Name: Date/Time (start to finish)

Name of Course, Grade, and Level (Pre/AP, Honors, Advanced, Academic): 9th Grade Pre-AP Biology I

Math/Science Topic

Taxonomy/Linnaean Classification

Title of Lesson: Carl’s Messy Room

Concept Statement:

If one were to sort the numerous species on Earth, one would need a standardized hierarchal system. It is not enough to rely on common names. For example, a cougar, puma and panther are different common names for the same animal. To transcend local common names, one must turn to the Linnaean system of classification. The student should understand that taxonomy is a way to classify the diversity of life, the different levels of the Linnaean system and characteristics of each of the kingdoms.

Source of Lesson: Ms. Stone (Mentor Teacher), as well as PBS, National Geographic and Discovery

List of appropriate TEKS:

TEKS # Student Expectation Sample TAKS Problem: See BB8A Define taxonomy and recognize

the importance of a standardized taxonomic system to the scientific community.

I’ve looked at both the 10th and 11th Grade TAKS Released Test Items, and the only sample problems provided are those regarding TEKS # 8C.

8B Categorize organisms using a hierarchal classification system based on similarities and differences among groups.

The bullfrog problem you provided on your feedback was actually an 8C problem.

8C Compare characteristics of taxonomic groups, including archaea, bacteria, protists, fungi, plants and animals.

A laboratory investigation included examining prepared slides of pond water. Single-celled organisms with a nucleus and either cilia or flagella were visible. These organisms probably belong to the kingdom — (Grade 10 2003; B.8-C, Ans J)

F AnimaliaG FungiH PlantaeJ Protista

2G (2C on TAKS Released

Items)

Organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences and predict trends from data.

This animal most likely belongs to phylum — (Grade 11 2004A; B.2-C, Ans B)

A PoriferaB AnnelidaC MolluscaD Arthropoda

ObjectivesWrite objectives in SWBAT form

Evaluation QuestionsEach question should match the written objective. You may use one of your Sample TAKS Problems if appropriate.

1 SWBAT list the levels of classification in order from the broadest group (encompassing the most subgroups) to the narrowest group.

Which of the following answer choices correctly lists the levels of classification in order from the broadest group (encompassing the most subgroups) to the narrowest group?

A* Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, SpeciesB Species, Genus, Family, Order, Class, Phylum, KingdomC Class, Family, Genus, Kingdom, Order, PhylumD Phylum, Order, Kingdom, Genus, Family, Class

2 SWBAT categorize organisms using a hierarchal classification system based on similarities and differences among groups.

Taxonomy Green Frog Mountain Lion

Domestic Dog Human

Kingdom Animalia Animalia Animalia Animalia

Phylum Chordata Chordata Chordata Chordata

Class Amphibia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia

Order Anura Carnivora Carnivora Primates

Family Ranidae Felidae Canidae Hominidae

Genus Rana Felis Canis Homo

Species clamitans concolor familiaris sapiens

(A) Which two organisms are most closely related?(B) Explain.

Mountain lions and domestic dogs are most closely related because they share the most levels of classification in common.

3 SWBAT construct a Venn diagram, comparing the characteristics of the kingdoms Fungi, Animalia and Plantae.

Create a Venn diagram of the kingdoms Fungi, Animalia and Plantae using the word bank provided. [See Evaluation]

Knowledge Package (KP):

Resources, Materials, Handouts, and Equipment List in the form of a table:

ITEM Quantity Source List who this is for (teacher, student, group)

Button Sets 10 – 12 per set,10 sets

Teacher Team of 3 or 4

Formative Assessment Worksheet

10 Teacher Team of 3 or 4

Whiteboard 10 Teacher (Room 304) Team of 3 or 4

5 Kingdoms Activity Poster Sheet

10 Teacher Team of 3 or 4

5 Kingdoms Activity Cutouts

10 sets Teacher Team of 3 or 4

Evaluation 25 Teacher Individual student

Advanced Preparations:

Safety Issues: No real safety issues. Just be careful not to step on anyone’s toes. Don’t trade shoes.

Accommodations for learners with special needs (ELL’s, Special Ed, 504, GT, etc…) This lesson is, in fact, already well adapted to the learning styles and levels of special needs learners. Therefore, no additional accommodations shall be recommended here.

5E Lesson PlanObjective Statement: We are going to learn to list the levels of classification in order from the broadest group (encompassing the most subgroups) to the narrowest group. We are also going to learn how to categorize organisms using a hierarchal classification system based on similarities and differences among groups. And finally, we are going to compare characteristics of taxonomic groups, including monera, protists, fungi, plants and animals.

ENGAGEMENT Time: 3 – 5 Minutes

What the Teacher Will Do and

Student Misconceptions

Probing/Eliciting Questions and Students Responses What the Students Will Do

Begin lesson

Present video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBx2h9wMRyE

It is hard enough to organize a room. What does it take to organize every known living thing?

[Correct answers underlined: some sort of hierarchal system based on traits or genetics. Incorrect answers in italics: I don’t know]

What did you see in the video? [A guy cleaning up his messy room for his girlfriend]

How did he go about putting things in order? [He placed them in their proper places]

Do your rooms look this messy? [Yes, no]

Can we all just magically clean our rooms like this guy did? [Of course not!]

Then how do you go about organizing your room? [Placing things where they belong, sweeping everything under a rug or shoving things into a closet]

You guys have been learning about evolution in the past few weeks. You also learned about the four requirements of evolution. What was

Students will watch the video. They will take a moment to think of answers to the probing questions. Afterwards, they can share with partners and/or with the class.

the first requirement for evolution by natural selection to occur? [Variation, Inheritance, Rapid population growth (limited resources), Differential survival]

How do you think variation plays into classifying organisms? [Helps biologists group organisms that share similar traits, It doesn’t help classify]

Transition Statement

Now that we’ve thought a little about organization/classification of traits, let’s go ahead and practice classifying in the next activity. We will create our own phylogenetic groups using buttons as an analogy in order to gain a deeper understanding of a hierarchal classification system, much like the one used by taxonomists.

EXPLORATION Time: 15 Minutes

What the Teacher Will Do and Student

Misconceptions

Probing/Eliciting Questions and Student Responses What the Students Will Do

Give the definition of phylogeny if none of the students already know the definition.

Give the following instructions:

“Divide up into teams of 3 or 4. Each team will receive a set of buttons. I want you start organize these buttons as you would a flow chart. Like this one:

From the chart do you think that when you divide groups, there needs to be an equal

We are constantly dividing the buttons into two groups. Does this mean there has to be an equal number in each group? [No, yes]

At the end, how many buttons should be in each group? [One, two, three, etc.]

Why did you choose to place these buttons all in one group? [They all share this same trait (i.e., number of holes), They are very different from one another]

How are you classifying the buttons? [According to their traits]

Why do you think taxonomists classify organisms? [Facilitate scientific communication; To better study evolution, genetics and other

Students should work in teams of three or four to classify their given set of buttons. All students should actively participate in the activity, discussing how the buttons should be classified. Students should follow all directions, continuously dividing the buttons into two groups until only one buttons remains in each group.

amount of buttons in each group? [No.] You have to continuously divide the buttons into separate groups. Decide with your team on what basis you divide the groups. Each time you divide the groups, make a note of why you assigned the buttons into that group on your poster. Divide the buttons until there is only one button in each group. At the end, we’re going to share our classifications with the rest of the class. You might notice that not every group decided to organize their buttons the way you did.”

Common misconceptions:

Maybe not a misconception, but some students may have a hard time getting the activity started, because there may be so many different groups. I can suggest to split the buttons into those with two holes or four holes and ask them to continue breaking the shoes down into ever smaller groups.

Evolution can cause a three branch node.

biological scientists; For fun; Because they have nothing better to do]

Do you think organizing by outward traits/characteristics is the only way to organize living things? [No, you can also organize them by their molecular components as well (i.e., genes, RNA, proteins); Yes, it is the only way]

Do you agree with your partner’s suggestion on why these two should be in different groups? [Yes/No, but requires explanation; Answer, but no explanation]

Try and think back to when you were studying evolution. Did phylogenetic trees break into more than two parts at one point? Why? [No, because once a trait evolved, the two groups (ones that possessed the trait and ones that did not) were on different evolutionary paths; Yes, because chimps, apes and humans all came from a common ancestor].

Decision Point/Formative Assessment Student Outcomes

I will ask students probing questions, including the ones listed above. I will particularly emphasize the question why taxonomists classify organisms. This is an exercise to gain a deeper understanding of a hierarchal classification system by actually creating one. If students are having trouble grasping the analogy, then I will ask students, “What are other examples of classification?” Various responses can be given (i.e., government, school, etc.), and we will work with analogies students can understand.

If it is evident that students are having trouble continuously dividing the buttons into two groups, then we will move on to another analogy (i.e., government structure). If students are enjoying the activity, participating and answering probing questions with solid explanations, then the lesson

will continue as planned.

Transition Statement

Now that we’ve practiced classifying objects, creating a hierarchal classification system like the one taxonomists use, let’s share our keys with the class. You might see that different teams came up with different ways to organize the shoes.

EXPLANATION Time: 5 Minutes

What the Teacher Will Do and Student

Misconceptions

Probing/Eliciting Questions and Student Responses What the Students Will Do

Require students to present their classification system poster and explain why they divided up groups the way they did.

Correlate the button activity to the Linnaean classification system.

Encourage students that even if they might get a question wrong (like giving the wrong definition to a term), that they are at least putting forth an effort to learn.

Perform “Taxonomy Checkpoint.”

Misconceptions:

Same as before.

Additionally, students might not understand the limits of models – a number of non-standardized classification systems would be of little use to the scientific community.

Why did you choose to place these buttons all in one group? [They all share this same trait (i.e., color), They are very different from one another]

Why do you think taxonomists classify organisms? [Facilitate scientific communication; To better study evolution, genetics and other biological scientists; For fun; Because they have nothing better to do]

Try and think back to when you were studying evolution. Did phylogenetic trees break into more than two parts at one point? Why? [No, because once a trait evolved, the two groups (ones that possessed the trait and ones that did not) were on different evolutionary paths; Yes, because chimps, apes and humans all came from a common ancestor]

What do you think binomial nomenclature means? [Two name naming system that involves the genus and species name of an organism]

We organized these buttons by traits. Taxonomists can also classify

Students will present their classification system poster and justify their groupings. Students will demonstrate that models have limits.

Students will try their best to answer any questions regarding taxonomy.

organisms by traits. How else do you think biologists can organize organisms? [Genetics; Habitat]

What does hierarchy mean? [Putting things in order of rank; Power]

What are the classification levels of the Linnaean system? [Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species]

Obviously, not all of our classification systems are exactly alike. How do you think our models might differ from the Linnaean classification system used by the scientific community? [The scientific community uses a single standardized classification system, while we have constructed many conflicting systems; Our system lacks binomial nomenclature and the same levels of classification as the Linnaean system; Linnaeus wouldn’t both classifying shoes; Our system matches perfectly]

Decision Point/Formative Assessment Student Outcomes

I will gauge student understanding based on team presentations, individual answers to questions, and group answers in the “Taxonomy Checkpoint.”

If students demonstrate serious misconceptions (i.e., lack of a hierarchal classification system, inability to see the problem with multiple classification systems, the order of the classification system), then I will address those misconceptions, perhaps by relying on a student that does understand. Otherwise, the lesson will continue.

Transition Statement

The goal of the next activity is to further explore one of the levels: kingdoms. We will learn the five different kingdoms and some characteristics of each of these kingdoms.

ELABORATION Time: 10 Minutes

What the Teacher Will Do Probing/Eliciting Questions and What the Students Will Do

and Student Misconceptions Student Responses

Give the following directions:

“In groups of two, match the appropriate characteristics on to each of the kingdom cards on the poster. At the end, we are going to share with the class.”

Handout poster sheets to each group.

Guide the students in extending concepts and skills to the five kingdoms.

Misconceptions:

Characteristics are unique to a specific kingdom. In fact, some may be and others (like being heterotrophic) are not.

What does it mean to be eukaryotic? [Presence of compartmentalized organelles; Lack of compartmentalization]

What does it mean to be prokaryotic? [Lack of compartmentalization; Presence of compartmentalized organelles]

What does it mean to be multicellular? [The organism is made up of many cells; The organism is made of one cell]

What does it mean to be unicellular? [The organism is made of many cells; The organism is made of one cell]

What does heterotrophic mean?

[The organism gets its food from an outside source; The organism produces its own food]

What does it mean to be autotrophic? [The organism produces its own food; The organism gets its food from an outside source]

What is an example of autotrophy? [Photosynthesis]

How do fungi differ from animals? [Fungi are immobile and get their food through absorption]

How do plant cells and animal cells differ? [Plant cells have chloroplasts and cell walls]

Students will take cut-outs of various characteristics and tape them to slots for each of the “5 Kingdom Cards.” Afterwards, they will present their posters to the class.

Decision Point/Formative Assessment Student Outcomes

I will ask the above formative assessment questions. If students do not know, then I will try to lead them in the right direction. They may

If students are able to quickly match characteristics to each of the

discuss their answers within groups. If they continue to have trouble, then I will either refer them to a textbook (if time permits) or help them sort out the answer.

kingdoms, then I will try to go more in depth by discussing differences in cell structure. If students are struggling, then I will let them discuss, help guide them or refer them to text.

EVALUATION Time: Minutes

What the Teacher Will Do Probing/Eliciting Questions What the Students Will Do

Were the lesson objectives learned? Wrap-up, summarize. Administer evaluation to students and collect the evaluation for analysis.

Embed the following:

Alternative Assessment:

My Alternative Assessment will be the “Taxonomy Checkpoint,” which is found within the PowerPoint. It will be immediately following the Explanation. I will make use of whiteboards, as well as have a student within each group record their group’s answers.