Biological sciences.

There are differences within and between groups of organisms; classification helps organise this diversity (VCSSU091)

- using scientific conventions for naming species

- using provided keys to identify organisms surveyed in a local habitat

​

This lesson will take place as part of an excursion to the Melbourne Zoo. It may be done without the excursion using the online features of the Zoos Victoria website is an excursion is not able.

The lesson aims to implement skills and processes previously used by the class. It will encourage the students to form dichotomous keys from animals at the zoo, and to use their critical thinking to identify an animal of a description rather than sight or label. This sort of classification and identification is useful, as It is used by researchers when identifying a new species or animal, alive or extinct.

 

Assumed Knowledge:

Students should have an understanding of how to create a dichotomous key. They should also be able to identify parts of an animal that are characteristic to that animal and has come about due to evolution and adaptation (such as a snow leopard’s thick fur and colouring).

 

Teacher Input:

The students should have a copy of the student’s resource and something to complete their answers on. It is designed to be conducted by the student themselves, using what they can find at the zoo to form their answers. It is suggested that the students work in small groups to do these tasks and are permitted to explore around the zoo to investigate the different features of the animals that they need to sort. A series of suggested answers are supplied as part of this document, and the students should have a discussion at the end of the excursion to explore each other’s answers and decide what the ‘correct’ answer may be.

​

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to classify animals into species groups by identifying their specialised characteristics, and can apply their understanding of characteristics when classifying a new species.

​

Key Outcomes:

By the end of this module, students will be able to

      -confidently classify animals into different species groups using features of the animal.

      -identify and collect important information from a wide source

      -identify and consider the purpose of certain characteristics (adaptations) for a species

      -use their knowledge of dichotomous keys to order a variety of organism

      -apply their knowledge to solve a contemporary issue

 

​

Teacher Resources:

​

​

​

​

​