California Career and Technical Education Standards

• ANR.E.E8.1 Understand the scientific method of animal classification, including order, fami...
• ANR.FS.11.0 Demonstration and Application
• ANR.FS.5.1 Apply appropriate problem-solving strategies and critical thinking skills to wor...

• The mystery bag - Hooks / Set

  Prior to the lesson, create "mystery bags" (brown paper lunch sacks are perfect for this activity) for the students.  Students will need one bag per group of three students.  In this mystery bag place 10 items.  Some of the items may be similar, and some will be different.  Ideas for items may be 10 pencils and pens of different kinds.  A kit may include a pencil without an eraser, a standard yellow pencil, a short pencil, a long pencil, sharpened pencils, mechanical pencils, standard ink pens, click pens, gel ink pens, felt tip pens etc.  Items should be similar, but not many should be the same.

   

  At the beginning of class ask students to line up in order of their birthday.  Once they have lined up, separate them into groups of three.  Each group will be given a "Mystery Bag".  Give the following set of instructions:

  You are all expert problem solvers.  In your bag you each have 10 items, that you will group into 5 group groups in some orderly way.  You may determine how they are to be separated , but pay close attention to the groups characteristics, and group similar items together.  Remember 5 groups with as many or as few as you please in each group.  You have to 2 minutes to complete this activity.

  After two minutes, have the groups explain why/how they grouped their items.  The students will begin to unveil the idea of grouping items by similar characteristics.

  Explain to students that what they just did is similar to what a Linnaeus did with animals millions of years ago.  He compared what was similar and different with each of them and created a way to classify them.
• Classification Notes - Lecture

  Each student is given a "Taxonomy Worksheet".  Instruct students that they will use this worksheet to capture the information shared today.  Direct the students attention to the top of the worksheet and the word "Taxonomy".  Ask students to define quietly think about how they would define this term.  Allow students about 30 seconds of quiet to formulate their definition, then ask a few students how they would define the term.  Discuss the student input and come to a consensus on the correct definition.

  Use slide 2 and 3 of the powerpoint to teach the concept of classification.  Be sure students are recording the information on their worksheet.

  Once the students have captured the important information ask them to record 4 important points on their worksheet.  Direct students to the following points:

  1.  Every organism has a binomial name

  2.  First term is Genous (generic name), second term is species

  3.  Linnaeus was the first to create a classification system.

  Now move on to the specifics of the hierarchical system.  Write the following on the board.

  "Kevin's poor cow only feels good sometimes"

  Ask students the importance of this statement.  (You may want to take this opportunity to explain to students the importance of a mnemonic device)  This is how we remember the order of the hierarchical system that was created by Linnaeus.  The first letter of each word refers to a step in the classification letter.

  Project Slide #4 on the board, showing the classification ladder.

  Discuss the significance of the latter pointing out the following:

  - The steps at the bottom of the ladder are bigger because there are more organisms within a Kingdom then at the top within a species.  Each step, as we move up the ladder is a step closer to determining the specific animal.   

  Now on your worksheet, make sure you label the steps using their real names.  Consider recording the mnemonic device as well, to help you remember the order.  If time allows the teacher may consider giving students the opportunity to come up with their own mnemonic device to remember the order of classification.

  Introduce the idea that all animals belong to one kingdom:Anamalia.  The animals we will be studying also all belong to one phylum : Chordata.

  (Project Slide #5- Livestock Classification Chart, complete the chart by filling in the boxes as the slide is projected on a white board)

  • Taxonomy Notes Worksheet [ Download ] Use this as a guided outline to assist students in the note taking process.
  • Taxonomy Slide Show [ Download ] Notes slide show to be used with direct instruction portion of lesson.
  • Livestock Classification Chart [ Download ] Classification Chart to help students determine classes of livestock. Consider printing this on the back side of the taxonomy worksheet to save paper.
• Classification Practice - Demo / Modeling

  Students will now demonstrate their ability to determine livestock classfication.

  Explain to students that typically as a society we use general names for livestock, but occasionally we need to know the specific name to complete research or find information.  Demonstrate how to use the chart the students created during the direct instruction  to determine the scientific names of the animals.

  Allow 5 minutes for the students to complete their worksheet.  If time allows, review the correct answers with the students.

  • Livestock Classification Chart Key [ Download ] Use this key to review with students and complete the classification chart.
• Scientific Name Game - Assessment

  During this activity students will receive a slip of paper with either a general or scientific name.  If a student has a general name, they will need to seek their partner with the scientific name.

   

  Distribute pieces from Scientific Name Game, there are enough on the handout for 24 students. 

  Students will stay with their partner for the next activity.

  • Scientific Names Game [ Download ]
• Other grouping options - Other

  Use slide #6 for this portion of the lesson.  Read or teach from this slide and discuss the differences of each.

  Explain to students that after Species, things can get more specific.  In livestock we often talk about breeds, which are groups of animals with a common origin and have specific characteristics that are passed on to offspring.    There are "purebreds" or animals whose mother and father are of the same breed.  There are also "crossbreeds" or offspring from the crossing of a mother and father of two different breeds.

  Use slide number seven to translate the scientific name into a common name that producers would know and understand.

  "ssp" means subspecies or breed.

  Answers:

  1. Hampshire Hog

  2. Suffolk Sheep

  3.  Angus Cattle

  4.  Leghorn Chicken

  5.  Dalmation Dog
• End of class activity - Closure

  At the end of class, have students share their mnemonic device to remember the taxonomy system.  Another option is allow students enough time to develop a rhyme that explains the taxonomy system.