Dichotomous key

1. Essential Question:
What is classifying?
VOCABULARY:
Classification
Dichotomous Key

2. Objectives:
1. You will be able to explain why classification
systems are important.
2. You will be able to demonstrate your
understanding with a dichotomous key.

3. How many different types of music
are there?
Rap, classic …
Country, heavy metal …
Rock, dance …
Hip hop, children’s …

4. Could you imagine shopping at a
music store which did not
separate their CD’s by type?
Or artist
But just left them in a pile!

5. IMAGINE:
Shopping at a shoe store where boys,
girls, men, women’s and kids shoes
were all mixed together?
Would it work?
Would you go back?
How are shoe stores typically classified?

6. Why do Scientists Classify?
To make things easier
To groups things

7. Classification:
1. organization into groups or categories.
2. Categorization of a population by common
characteristics which the population has or
does not have.
3. Make sure characteristics are observations
and not inferences !

8. INSECTS

9. INSECTS
Those with
wings
Those without
wings
Two Group
System:
Dichotomous
Key

10. INSECTS
Those with
wings
Those without
wings
Two Group
System:
Dichotomous
Key

11. Animals

12. Animals
Animals
WITH 4 legs
Animals
NOT 4 legs

13. Animals
Animals
WITH 4 legs
Animals
NOT 4 legs

14. Animals
Animals
with 4 legs
Animals NOT
with 4 legs
Has a Tail
No Tail
Has wings
No wings
Dichotomous
Key
2 Groups
2 Levels

15. Animals
Animals
with 4 legs
Animals with
2 legs
Has a Tail
No Tail
Has
wings No wings
Dichotomous
Key
2 Groups
2 Levels