Day Nine - Classifying Animals
Objectives:
Demonstrate basic understand that animals can be classified based on characteristics and habits.
Show understanding that animals are classified by being wild or domestic and living on water or land.
Materials:
Pictures of animals on small cards
Lesson:
As the last day on animals, this day will focus on how animals can be classified based on common characteristics. Begin by asking students if they know of any way to group animals. Get ideas from the class. If they don't have any ideas try suggesting things for them to think about, such as what the animals eat, where they live, what they look like etc.
Once students have proposed a few ideas begin talking about how animals are all different but we can group them in some classifications based on whether they live in the wild or are pets and whether they live on land or in water. Have several sets of animal pictures that categorize the animals based on these different characteristics. Give each table or group one set of cards and have them sort the pictures into groups. Walk around to check and make sure that students are getting the right groups. After each table has finished have the tables trade sets. Continue this until each table has had all of your sets of pictures. Once all rotations are done collect all the cards and do the sets as a group. Attach the pictures to the board and have one representative from each table come to the board to organize a different set of pictures. Then discuss as a class if all the groups organized the pictures in the same way. If they did talk about what that classification was and why the animals fit into the group they are in and if there are any other possible groupings. If not all the groups had the same organization, have each group tell the class how they organized the animals and discuss why there are, or maybe are not depending on the animals provided, different ways to classify the animals. Make sure to emphasize that an animal is part of many different groups when different characteristics are being considered.
Once students seem to have a grasp on classifying animals, ask how animal classification is similar to plant classification. Are groups made based on the same characteristics? What is the same and different about the way we classify the two?
Differentiation:
For students that need more help, you can give them the categories that the animals should be placed in for the card sorting activity.
Assessment:
There is no assessment for this lesson.
Homework:
Make a list of 3 categories of animals (each based on a different characteristic or habit-so not all based on what they eat or what color they are) and give one animal that fits in each category.
Demonstrate basic understand that animals can be classified based on characteristics and habits.
Show understanding that animals are classified by being wild or domestic and living on water or land.
Materials:
Pictures of animals on small cards
Lesson:
As the last day on animals, this day will focus on how animals can be classified based on common characteristics. Begin by asking students if they know of any way to group animals. Get ideas from the class. If they don't have any ideas try suggesting things for them to think about, such as what the animals eat, where they live, what they look like etc.
Once students have proposed a few ideas begin talking about how animals are all different but we can group them in some classifications based on whether they live in the wild or are pets and whether they live on land or in water. Have several sets of animal pictures that categorize the animals based on these different characteristics. Give each table or group one set of cards and have them sort the pictures into groups. Walk around to check and make sure that students are getting the right groups. After each table has finished have the tables trade sets. Continue this until each table has had all of your sets of pictures. Once all rotations are done collect all the cards and do the sets as a group. Attach the pictures to the board and have one representative from each table come to the board to organize a different set of pictures. Then discuss as a class if all the groups organized the pictures in the same way. If they did talk about what that classification was and why the animals fit into the group they are in and if there are any other possible groupings. If not all the groups had the same organization, have each group tell the class how they organized the animals and discuss why there are, or maybe are not depending on the animals provided, different ways to classify the animals. Make sure to emphasize that an animal is part of many different groups when different characteristics are being considered.
Once students seem to have a grasp on classifying animals, ask how animal classification is similar to plant classification. Are groups made based on the same characteristics? What is the same and different about the way we classify the two?
Differentiation:
For students that need more help, you can give them the categories that the animals should be placed in for the card sorting activity.
Assessment:
There is no assessment for this lesson.
Homework:
Make a list of 3 categories of animals (each based on a different characteristic or habit-so not all based on what they eat or what color they are) and give one animal that fits in each category.