Plant and Animal Classification Step 6

Purpose: Identify plants or animals using simple dichotomous keys

You will be learning about dichotomous keys using beans, leaves and skulls.

First you need to learn how to use a key. This webpage tells you how to do that. It has the first key we will do in class. The bottom of this webpage goes on to tell you how to make a dichotomous key as well.

Dichotomous Keys

The next webpages give you more information about using and writing keys.

UNL - Dichotomous Keys

Macroinvertebrate Dichotomous Key

Make a Dichotomous Key

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Do this dichotmous key. If you do not know what a term means, click on it and you will get an explanation. For example, if you do not know what simple or compounds leaves are, click on the word "simple" or the word "compound" to find out.

Dichomotmous Plant Key

Here is another one to try: Norno Dichotmous Key

You will be doing 3 dichotomous key activities in class. Your science notebook should have the purpose and date for step 5. On that page, you will keep track of the skull dichotomous key that we do in class. You will also put the definition of dichotomous key in the glossary of your science notebook.

 

Now you are ready for assessments.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 5 Step 6

 

ASSESSMENT

After you have completed all 6 steps, you need to complete the following:

  • Is It Living?
  • Is It An Animal?
  • Functions of Living Things

Get these in the classroom from your teacher.

Make choices for your dichotomous key, vertebrate/invertebrate project and classes of vertebrate project using the choice sheet. (Classification Assessment Choices) Use the scoring guide to help you assess your project before you turn it in.

Scoring Guide