e, color)
o What other things can we classify? (Ans. Plants, animals, rocks, etc.)
o Why would we want to classify living or non-living things? (Ans. A
way of to understand our world…)
Prepare a Dichotomous Key to 10 common Mammals in the Eastern United States.
Give each group a picture of one of the animals listed on the dichotomous key that
you have prepared.
Explain the scenario: Tell each group that they are out hiking somewhere in the
Eastern United States and they spot an animal that they would like to write about in
their journals. Since they are not sure the identity of the animal they saw, ask the
students how would they identify the organisms? They should be able to think of
writing down the animal’s characteristics.
Unit Lesson Plan: Classification
Elaboration:
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Place a Dichotomous Key to 10 Common Mammals in the Eastern United States on
the board and discuss how and why a dichotomous keys similar to the one they used
with common objects can be used in taxonomy:
o The dichotomous key is an identification aid that uses sequential pairs of
descriptive statements. There are only two alternative responses for each
statement.
o From each pair of statements, the person trying to identify the organism
chooses the statement that describes the organism.
o Either the chosen statement identifies the organism or the person is
directed to another pair of statements.
o By working through the statements in the key in order, the person can
eventually identify the organism.
 Show the students the visual concept from online that dictates the steps to using
the Dichotomous Key to 10 Common Mammals in the Eastern United States.
 Finally, tell the students: “Using the simple dichotomous, the picture of the animal
and your group descriptions, try to identify the animal you saw.”
Evaluation:
Within this day’s lesson on the dichotomous keys and its activities, evaluation was
conducted throughout. Assessments are occurring in the engagement through Silly
Science- Dichotomous Keys & Classification as I monitor, question and observe that the
students understand classification and dichotomous keys.
In the Classifying Shoes activity, exploration, I have students applying what they learned
by constructing their own dichotomous keys.
Finally, in the elaboration activity Dichotomous Key to 10 Common Mammals in the
Eastern United States students are applying classification techniques to taxonomy.
Day 4 Unit Lesson: The Six Kingdoms
Objectives: Students will investigate and discover each of the six kingdoms and understand
how they are used in the classification of organism. Students will also understand how
organisms can group in more categories than as plants or animals.
Engagement:
Unit Lesson Plan: Classification
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Go to www.science –teachers.com and find the “Animal Kingdom Flashcards”, they
are an excellent resource for this activity. You can also decide to create your own
flashcards to teach groupings in the animal kingdom. Groups included are
amphibians, arachnids, birds, bony fishes, cnidarians, cartilaginous fishes,
crustaceans, echinoderms, insects, mammals, mollusks, and reptiles.
Depending on how many students are in your class, you will need to create
approximately three different of flashcards for each of the animal kingdom.
o For example: in the case of amphibian, the flashcard should read its
characteristics, cold blooded, has moist, smooth skin, lays eggs in water, has a
tadpole phase. You then create one with a pictorial representation of A Toad,
A Frog, and A Salamander.
As students enter the class, hand each of them one of the Animal Classification Flash
Cards so they represent one of the animals.
Now group the students by animal characteristics and
Exploration:
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As a class, create a chart that will group and identify the six different animal
kingdoms: Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia.
As a class go onto learning zone and thoroughly review each kingdom using the
interactive website.
Working individually, have students investigate all six kingdoms further through
completion of the crossword puzzle on “Animal Classification.” (courtesy of www.
Science-teachers.com/life.htm)
Give students approximately 15 minutes to complete the crossword puzzle that
consists of animal grouping. (You may choose to leave the names of the six
kingdoms on the board to be used as a word bank)
Explanation:
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At this time have the students watch the scientific movie about the six kingdoms.
Make sure to stop the video regularly to answer questions and clear up confusions.
“How are all the species in the world categorized? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and
Moby introduce you to the six groups, or kingdoms, that contain every form of life on
Earth. You’ll learn about some of the history of classification, beginning with the Greek
philosopher Aristotle, who was one of the earliest naturalists. His system of
classification lasted more than 2,000 years! Tim will also show you how this science
has drastically changed over the last 200 years, moving from a comparison of traits to
a study of genetics and evolution. Discover which kingdom you belong to and what
characteristics you’d have if you fell into one of the other five kingdoms. Once you
Unit Lesson Plan: Classification
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know about the six kingdoms of life, you’ll be a classification king… or queen!” ( Brain
Pop)
http://www.brainpop.com/science/diversityoflife/sixkingdoms/preview.weml
Elaboration:
Internet Activity: Kingdom Competition (go.hrw.com, type in keyword HL5CLSW)
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Tell the students to use the Internet and library resources to find out more about
the kingdoms of life.
o Oxford University Museum of Natural History’s The Learning Zone
www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/
o Quia Classification and the Six Kingdoms
http://www.quia.com/jg/780627.html
o http://nortonbooks.com/college/biology/animations/ch03a01.htm
o http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/beta/evolution/classifying-life.html
Then imagine that each of the kingdoms has set up a booth at an environmental
festival.
They must first, create an advertisement for the kingdom of their choice, explaining
why they’re the greatest.
Explain that the advertisement must be persuasive and include a catchy jingle for
the kingdom that they chose.
Use the form online to complete this activity. In the online, have the student’s type
or paste text into the text fields. Select an image from the drop-down list. Be sure to
complete the layout in one class period. Make sure the students are aware that
online work cannot be saved online and when they are finished they should click
Publish.
Evaluation:
Within this day’s lesson on the six kingdoms, students are obtaining their learning
objectives through use of tools such as the animal flash cards within the engagement
section.
Assessments are occurring in the exploration section, through the Animal Classification
Crossword Puzzle which calls for investigation and analyzing terms.
Finally in the elaboration students are integrating technology in order to complete a
group based project using the internet to research the six kingdoms.
Unit Lesson Plan: Classification
References:
Websites:
1. www.science-teachers.com/life.htm for
o Animal Kingdom Flashcards
o Animal Taxonomy Crossword
2. www.hrw.com
o Holt, Science & Technology, Short Course C: Cells, Heredity and Classification
 Chapter 7 Classification, Skills Practice Lab Shape Island
 Visual Concepts
 Activities & Quizzes
3. www.go.hrw.com
o Internet Activity: Kingdom Competition
o Keyword HLSCLSW
4. http://camillasenior.homestead.com/resources.html
o Classification Activity created by Mark Goddard
5. http://www.brainpop.com/science/diversityoflife/sixkingdoms/preview.weml
6. Oxford University Museum of Natural History’s The Learning Zone
www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/
7. Quia Classification and the Six Kingdoms http://www.quia.com/jg/780627.html
8. http://nortonbooks.com/college/biology/animations/ch03a01.htm
9. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/beta/evolution/classifying-life.html