Kenan Fellows
Use of Dichotomous Keys to Identify Stream Organisms
What kind of organisms are living in the stream? After an explanation on how to use a dichotomous key, groups of three to four use the keys to identify macroinvertebrates from a local freshwater stream. Using the the concept of Stream...
Curated OER
Constructing a Dichotomous Key
Students construct a dichotomous key using 10 shoes from students in the classroom. In this dichotomous key lesson plan, students use the chalk board and their pile of 10 shoes to create a dichotomous key. They divide the shoes into 2...
Curated OER
Dichotomous Chips
Young scholars create a dichotomous key to different varieties of potato chips. In small groups, they observe and record characteristics of the potato chips to use in the key. They switch keys with another group to see if they can...
Curated OER
Primary Activity: Dichotomous Key of Energy Sources
In this energy sources learning exercise, students fill in a chart using a dichotomous key of energy sources. They use follow the directions and label items such as the sun, a windmill, and an oil rig with the proper number and letter...
Curated OER
Potato chip Classification
Students create a dichotomous key using potato chips. For this classification lesson, students sort potato chips into groups based on observable characteristics. They record their results to create a dichotomous key in preparation for...
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination: Living Environment 2010
This exam touches upon every topic within the typical first year biology course.. A broad variety of question styles give high schoolers every opportunity to show what they know. Why start from scratch when a comprehensive final exam is...
NOAA
Vertebrates II
Mammals of the ocean unite! Or not. The 20th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program investigates how warm-blooded marine mammals survive in water. In the class activity, learners use...
Curated OER
Taxonomy, Classification, and Dichotomous Keys
In this taxonomy worksheet, students use a dichotomous key for creatures found on planet Pamishan to identify each individual creature. This worksheet has 20 creatures to identify.
Cornell University
Classification
Explore the scientific method of classification. An interactive activity asks learners to create a classification system for a group of objects and develop a flow chart to communicate their systems. In addition, individuals use a...
Curated OER
Keys To Trees: Dichotomous Tree Identification
Ninth graders gather samples of different tree leaves in their neighborhoods, and on school grounds, and identify several species of common South Carolina trees using leaf and growth characteristics with aid of dichotomous key.
Kenan Fellows
Determining Stream Health by the Diversity and Types of Benthic Organisms
How diverse are the benthic organisms found in local streams? Using the information learned in previous lessons on identification of macroinvertebrates and on calculating stream index values, groups determine the health of local streams....
ARKive
Species Discovery
How many of your students know that even today new species are being found all over the globe? Introduce them to the amazing diversity our planet houses with a creative activity about animal variation and classification. They'll use a...
Curated OER
Fun with Fictitious Animals
How can one differentiate between a dweezlebub and nessie? Use this fictitious creature dichotomous key to find out! Biologists of all ages will enjoy this creative way to learn about classification, including a chance to draw the...
Curated OER
Dichotomous Key: Minerals
In this earth science instructional activity, students identify various minerals as described in the fifteen questions. They identify the luster and hardness of a mineral. Then, students identify what color the mineral is and whether it...
Curated OER
Classification and Identification
Students, after exploring and analyzing diagrammatic and taxonomic keys and their association to marine sciences, identify and classify objects and organisms based on visual attributes/characteristics. They research and create their own...
Curated OER
Freshwater Fish Anatomy & Taxonomy
Tenth graders use a classification key to identify organisms. In this classification lesson students identify freshwater species of fish and document their observations.
Curated OER
Potato Chip Classification
Young scholars classify specimens by observable characteristics. By classifying potato chips, they are introduced to the dichotomous key for identifying plant and animal specimens.
Curated OER
Classification of Pasta, Rice and the Nine Planets
Eighth graders create a classification system of the planets and give a written rational for their choice of categories. In this investigative lesson students participate in an activity that helps them to explore classification.
Curated OER
Silly Science
For this science worksheet, students use the dichotomous key to identify common objects listed on the sheet. Then they write the scientific name of each object.
Curated OER
Scale Drawings of Birds
High schoolers create their own copies of Phoenix Birds using a grid system.
Curated OER
Science: Her-bariums Galore!
Students collect and identify plant species and construct herbariums both at school and at home. By gathering data from both locales, they draw conclusions and make predictions about plant diversity. Upon completion of the exercises,...
Kenan Fellows
Determining the Effects of a Golf Course on Stream Health
Do golf courses affect the water organisms in nearby streams and ponds? Small groups collect samples of water upstream and downstream from a golf course and analyze the macroinvertebrates found and the stream index values of the two...
Curated OER
Tree Identification/Tree Art
Seventh graders identify and examine a deciduous and coniferous tree. Using the descriptions, they discover the types of tress in their local area. As a class, they practice identifying trees on a walk in a park collecting leaves. They...
Curated OER
Taxonomy
Students analyze the complexity of organism classifications based on certain criteria. In this classifying organisms lesson students study taxonomy and gather information and leaves to do their own experiment on classification.