Captain Planet Foundation
Which Plant Is Which?
Learn about dichotomous keys, plant identification, and how to care for the planet with a lesson plan that includes several hands-on and innovative activities. Kids go on a plant scavenger hunt and classify the plants that they find...
Curated OER
Creating a Dichotomous Key for Amphibians
Students are introduced to the purpose of dichotomous keys and create one together as a class. In groups, they use a digital atlas to examine the different types of amphibians in Idaho. Using this information, they make their own...
Curated OER
Dichotomous Keys
Students utilize dichotomous keys to identify trees in their schools. In this ecological identification lesson, students practice creating dichotomous keys based on simple subjects such as hair color or sex of a person....
ARKive
Species Discovery
How do you classify a newly discovered species? Learners view a presentation and complete research about biodiversity and the classification hierarchy. The lesson includes activities with dichotomous keys and work on classifying both...
Curated OER
Building a Dichotomous Key
Young scholars analyze how a dichotomous key helps us explain and identify unknown organisms. They design and construct a dichotomous key, developing a list of three observable characteristics per organism.
Curated OER
Dichotomous Key
Eighth graders use a dichotomous key to identify unknown fictitious organisms. They work individually during this exercise. The task is designed to take students approximately 15-25 minutes to complete.
Science 4 Inquiry
The Classification of Living Things
It's a classification sensation! Demystify why we classify using an inquiry activity that helps your class sort things out. Groups begin by classifying a variety of shoes before they research organisms and design their own dichotomous...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Impacts of Climate on Forest Succession
Part two in a series of four explores the effects of climate on succession or the changing of plant species in a forest. Groups review how to identify trees and then spend a day in the field collecting extensive data on trees to...
Curated OER
The Food Pyramid
Fourth graders plan a variety of nutritional meals using the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid as a reference and analyze food labels to plan their meals. They examine and discuss the Food Pyramid, and create dichotomous keys separating food...
Curated OER
Create a Dichotomous Key of Idaho Reptiles
Students use the reptile section of the Digital Atlas of Idaho. They make a dichotomous key and decide on what defining characteristics they can use to distinguish between species. They hone their observation skills and recognize...
Curated OER
The Key To Classifying Animals
Explorers of the environment construct a dichotomous key for a variety of organisms and design a key to classify Galapagos animals based on descriptions and images. The lesson includes a link to an animal gallery and the worksheet for...
ARKive
Primate Evolution- Family Ties
If humans evolved from apes, why are there still apes? Using captivating pictures and videos of our primate cousins, young biologists examine evidence to dispel one of the most common misconceptions about human evolution. Depending on...
Curated OER
An Introduction to Dichotomous Keys
Young scholars pretend to be shark biologists employed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) who have been flown into the coastal city of Sao Luis in Brazil because locals have noticed an unidentified shark at...
Curated OER
What's the Difference?
Students analyze the similarities in different species. This lesson plan is part of a multi-segmented unit on the diversity of life. In this segment, students classify shoes to mimic the scientific categories of the classification system.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Preparing for Project BudBurst
Male deer growing antlers to begin the breeding season is an example of a phenological event. First in a four-part series is an activity requiring individuals to collect phenological data on their campus. Classes discuss phenology, the...
Curated OER
Goals of the Diversity of Life Unit
Students are introduced to the unit on the importance of diversity of life and the role that interdependence plays in our worlds. this is part of a multi-lesson unit on the diversity of life.
Curated OER
Ecology and the St. Lawrence River
Ninth graders complete a unit of lessons on ecosystems, organism interactions, and energy flow. They create a key for known species of fish, diagram the movement of energy through an ecosystem, and create and present food chains and food...
Curated OER
Hawaii's Freshwater Animals - Species Report
Students explore biology by creating a report for the class. In this oceanography instructional activity, students research and identify the survival characteristics of a list of freshwater animals by utilizing the Internet and library....
Curated OER
Sea Turtles
Students investigate eight different species of sea turtles while being involved in classroom lecture and video presentation. The characteristics used to identify sea turtles is taught to help students identify unknown species.
Curated OER
Tree Identification
Students list four ways to identify trees. For this tree identification instructional activity, students use tree identification techniques such as leafs, bark, wood grain, soil type, and climate to create tables and graphs.