TEACHER NOTE: If you don't have a color printer/copier, this
can be done in black and white. Often an animal's color is variable
and won't be included as a primary statement in a taxonomic
key.
ANSWERS
Part 1 - Grouping
- What
was the first characteristic you used to divide the group?
(answers will vary, although many will select to differentiate
insects from spiders) Why did you pick this one?(spiders
and insects are different groups identified by scientists)
- What
characteristics did you use to continue dividing the groups
up? Why? (Accept all reasonable answers. Use this as an
opportunity to compare and contrast types of characteristics
used to classify organisms)
- How
many features did you need to separate all twenty organisms
into their own distinct group? (19)
- What
class do and flies belong to? (insects)
- What
class do spiders and ticks below to? (arachnids)
ANSWERS
- How many characteristics are used to differentiate organisms
in each step of this key? (one characteristic)
- What are the two possible outcomes associated with each
statement within a key? (name of the organism or a reference
to another step)
- How many statement pairs are needed to distinguish between
four species? (3 statement pairs)
- Did your key work for your partner? If not, what might
have been done to improve it? (Answers will vary)
TRANSECTING
THE LIMIT
- How would you design a sampling technique to insure that
you have a fair census of species in a 1,000 square meter
field. Assume that the field has similar characteristics
throughout. How many 1-square meter transects would you
need to insure a representative sample that can be used
to project realistic numbers? (answers will vary - but students
will create the connection between increasing reliablity
and increased samples)
- How
would you locate these samples? (random selection)
-
How might the number of samples affect the reliability of
your survey? (more samples, less likely to be affected by
"clumping" of species)
- What
characteristics set the "tradeoff" between too
few and too many samples? (many factors including uniform
spread of organisms, relative density of organisms,. time,
money, ease of sampling, terrain)
CURRICULUM
LINKS
| Biology/Life Science: |
| Biodiversity,Classification |
|
NATIONAL
SCIENCE STANDARDS
(Grades 5-8)
| Science
As Inquiry-Content Standard A |
| Students
should develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry, |
|
Students should develop an understanding about scientific
inquiry |
| Life
Science -Content Standard C |
|
Students should develop an understanding of structure
and function in living systems |
|
Students should develop an understanding of populations
and ecosystems |
|
Students should develop an understanding of diversity
and adaptations in organisms |
 Back
to Teaching Guide
|
