Classy Classification and Cool Kingdoms
By Julie Gilbert
Marylin Fesko and Dr. Rita King
Steinert High School (Hamilton East)
Mrs. Lovelace, Mrs. Ryan, Mrs. Schwing
Spring 2007
The College of New Jersey
Unit Rationale:
Classification is a natural part of life. Everything from movies to books to living things is classified in one way or another. It is always helpful to understand where things fit in the “grand scheme of things.” Therefore, it is logical that classification and a survey of the six kingdoms come before exploring each of the kingdoms in detail. The more times one hears and sees information, the more likely s/he is to retain the information, and having a strong foundation is critical in everything, perhaps especially so in scientific matters.
Teaching this unit is foundational to understanding future units. It’s akin to cleaning and sanding an area one intends to paint. If those steps are not taken, the paint will still go on but perhaps not as smoothly as one intended it to.
Biology is more than just facts and lists of terms, though some of that is necessary. A large part of this unit will have the students classifying various things, learning to use and make dichotomous keys, and researching organisms. The survey of the kingdoms project is very simple research via books and the internet, yet it accomplishes several things. It seeks to introduce the students, who are in either ninth or tenth grade, to the APA system of citations as well as cater to multiple intelligences. The information needs to be accurate and the presentation neat, but other than that, the guidelines are wide open for the students’ creativity to shine through. Hopefully, this will excite the students and drive home the simple point that biology can be fun.
This unit has several essential questions:
(1) What history lies behind classification of living things? The history included is brief, but I feel the students should learn to appreciate the connections to the past. Also, Darwin’s theory of evolution comes up again and again, and this connection to history is important for all of biology.
(2) Why do we classify things in general? Why do we classify living things? There is no single “right” answer to these questions. But asking these questions is a way to get students thinking in patterns, something that’s essential to functioning as a scientist.
(3) How are living things classified? There are many ways things are categorized. Conventions are a part of life. Students ought to be trained to recognize and utilize systems of classification. It should also be noted that conventions change. When I learned the kingdoms there were five, but now, there are six. In some senses, science is a fluid thing, but this next generation of students will only be able to change things if they first understand how things work under the current conventions.
(4) What are the key features of the six kingdoms? Later, the students will learn about the individual kingdoms, but first, we should explore some of the characteristics among all six kingdoms. This can lead to several compare and contrast opportunities, which at the very least can be useful brain exercises.
Unit Curriculum Standards
NJCCCS 5.1 Scientific Processes (Habits of the Mind: A-1, A-2, A-3)
The survey of the kingdoms project is designed to help the students form habits of the mind conducive with scientific research and project development. Even though they are allowed to work individually or with partner(s) of their choice, there will be peer evaluation and feedback, both formal and informal. Aside from inaccurate accounts of species names and information, there is no “wrong” answer, but there are many different answers to the task of presenting a creative survey of the kingdoms.
There will be both formal and informal assessment of this project, and thus, the same holds true for the content standards this project was designed to hone.
NJCCCS 5.5 Characteristics of Life (A-2, B-1, B-2)
A-2: The classification unit is foundational. It will prepare the class for the coming units, which describe each of the six kingdoms in depth. The class just finished a study of evolution, and now, it is time to begin classifying the countless creatures who share this planet. Earlier in the year the class learned how plants convert light energy into chemical energy. This phenomenon will be brought up again, and it will be mentioned that some bacteria can accomplish the same thing under very different conditions.
B-1, B-2: During the survey of the kingdoms, there will be mention of natural selection’s contributions to speciation. As this is a foundational unit, these standards will be mentioned but not formally assessed in detail. A question or two on a quiz or the test may require some of the information mentioned by these standards, but this is not the unit on evolution or plants, per se. There will, on the other hand, be informal assessment of these standards via purposeful, directed questions.
Teacher: Julie Gilbert
Date of Lesson: 2/15/2007
Topic: Classification
Title: Much Ado About Classification Part 1: The Basics
NJCCCS: 5.5 Characteristics of Life (A-2, B-1, B-2)
Behavioral Objectives:
TSWBAT write a mnemonic device to help them remember the seven steps of classification.
TSWBAT write 1-2 paragraphs describing the advantages a 7 step classification system has over a two step classification system (simply plants and animals)
Materials:
PowerPoint presentation: Ch. 18 Classification
Copies of poem How and Why We Classify by Julie C. Gilbert
Copies of Ch. 18 Classification Unit Feedback handout
Motivation:
Poem: How and Why We Classify
Movie discussion
Procedure:
Sing or read classification poem.
Ask: why is classification important?
Ask: what sorts of things do we classify? (Look for the answer: movies, and briefly discuss how movies are classified.)
Categorize several movies.
Transition into biological classification.
Continue with lecture, asking the questions mentioned below.
Questions:
How can living things be classified? Physical traits - appearance, size; cellular composition, chemical make up
How does the environment shape populations? Natural selection
Who do we credit with the first classification sys? Aristotle
What system did Carolus Linneus come up with? Binomial nomenclature
What is binomial nomenclature? A two word system of naming things
How did this system work? Based on structural similarities b/t
organisms
What sort of system is used today? Seven step classification: KPCOFGS
What are these steps? Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order,
Family, Genus, Species
What does the scientific name consist of? The Genus and species name
Why is the Genus name always capitalized? Classification is a convention; this is just one of the rules
What is the scientific name for humans? Homo sapiens
Assessments and Feedback
Formal
Immediate – See homework.
Future – quiz, test
Informal – ask questions
Homework:
Write a mnemonic device for kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.
Write 1-2 paragraphs describing the advantages a 7 step classification system has over a two step classification system (simply plants and animals).
A level – read pgs (348-349) or a photocopy of same pages; B level read photocopy of same pages.
Fill out feedback sheet for Lesson 1.
Reflections: