4th Grade Classification Unit
Curriculum Standards
5.3.a
Explain how scientists use classification schemes.
5.3.b
Use a simple classification system to classify unfamiliar Utah plants or animals
(fish/amphibians/ reptile/bird/mammal, invertebrate/vertebrate, tree/shrub/grass,
deciduous/ coniferous.
Observe and record the behavior of birds (caring for young, obtaining food, surviving
winter)
Describe how the behavior and adaptations of Utah mammals help them survive winter
(obtaining food, building homes, hibernation, migration)
Research and report on the behavior of a species of Utah fish (feeding on the bottom or
surface, time of year and movement of fish to spawn, types of food and how it is
obtained)
Compare the structure and behavior of Utah amphibians and reptiles.
Use a simple classification scheme to sort Utah’s common insects and spiders.
5.4.a
5.4.b
5.4.c
5.4.d
5.4.e
I Can Statements
I can explain how scientists use classification
schemes.
I can use a classification scheme to classify
unfamiliar Utah plants or animals.
I can observe and record the behavior of birds.
I can describe what behaviors and adaptations
help Utah mammals survive the winter.
I can research and report on the behavior of a
species of Utah fish.
I can compare amphibians and reptiles.
I can use a classification scheme to sort Utah’s
common insects and spiders.
Vocabulary:
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Fish: cold-blooded animals that live in water and have backbones, gills for breathing, and fins
Amphibian: an animal that can live on land and in water. They are cold-blooded, vertebrate animals that lay eggs and have gills
Reptile: a cold-blooded vertebrate with lungs and scales.
Bird: warm-blooded vertebrate animal with wings and feathers. They lay eggs.
Mammal: a warm-blooded vertebrate with hair/fur giving live births and breathe through lungs
Invertebrate: animals without backbones
Vertebrate: animals with backbones
Deciduous: a type of tree that sheds its leaves each year
Coniferous: trees or shrubs that have cones and needles. They are also called evergreens.
Insects: Animals with six legs, three body parts that are invertebrates
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Spiders: invertebrate animals with eight legs
5.4.
a-c
Integration with Language Arts: Throughout this unit, have students research and report on the behavior and
adaptations of Utah birds, mammals, and fish. Can use “I Like Giraffes” and have them do their own.
Classification Unit Plan
UUE = Utah’s Unique Environments from Living Planet Aquarium (Wendy)
Day
Obj.
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1
2
3
Lesson/Activity
5.3.b
5.3.b
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4
5.3.b
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5
6
7
5.3.b
5.4.a
5.4.b
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Vocabulary: Classification
Sorting activity #1: Shoes (discuss as a class, then have students do the Keying Out Shoes Tree)
Sorting activity #2: Noodles (each group has a bag, classifies, then makes a tree)
Focus throughout the lesson on how you use the characteristics of objects to classify them
Other sorting ideas as time: students, things in desks, candy
Sorting Activity #3: Living Things (give pictures of plants & animals from UUE CD, they work to sort and group
however they think)
Start labeling: What category would ALL the pictures fit under? What smaller groups?
Make sure you focus on animals vs. plants
Introduce vocabulary: vertebrate, invertebrate as a major distinction in animals
Model making a simple classification tree for the living things.
Vocabulary: fish, amphibian, mammal, reptile, bird
Sorting Activity #4: Vertebrates and Invertebrates (give pictures of just mammals, birds, reptiles, fish,
amphibians, and insects/spiders to sort – see if they come up with these categories)
Students work in groups to make a poster of all the characteristics for one of the groups, based on what they
know and the pictures
Discuss the Scientific Classification System – See Classify That! (UUE)
“Classifying Animals” Research Activity: Have students work in pairs or small groups to complete this paper.
Students should use the Classification book sets to complete this activity.
Students should then go around to the posters and add sticky notes of anything new they found that isn’t on the
poster.
Groups update their posters, using the sticky notes from yesterday.
Use this website to check posters, see if they match:
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/classification/kc_classification_main.htm
*This is a great site, but as a heads up, the mammal page has a picture of a woman breastfeeding.
Play the classification game on this site if you have time
Have students try to match up the scientific name cards with the pictures of the animals.
Observe and record the behavior of birds (caring for young, obtaining food, surviving winter)
Activity Idea: Go outside and observe, or if it is too cold/no birds, use videos online. (There is a Bill Nye Birds
on UEN)
Describe how the behavior and adaptations of Utah mammals help them survive winter (obtaining food, building
homes, hibernation, migration)
Notes/Materials
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Class set of Keying
Out Shoe Tree
Noodles for groups
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Pictures of Utah
animals and plants
from UUE CD and
other picture sets
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Utah Animals
picture cards
Large paper for
posters
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Copy “Classifying
Animals”
Classifying Books
(Wendy’s Room)
Sticky notes
Computer/Projector
Scientific name
cards
Download video if
you are using it.
Projector/Computer
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8
5.4.c
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Compare the structure and behavior of Utah amphibians and reptiles.
o Sort pictures of common Utah amphibians & reptiles – make a Venn diagram of differences and
similarities
o Read the “Amphibians and Reptiles” as a shared reading
o Use “My Book about Reptiles” as a resource.
Practice using keys to classify:
o Dichotomous Key for Common Utah Amphibians (need pictures)
o Salamander Classification activity
o Reptile activity: Turtles and Tortoises Classification Activity
Animal Picture Sort: Give partners some pictures of Utah animals to sort into the 5 classes using the information
they have learned so far. (**They could also bring stuffed animals to sort.)
Partners share why they sorted their animals into certain classes. What helped them decide?
Students complete the “Classifying Utah Animals Assessment” to show how well they understand which animals
belong to which classes.
Use a simple classification scheme to sort Utah’s common insects and spiders (invertebrates)
Insects and Spiders: Do a picture sort with these. Then make a Venn diagram comparing them.
Discuss with the class: exoskeleton and the three parts of an insect (information in UUE Bug Hunt! Lesson) – can
do insect observation
Do Insect Family Tree activity
Practice classifying insects and spiders (use pictures, stickers, plastic bugs, etc.)
Have students use the key to choose characteristics and draw a bug OR they can design their own bug and key to
go with it.
Animal Quiz
Sorting Plants – trees, shrubs, grass with plant pictures – discuss differences
Nature Walk: Go outside and walk around the edge of the field. Have students draw trees and plants (or do
rubbings) they see and classify them as a tree, shrub, grass, or flower.
Use pictures/rubbings to try and classify using keys – like Native Conifer tree key
Wetland Plant Classification – see UUE CD for key and pictures
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Sorting Trees
Vocabulary: Deciduous, Coniferous
Classification Activities: Name that Tree, Keying Out Trees
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5.4.d
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10
5.3.b
5.4.
a-d
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11
5.4.e
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12
13
5.3.b
5.3.b
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9
Activity Idea: Assign each group a Utah mammal and have them do a skit of this animal throughout one year: how
they get food, build their homes, deal with winter, etc.
Research and report on the behavior of a species of Utah fish: work with partners or small groups to fill out the
“My Utah Fish” report form.
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Copy “My Utah
Fish” report form
One set of fish
information cards
Pictures of reptiles
and amphibians
Large copy or
overhead of reading
Copies of keys,
salamander activity,
and turtle/tortoise
activity
Venn diagram copies
Utah Animal
pictures
Copy Classifying
Utah Animals
Assessment
Pictures of Utah
insects and spiders
Venn Diagram (copy
or draw)
Copies of the
Animal Quiz
Copies of Insect
Family Tree
Plant pictures
Wetland Plant
pictures and copies
if using this activity
Copy of Conifer
tree key
Copy Name that
Tree and Keying
Out Trees
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1415
16
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Study Guide
Classification Review Games & Activities
Animals
o green cards – students ID animal
o http://www.quia.com/rr/11806.html (Animal Classification: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?)
o http://www.quia.com/cb/15245.html (Jeopardy)
Plants
o http://www.arborday.org/trees/wtit/ - great online activity to identify trees
o http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/leaf/Treekey/tkframe.htm - also good to classify trees
o http://www.sparsholtschoolscentre.org.uk/activities/primary/woodland/frame_index.html (Woodland
Animals and Trees Keys and other Activities)
Post Test
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Copy Study Guide
Projector and
computer
Make green card
game
Copy Post-Test and
Progress Report
Possible Homework: Enlarge an Animal – Beaver; Turtle coordinate graph
Some games online that might be fun
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/science.html#animalclassification
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/leaf/Treekey/tkframe.htm
Here is a natural classification chart on internet
http://www.sparsholtschoolscentre.org.uk/activities/primary/woodland/frame_index.html
http://www.arborday.org/trees/wtit/
This site lets you go step by step to figure out what tree you have.
lesson.
10 Minute Science
Classification
It would make a fun
Day 1
Weather
Review
Day 6
What’s the
difference
between
vert. &
invert?
List 2 of
each type
of
animals.
Forecastin
g
Day11
Name that
tree
wksheet
Day 2
Which shows
an example
of
condensation
?
Evap?
Precip?
Day 7
What’s
difference bw
decid & conif
What are 5
types of
animals & 1
trait of each.
Day 3
Put these animals in
Their groups?
Trout
Monkey
rattlesnake
frog
eagle
salamander
cougar
lizard
goldfish
robin
Day 8
What is a
dichotomous key?
Why do we have
classify animals?
What does a
classification key
do?
Day 4
List 2 traits of
each of the 5
groups.
Day 13
Classify Inver/Vert
Classify Vert into
smaller groups
Day 14
Weather Charts
When water vapor
turns to droplets
this is called?
Weather Chart
Day 9
Weather & WC
vocab review
Day 5
T/F mammas
have scales
Reptiles live
on land&water
Reptiles,
amphibians,
birds are cold
blooded
Weather chart
Day 10
Turtle Page
Main source
of energy for
WC?
Day 12
Leaf and Key
Empty Class.
Chart
Day 15
Classification
chart