Lesson Plan
Date:
Year Level & Learning Area:
Wed
Year 7 Science - Biology
3/5/17
Topic: Classification
Curriculum Links:
ACSSU111 - Classification helps
organise the diverse group of
organisms
- Considering the reasons for
classifying such as
identification and
communication
- Grouping a variety of
organisms on the basis of
similarities and differences in
particular features
ACTDIP032 Create and
communicate information
collaboratively online, taking into
account social contexts
General Capabilities:
Literacy
Critical and creative thinking
Personal and social capability
ICT
Prior Learning:
- Things are either living
or non-living
- All living things are
called organisms
- Organisms have
different characteristics
Time: 9:10am 10:00am
Room: Lab 1
Specific Objectives/Learning Goals:
As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Identify the differences between living and
non-living things by discussion
- Identify characteristics of organisms by
contributing to the Padlet page and
discussion of sea lions and seals
- Demonstrate how to use a type of
dichotomous key by classifying an organism
and drawing the correct descriptions of the
organism
Catering for Student Diversity:
Gifted and talented/early finishers
- Ask students to draw other worms from the
Bookwork Who worksheet
- Directly asking them questions about
different characteristics of organisms
- Extension dichotomous key worksheet on
marine animals
Learning difficulty/stragglers
- Moving around the room whilst students are
working to assist any student that needs help
Physical disability broken right arm
- Student is right handed and therefore
struggles to type, use computer mouse and
write
- Student will be partnered up with a trusted
student to assist with computer usages
- Majority of lesson is discussion based,
therefore should not have too much of a
disadvantage
- Teacher will assist with drawing of worms on
the worksheet student to direct student
what they want to be drawn
Resources/Materials required:
- Computer
- Projector
- Wifi connection
- PowerPoint slides
- Access to my Kahoot site
- Access to my Padlet site
 or traits - Handouts of Bookworm Who worksheet
- All living things are - Pen & paper for note taking
related somehow - YouTube links
- All things can be
grouped into different
categories
Lesson Steps
Time: Procedure Comment
1. Pre-Lesson
5 mins
9:10 Greet students at the door and welcome them
9:15 inside. Students to take their seats and log into the
computer. Teacher to introduce what will happen
in todays class.

2. Introduction/Motivation
https://play.kahoot.it/ (link for
Complete quiz on last weeks topic via Kahoot.
10 mins students)
9:15 These quizzes are completed at every end of a
9:25 topic in order for the teacher to know what the https://create.kahoot.it/#user/
students have learnt and remembered. bb340c08-94cf-48f5-8bb6-
081af3335edf/kahoots/created
(link for teacher)
Watch short video introducing classification.
Purpose for this video is to allow students to see https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=Q0cIfO4UeZE
that classification happens everywhere (linking to (classification video)
groceries at a supermarket)

3. Teacher Input
Brainstorm the differences between living and
5 mins non-living things. Except some sarcastic answers,
9:25 eg. We have a brain, the table doesnt. Step
9:30
students through the 7 characteristics of living
things, using examples. Clarify that we will look
deeper into each of these later in the unit.
Ask the students for thoughts
on what the differences are
between living and non-living
before showing answers in
slide.

Show photos of the Australian Sea Lion and the Main differences between sea
Elephant seal. Get students to compare the lion and seals: ears, snout and
the way they walk. Also coat
characteristics and then discuss their thoughts.
colour due to habitat
Purpose is to show that similar animals can be
quite different due to their characteristics or how
they are classified.
Questions to ask include:
 - What animal are these?
- Are they the same species?
- What are their visual differences
- One lives on ice, the other on sand, can
you think of any differences they would
need to have in regards to their habitat?

4. Class Discussion
Using slide 8 from powerpoint
10 mins Students to think-pair-share on the different students will group the
9:30 characteristics that they would use to group the animals. Examples of groups
9:40 given organisms. Think to themselves for 30 include: birds, mammals, sea
creatures, flying creatures,
seconds and then talk to the person next to them bugs, insects, amphibians, etc.
about their thoughts for 1 minute. Write the Padlet
page on the board and get students to log in and
https://padlet.com/22064367/c
find the correct Padlet. Students then share their haracteristics
thoughts on how to group the organisms. Teacher (link to Padlet)
to then discuss the answers on the Padlet. Purpose
is to show that organisms can be grouped in
different ways, use ITC and communicating skills.
Questions to ask include:
- Which animals would you put in the
mammal group? Etc.
- Where would you categorize a human?

5. Teacher Input
5 mins Introduce the idea that scientists can use
9:40 dichotomous keys to identify organisms. https://www.youtube.com/watc
9:45 h?v=M51AKJqx-7s
Short video and discussion on how to use keys.
(dichotomous key video)
Purpose of the video is that it is very visual and
explains dichotomous keys in simple terms
Questions to ask:
- Has anybody used a key like this before?

6. Student Activity
10 mins Get students to do the Bookworm Who Students to complete
9:45 worksheet. This worksheet is a very simple individually on handout.
9:55 dichotomous key and is great introduction to using
them. Students need to identify given organisms
and then use the key to draw organisms using their
 keys characteristics. This will give students hands
on experience. Teacher to be walking around and
assisting anyone needing help and asking
questions. Ask students to raise their hands to tell
you what the names of the worms are, and if time
ask 2 volunteers to draw their version of Fred
and Jen on the whiteboard.

7. Conclusion https://youtu.be/8ZqT63e3o-g
5 mins Watch the new dolphin species video. (new dolphin species video)
9:55 Questions to ask to summarise:
10:00 - Why do you think its import to classify Assess students learning via
organisms? the concluding discussion,
- How did they recognize that this dolphin is answers on Padlet and
a new species? completion of worksheet.

Evaluation of Student Learning:

- Did the activities help the students learn?
- How did I assess how/if the students have learned?
- Are my students engaged/excited with the topic?
- Was there sufficient scaffolding with the tasks?
- Were the objectives achieved?

Self-Evaluation/Reflection:
- Were my instructions clear?
- Were the activities successful? Why/why not?
- Have I given my students enough choices in this lesson?
- What was I doing whilst students were learning?
- Did the lesson include enough/not enough work for student diversity?

References:

ABC News Australia (2011, September 15). New dolphin species discovered in
Melbourne [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZqT63e3o-g

Drollinger, M. (2013, January 14). Dichotomous Key [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M51AKJqx-7s

Human Relations Media (2012, January 12). Classification of Living Things [Video file].
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0cIfO4UeZE

School Curriculum and Standards Authority (2014). Foundation to Year 10 Curriculum:

Science, Science Understanding (ACSUU176). Retrieved from
http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser/science-v9
 Science Web Australia (n.d.). Unit 2 Classification of organisms. Retrieved from
http://scienceweb.asta.edu.au/years-7-8/unit2/overview/yr78-unit2-overview.html
Extension worksheet

Worksheet Jokshet (2016). Dichotomous key worksheet. Retrieved from

http://jokshet.carrotstown.com/dichotomous-key-worksheets