Science lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 minutes

Using classification keys

Animals and habitats

CCSS NGSS.SEP 4CCSS NGSS.3-LS4-2England: KS2 Y4 Living things and their habitatsEngland: KS2 Y6 Living things and their habitats

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Using classification keys.

I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
I can explain each step and say why it works.
I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Vertebrates and invertebrates

Leads to: Classify invertebrates: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and molluscs

Materials: Animal picture cards, Habitat maps, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Vertebrates and invertebrates). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

Which invertebrate group does a tick belong to? (insect / arachnid / mollusc (mollusk) / crustacean) → arachnidPrompt: Count the legs if it has any.
Is a snake a vertebrate or an invertebrate? (vertebrate / invertebrate) → vertebratePrompt: Does it have a backbone (spine)?
An animal has 8 legs and 2 body parts. What is it most likely to be? (a spider / an ant / a worm / a snail) → a spiderPrompt: Insects have 6 legs.

Hook · 5 min

Show a picture of an unusual animal and ask where it might live and how it survives there.
Share the objective: Using classification keys. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
Example: Key: 1. Has legs? Yes → go to 2. No → go to 3. 2. Has 6 legs? Yes → beetle. No → spider. 3. Has a shell? Yes → snail. No → earthworm. An animal has 8 legs. What is it?
Step 1: Legs: yes → question 2. Six legs? No → spider.
Step 2: So the answer is: spider
Answer: spider
Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

Key: 1. Has feathers? Yes → go to 2. No → go to 3. 2. Can fly? Yes → robin. No → penguin. 3. Has fur? Yes → rabbit. No → frog. An animal has feathers but cannot fly. What is it? (rabbit / frog / robin / penguin) → penguinPrompt: Feathers: yes. Then look at question 2.
Which question would split a bat and a pigeon? (Does it have wings? / Does it have feathers? / Is it a vertebrate? / Can it fly?) → Does it have feathers?Prompt: Both can fly and have wings.

You do: independent practice · 10 min

Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

Key: 1. Has legs? Yes → go to 2. No → go to 3. 2. Has 6 legs? Yes → beetle. No → spider. 3. Has a shell? Yes → snail. No → earthworm. An animal has 8 legs. What is it? (beetle / spider / earthworm / snail) → spiderPrompt: Start at question 1. Does it have legs?
Which question would split a bat and a pigeon? (Is it a vertebrate? / Does it have feathers? / Does it have wings? / Can it fly?) → Does it have feathers?Prompt: Both can fly and have wings.

Watch out for

Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

Review first: Vertebrates and invertebrates.
Use concrete materials: animal picture cards.
Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

Move on to: Classify invertebrates: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and molluscs.
Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-4.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Using classification keys

Name

Date

Score/ 8

1
Question 1
Key: 1. Has feathers? Yes → go to 2. No → go to 3. 2. Can fly? Yes → robin. No → penguin. 3. Has fur? Yes → rabbit. No → frog. An animal has feathers but cannot fly. What is it?
- A. robin
- B. penguin
- C. frog
- D. rabbit
2
Question 2
Which question would split a crab and a jellyfish?
- A. Is it alive?
- B. Is it an animal?
- C. Does it live in the sea?
- D. Does it have legs?
3
Question 3
Why are mushrooms not classed as plants?
- A. They cannot make their own food by photosynthesis.
- B. They are too small.
- C. They are not alive.
- D. They grow in soil.
4
Question 4
Key: 1. Has legs? Yes → go to 2. No → go to 3. 2. Has 6 legs? Yes → beetle. No → spider. 3. Has a shell? Yes → snail. No → earthworm. An animal has 8 legs. What is it?
- A. earthworm
- B. spider
- C. beetle
- D. snail
5
Question 5
Which question would split a bat and a pigeon?
- A. Does it have feathers?
- B. Does it have wings?
- C. Can it fly?
- D. Is it a vertebrate?
6
Question 6
Carl Linnaeus gave each species a two-part scientific name. Which is an example?
- A. Big Cat
- B. Homo sapiens
- C. Tree Plant
- D. Mammal Animal
7
Question 7
What makes a good question in a classification key?
- A. It has a clear yes or no answer you can observe.
- B. It asks whether the animal is cute.
- C. It asks which animal you like best.
- D. It has many possible answers.
8
Question 8
Key: 1. Has needle-shaped leaves? Yes → go to 2. No → go to 3. 2. Needles in bunches of two? Yes → pine. No → spruce. 3. Leaves with lobes (rounded bumps)? Yes → oak. No → beech. A tree has flat leaves with no lobes. What is it?
- A. pine
- B. oak
- C. spruce
- D. beech

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