Lesson 1.1 – Why do we classify?
HW: Workbook, p.1, 4A & Vocabulary Flip Flap
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How do scientists classify organisms?
What skills did members of Leis and Clark’s team use to describe organisms?
What characteristics should be observed to classify organisms?
What could biologists concluded if an organism they found had characteristics
unlike any organisms used for comparison?
Describe one advantage of having a classification system.
What kinds of observations did scientists use a first to group organisms into a
phylum or class?
What characteristics distinguish the animals shown in the classification chart on
page 9?
Which level of classification is the most general and includes the greatest number
of organisms? Most specific and includes the least number of organisms?
Why does today’s classification system include six kingdoms when originally there
were only two?
Lesson 1.2 – How do we classify vertebrates?
HW: Workbook, p. 5A & Vocabulary Flip Flap
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What are 3 of the features that make animals differetnt from other organisms?
How would you compare and contrast a squirrel and a bear?
What are the five types of vertebrates/
How many cells does a multicellular organism such as a bear have?
Humans, as animals, are classified as mammals. What can you predict out the life
cycle of humans?
6. How are some bird wings like airplane wings?
7. How are birds and mammals alike?
8. Why is the ability to fly not a defining characteristic of birds? What is the defining
characteristics of birds?
9. Why are young birds hatched with parents present, while most young reptiles
hatch long after parents have left the nest?
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In addition to them both being vertebrate animals, how else are amphibians
and fish similar?
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How are amphibians and reptiles similar?
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What class of vertebrate did you did you find if you discovered an animal
that hatched from an egg, spent the next stage of its life entirely in water, and
then began to get oxygen through lungs rather than gills?
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Compare and contrast mammals and fish.
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Name classes of vertebrates discussed in the lesson. Give one example from
each class.
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What characteristics do dinosaurs and today’s animals share?
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What do scientist compare dinosaur fossils with to classify them?
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Why do scientist think dinosaurs are more closely related to reptiles than
mammals?
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If you were studying dinosaurs, would you be surprised to hear claims that
some dinosaurs could fly? Explain.
Lesson 1.3 – How do we classify invertebrates?
HW: Workbook, p6A, 8. & Vocabulary Flip Flap, Question 8
Animals Without Backbones
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List at least 3 different invertebrates. How are they alike?
How are worms and clams alike? How are they different?
What animal is the largest invertebrate? How long can the giant squid be?
How are mollusks, worms, and coral different from fish, birds, and reptiles?
How do mollusks obtain oxygen?
Using a Dichotomous Key
6. Choose two other animals pictured on page 21 and use the key to classify and
identify them.
7. Choose 5 or 6 objects from the classroom. Make a dichotomous key with which
you could identify them.
8. Suppose you need to write the first page of a book of dichotomous keys. Write a
set of instructions to teach the reader how to use the dichotomous keys.
Arthropods
9. What are the identifying characteristics of arthropods?
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What is the basis of a dichotomous key?
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Why is the way an organism obtains oxygen not an identifying characteristic
of arthropods?
Lesson 1.4 – How are other organisms classified?
HW: Workbook, 7A
Qualities of Plants
1. How would you classify a plant that has seeds, is vascular, and has needle-like
leaves?
2. If one fern produces an average of 500,000 spores, about how many spores could
10 ferns make?
3. What three main characteristics are used to classify mosses, ferns, conifers, and
flowering plants?
4. What conifer structure can be compared to leaves?
5. Which type of plant has the best chance of surviving in a variety of environments?
Why?
6. How do protists help some animals?
7. How are the needs of single-celled organisms similar to the needs of plants or
animals?
8. Why has the classification system changed over the years?
9. Compare and contrast the fungi and protist kingdoms?
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Organisms in which kingdom are used in the baking of bread?
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Why does the current classification system keep changing?
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Why do biologists debate how to classify newly discovered organisms?