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Living Things, Their Habitats & Environment
This step, Lessons 1 & 2 are combined
Objectives
To be able to understand how identification keys work.
To create your own identification keys.
Resources
Cambridge Primary Science Book 4 | Lined paper
Today's Lesson
Main Activity
Turn to page 19 in Cambridge Primary Science Book 4.
Ask your child to read the text about identification keys, and watch the following video.
Discuss how scientists think about the criteria for classification of animals in the different keys. Look at the key on the page. Look at the four animals at the bottom. Then go to the top of the key and, for each animal, follow the arrows. There can only be yes/no answers in such keys. You may like to have a go at identifying vertebrates and invertebrates using the key on page 20 too. Encourage your child to have a go at creating a key of their own which identifies a tiger, shark, duck and a goat.
When creating an identification key, it is often easier to work backwards. Ideally print pictures of the creatures you are working with (or write the names on cards). Think of one question that will separate the animals into two groups. That way, you cannot confuse the tiger and goat questions. Think about the animals’ appearance, their diet, their habitats etc. Remind your child that they can only ask yes/no questions. Keep looking at the key on page 19 to help or the Identification Key example.
📄 PRACTISE - Identification Key example
Try with a different set of animals. Are the questions the same or do you need different ones this time?