Keywords:
class
classification family
genus invertebrates kingdom order phylum species
Introduction:
Students investigate different questioning techniques through a classification game.
Assessment Type:
Teacher anecdotal not Inquiry Type:
Guided
1. Engage:
“Who Am I” Energizer
• Tape one of the animal cards to the back of each student .
•Explain that their task is to try and discover what animal they are by asking questions to their classmates. Explain that they must ask questions that can only be answered “yes” or “no.”
Indicate to the students that they want to ask everyone a question before they ask the same person again.
•Give the students a chance to ask questions to determine their identity . When they have discovered which animal they are, have the students post the animals on the front board.
2. Explore:
Classification Activity
•.Put the students into groups of four and give each group an envelope of animal names. (Refer to TM-1: “Animal Cards”.)
•.Assign the roles of Facilitator , Encourager, Recorder and Reporter.
•.Have the students classify the animals according to their common characteristics .
•.Once all of the groups have classified the animals have the reporters explain the classification system that their group chose.
The Big Idea:
Biodiversity includes diversity of individuals, species, and ecosystems.
Classification of the components within a diverse system is a beginning point for understanding the interrelationships among the Materials and Resources:
- Animal Picture Flash Cards (“Who Am I?” Game)
Process Skill:
Ask questions Strand:
Life Systems
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3. Explain:
• Refer back to the original “Who Am I?” activity (Engage Section). Explain how each person asked a variety of
questions to discover his/her identity. Show TM-2: “Types of Questions” (as a handout or overhead), and review it together.
• Explain how each group will choose a group of animals to investigate further . Together, they will generate a variety of questions for their animal grouping. The Recorder writes the questions onto TM-3: “Investigating Animals” (Handout).
• Give the students the opportunity to choose an animal family to investigate and provide each group withn "Investiging Animals" handout to record their answers.
•Provide the opportunity for the Reporter from each group to share some examples of the questions that they generated .
4. Elaborate:
• The students could work in groups to research the targeted questions .
5. Evaluate:
•Record anecdotal notes to assess the student’s variety and depth of questions .
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Background Information for the Teacher
In classifying animals, animals are grouped according to their common characteristics. The Animal Kingdom can be split up into main groups, vertebrates (with a backbone) and invertebrates (without a backbone). When you think of an animal, you usually think of something like a cat, a dog, a mouse, or a tiger. All told, around 800,000 species have been identified in the Animal Kingdom -- most of them in the Arthropod phylum. Most people do not normally think of a clam, a jellyfish, or an earthworm as an animal. Yet all of them belong to the kingdom of animals. The science of classifying organisms is called taxonomy. In order to study living things, scientists classify each organism according to its: Kingdom – Phylum – Class – Order – Family - Genus - Species.
Where Does This Lesson Fit in Your Unit Plan?
When the students investigate a specific animal through questioning this will directly relate to the 2 following enduring understandings:
1) Vertebrates which have a backbone can be further classified in 5 main classes based on structural characteristics.
2) Invertebrates which all lack a backbone can be further classified based on structural characteristics .
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What to Look For:
Examine the student’s ability to ask a variety of questioning during the first activity. Observe the application of the levels of questions during the second activity.
Instructional Intelligence Strategy:
Safety Considerations:
N/A
Teaching Masters:
T.V.D.S.B. Unit at a Glance Framework – Grade 6 Life Systems TM-1: Animals Cards
TM-2: Types of Questions (Handout/Overhead) TM-3: Investigating Animals (Handout)
References / Websites:
Animal Classifications - Online Game
How well do you know what group your favourite animal belongs to?
(www.quia.com/cm/1000.html) Science-Teacher.com – Life Sciences
Additional activities waiting to be printed off (includes flash cards – with suggestions for a “Go Fish” game, and an Animal Kingdom crossword).
(http://www.science-teachers.com/life.htm) Discovery School – Animal Classification
More lesson ideas related to the classification of animals.
(http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/animaladaptations/ )
April 8, 2008 Page 83 of 165
Incorporating Numeracy in your Lesson
Incorporating Literacy in your Lesson:
* working in whole class, small group and/or partner activities
6e5 Active Listening Strategies 1.2 demonstrate an understanding of appropriate listening behaviour by adapting active listening strategies to suit a variety of situations, including work in groups
6e14 Interactive Strategies 2.2 demonstrate an increasingly sophisticated understanding of appropriate speaking behaviour in a variety of situations, including paired sharing, dialogue, and small- and large-group discussions 6e15 Clarity and Coherence 2.3 communicate orally in a clear, coherent manner, using appropriate organizing strategies and formats to link and sequence ideas and information
6e16 Appropriate Language 2.4 use appropriate words and phrases from the full range of their vocabulary including inclusive and non-discriminatory language, and stylistic devices appropriate to the purpose and context, to communicate their meaning accurately and engage the interest of their intended audience
* Listing questions on Investigating Animals handout
6e49 Developing Ideas 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic and identify those most appropriate for the purpose
Read-a-louds:
Lauber, Patricia. Fur, Feathers and Flippers.NY. Scholastic,1994 Patent, Dorothy. Why Mammals Have Fur.NY:Cobblehill books, 1995
Specific Expectations Covered in this Lesson:
2.2 investigate the organisms found in a specific habitat and classify them according to a classification system
2.3 use scientific inquiry/research skills (see page 15) to compare the characteristics of organisms within the plant or animal kingdoms
2.4 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including classification, natural community, interrelationships, vertebrate, invertebrate, stability, characteristics, and organism, in oral and written communication
3.1 identify and describe the distinguishing characteristics of different groups of plants and animals
April 8, 2008 Page 84 of 165
Elephant Horse Bat Goldfish Perch Salmon
Parrot Crow Penguin
Ladybug Grasshopper Butterfly Turtle Snake Lizard
Frog Salamander Toad
Knowledge
# questions that focus on gathering information
ex., Write, List, Define, Name, Recall
Comprehension
# questions that focus on understanding information ex., Explain, Describe, Indicate, Illustrate
Application
# questions that focus on using information
ex., Solve, Demonstrate, Classify, Construct
Analysis
# questions that focus on breaking down information into parts and examining it
ex., Categorize, Compare, Contrast, Test
Synthesis
# questions that focus on applying information and skills into a new pattern
ex., Combine, Design, Invent, Plan
Evaluation
# questions that focus on judging information
ex., Recommend, Explain, Decide, Justify
Investigating Animals
Name of Animal:
(Ex. Owls)
To find out more about our animal, we would like to ask………
1) Knowledge (Write, List, Define, Name, Recall, Label)
(Define the term vertebrate. List the characteristics of an owl that classifies it as a bird.)
_________________________________________________________?
_________________________________________________________?
2) Comprehension (Explain, Describe, Illustrate, Indicate)
(Explain how the structure of an owl’s wing can help it to fly silently through the air?)
_________________________________________________________?
_________________________________________________________?
3) Application (Solve, Demonstrate, Classify, Construct)
(Construct a model of a great horned owl to show the structure of its wing.)
_________________________________________________________?
_________________________________________________________?
(Over L )
_________________________________________________________?
5) Synthesis (Combine, Design, Invent, Plan)
(Design a new flying animal that is half bird/half mammal.)
_________________________________________________________?
_________________________________________________________?
6) Evaluation (Recommend, Explain, Decide, Justify)
(Do you think a bat is more of a bird or a mammal? Justify your answer)
