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In this unit, students learn how to classify and identify arthropods. Students examine the similarites and differences between creatures with which they are familiar in order to develop an understanding of arthropod classification. They will use the seven major categores of classification (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family and Genus). Biodivesity, Scientific Classification (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family and Genus), Plants, Adaptation, Ecosystems, Growing Seasons, Models, Organisms. Use physical characteristics of various plant specimens to classify them. Identify rules for classification of plants. Apply seven major cate- gories of classification. Determine the reasons why scientists classify plants and animals. Determine relationships between plants and their local ecosys- tems—considering growing seasons, rainfall, temperatures, other creatures in the system and other critical elements they identify. Demonstrate understanding of major concepts with final portfolio project. contents at a glance T E A C H E R S T R AT E GIES RE A D INGS This timeline offers a day-by-day plan for CE N T E R F O R B I O D I V E RSITY AND CONSER- using all the components in the unit, including VAT IO N R EA DINGS suggestions for supplementary readings, dis- http://research.amnh.org/biodiversity/center/n cussion questions, homework assignments and ewsletter/webletter.html readings for further study. Assessment strate- gies include portfolio assessment and day-to- "W hat's the Buzz? The Bee Workshop at the day accountability for students working both So u t h western Research Station." Spring, 200 0 . individually and in small groups. "The Invertebrate Laboratory: Bugs Under Glass." Fall, 1999. AC T I V I T I ES "The Little Known World Underfoot." Summer, 1999. Prepare Your Investigation: Identification & Classification "Butterfly and Moth Workshop." Fall, 1998. Students use their prior knowledge of classifi- cation to frame their investigation of scientific I N T E R V IEW WITH SCIE N T IS T S classification systems. They learn seven major Profile: Barrett Klein categories of classification (Kingdom, Phylum, Barrett Klein, a display maker at the Ame r i c a n Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species) and Museum of Natural History (AMNH), describes apply those categories to organisms whose his path to entomology, which began with a love common names they know. of art. Research on the Web: Identify & Classify Profile: Sally Goodman Insects Sally Goodman, Curatorial Assistant at the Students conduct Web research to examine AMNH, describes her discovery that her artistic common and scientific names, images and skills could find a place in the Museum's descriptions of insects in every insect order. Entomology Department. They investigate a classification key (including Profile: Eric Quinter images of insects, once identified) for insects Eric Quinter, Senior Scientific Assistant in that feed on tomato plants. In the process, they AMNH's Entomology Department, describes learn about how scientists identify insects the influence of his countryside boyhood on his using a classification key. decision to become an entomologist. Quinter stresses the excitement of new discoveries, and Classroom Activity: Name That Critter the possibility for even amateurs to discover Students work cooperatively to investigate a new species. group of "mystery creatures" in order to discov- er the shared characteristics of arthropods. Profile: Kefyn Catley They may then use their discoveries to create Kefyn Catley, National Science Foundation mystery entries for a jeopardy game in which Research Fellow at AMNH's Entomology teams compete to identify arthropods. Department, describes his roundabout route into science after a long music career. Classroom Activity: Arthropod Jeopardy Students use their research on arthropods to design questions for a class Jeopardy game. This activity can be adapted for use with any unit in the Explore Biodiversity curriculum. contents at a glance RE A D INGS CO N T E N T R EA DINGS “Arthropods at a Glance” This overview of arthropods includes a discussion of their physical fea- tures and a list of some of the more common arthropods. SUPP L EME N TAL REFERENCES: Arthropod Related Web Sites www.insects.org/entophiles/index.htm This site has great images of insects listed by order and includes a sec- tion of other arthropods. http://ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/arthropoda.htm http://ag.arizona.edu//tree/eukaryotes/animals/arthropoda/arthropo- da.htm Take a look at a tree that shows the relationships of all living things. t e a cher strategi e s NA T I ON A L S T A N D A R DS t e a cher strategi e s T I ME L I NE This is a suggested timeline for the unit So Many Kinds of Creatures: Learning to Classify. This timeline is designed for classes with 45–55 minute-periods. The timeline uses all components in the unit; pick and choose to customize your unit if you wish. Suggestions are made here for using the readings; you can also give out the readings at the beginning of the unit, along with the portfolio sheet, and tell students that they are responsible for complet- ing the readings on their own time by the port- folio due date. If possible, return collected group worksheets and other assignments the day after they are completed, or, in the case of group work, on the next day that groups meet. The unit, and each individual activity within it, is designed to encourage the development of habits of mind. Students not only learn how the physical characteristics of arthropods can inform the ways in which they are classified; they also develop their skills in scientific inquiry by examining what they already know to frame an investigation, developing hypothe- ses and designing tests for those hypotheses. Readings supplement hands-on investigations, and students record their observations and findings in research journals before preparing a final project. This final project corresponds to the publication stage of scientific research. Suggestions for structuring this final project are found on the student handout, Putting It All Together. t e a cher strategi e s T I ME L I NE B E F ORE DAY 1 Before you begin the unit, ask students to answer “Questions to Explore” from the first section of Prepare Your Investigation: Identification & Classification. This is an excellent homework assignment for the night before or as an in-class activity before starting the unit. Ask students to read "What's the Buzz: The Bee Workshop at the Southwestern Research Station" and "The Invertebrate Laboratory: Bugs Under Glass" and write a response for each. DAY 1: Prepare Your Inve s t i g a t i o n Each unit in the Explore Biodiversity curriculum includes cooperative learning activities, some of which may be adjusted for individual work at home or in class. Keep in mind that many students do not yet know how to work effectively in groups. Spend some time discussing effective coopera- tive learning before you ask students to work cooperatively. If you are using only one unit in the curriculum, begin the first day with a writing task that asks students to think about effective group work, e.g.: When you are working with other students, what makes you want to par- ticipate? What makes you feel reluctant to participate? How do you help your teammates take part in discussion? What might you do that could make it difficult for others to participate? Ask a few students to share their written responses in order to generate a discussion of effective cooperative learning practices before starting the group activity. If you are using more than one unit in the curriculum, you will not need to repeat this discussion with each new unit, though some or all of your stu- dents may need refresher discussions as you proceed. Substitute the follow- ing writing task to help your students prepare for the activity to come: How do you know that a coat is a coat and a sweater is a sweater? As students write, circulate and either collect homework (responses) or sim- ply mark that students have completed the assignment and reserve a more detailed check for a journal collection date. Ask a few students to share their writing responses. Use their ideas to open a discussion about the way we classify things. Students then complete the second portion of Prepare Your Investigation: Identification & Classification. After groups have completed the activity, gather together as a class. Create a class list of key classification concepts and terms. HOME WORK : Read Profile: Barrett Klein and Profile: Sally Goodman and write a response for each. t e a cher strategi e s T I ME L I NE DAY 2: Research on the We b If all of your students have access to the Web, use Research on the Web: Identify & Classify Insects as an out-of-class assignment, with or without groups/partners. If not, use class time for students to use the interactive program. As you circulate, either collect homework (responses) or simply mark that students have completed the assignment and reserve a more detailed check for the portfolio collection date. Regroup as a class after the Web investigation to discuss the day's findings and to generate a class list of findings. HOME WORK : Read Profile: Eric Quinter and Profile: Kefyn Cateley and write a response for each. DAY 3: Classroom Ac t i v i t y No t e: You may need to provide field guides, textbooks or other resources for this activity. Decide in advance if you want students to depend on prior knowledge or to conduct research in order to complete Classroom Activity: Name That Critter. Make sure that your preparations don't give away the discovery point of the activity, where students realize that shrimp and spi- ders and ants and crabs are all part of the same phylum.

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