K5 Science Endorsement GPS Lesson Plan

Title

Classifying Shoes

Teacher(s)

Alison Dunford
Alison.dunford@cobbk12.org

E-mail
School

Timber Ridge Elementary

Lesson
Title

Classifying Shoes

Grade
Level

5th

Lesson
Essential
Questions

How can we sort things into groups?

How does sorting, or classifying, help us better understand
animals? Plants?

Concepts(s Students will understand that animals are classified in

) Targeted groups: vertebrate and invertebrate.
Students will understand that there are two main groups of
plants.

Georgia Performance Standards

S5L1.Students will classify organisms into groups and relate how they
determined the groups with how and why scientists use classification.

a. Demonstrate how animals are sorted into groups (vertebrate and

invertebrate) and how vertebrates are sorted into groups (fish,

amphibian, reptile, bird, and mammal).

b. Demonstrate how plants are sorted into groups.

Safety Considerations
Teacher will review safety rules and procedures already in place.

The Learning Plan:

Students will each contribute one shoe to a pile on the floor. As a group, sort
the shoes by asking questions with only 2 possible outcomes until each shoe
stands alone (unless it is identical). You may want to not allow brands, but
this can be difficult for 5th graders. Students should record what criteria are
being offered in their interactive science notebooks. Teacher may make a
dichotomous key on the SmartBoard as students proceed.
ENGAGE:
As students arrive, instruct them to remove one show and place it on the
floow in the middle of the classroom, or other large open area.
Ask students what human beings like to group in a turn and talk with a
partner. Choose teams to share out, then ask students how we choose to
group these items. Introduce the vocabulary word, classification. Other
possibilities silverware, zoos, laundry, clothing,, etc.

EXPLORE:
Bring students to a group or circle around the shoe pile. Allow students to
ask a question with only two possible outcomes to begin sorting the shoes
laces/no laces. Students take turns offering the 2-outcome criteria
(characteristics), and majority approves or troubleshoots the suggestions.
Students should record characteristics chosen on a list in their interactive
notebooks. While students are listing, teacher will create a dichotomous key
tree style is great for this, and introduce it as a graphic organizer for
classification.
EXPLAIN:

While students are listing, teacher will create a dichotomous key tree style
is great for this, and introduce it as a graphic organizer for classification.
Teacher may ask guiding questions so students may begin to see how
classification works. For example color is a characteristic if students say blue
or not-blue.

EXTEND:
Student Choice must be standards-based - possible options include:

Write a plan for classifying & organizing something at school or in your

home pencil box, art supplies, the pantry, your sock drawer, etc. The
plan must include the 2-criteria choice system. Challenge them to
map it on a key.

EVALUATE:
Students should summarize their learning in writing in their interactive
science notebooks. Prompt them to answer the question, How do you think
this is similar to ways that scientists classify living things? They may review
their characteristics list to help them.

Documentation of Resources
Harcourt Science Text Page 270-271