SPECIES DISCOVERY– Teachers’ Notes

Who is it for?11-14 year olds

How long will it take?This activity is ideal as a two to four hour session, or a oneto two hour session with homework.

Learning outcomes:Students will be introduced to the diversity of life on Earth and current estimates of species biodiversity. Students will learn that new species are still being discovered by scientists and will explore how scientists know whether or not they have discovered a species that is new to science. Students will understand that scientists must classify organisms in order to study them and will complete three activities: identifying newly-discovered amphibian species using a simple dichotomous key;creating their own dichotomous key for newly discovered species, and researching and writing a proposal for a species discovery expedition.

What do you need?

  • Interactive whiteboard or projector
  • Computer to connect to whiteboard or projector
  • ARKive’sSpecies Discovery classroom presentation (PowerPoint)
  • Activity 1: Identifying Newly Discovered Amphibians worksheet (one per student)
  • Activity 2: Make You Own Classification Key worksheet A and B (one per student/pair/group: half the class should have worksheet A and half the class will need worksheet B)
  • Activity 3: New Species Expedition Proposal template

New Species Expedition Proposal brief

(One copy of each document needed per student)

Summary:

This comprehensive activity is designed to teach 11-14 year olds about biodiversity and classification, using newly discovered species and scientific discovery to demonstrate both concepts.

Students will be introduced to the current estimates of the world’s total species biodiversity and will begin to comprehend how little we currently know about the millions of species with which we share our planet, with scientists having described only a small proportion of the world’s total species andwithmany millions more waiting to be discovered.

Students will understand what is meant by the term ‘newly discovered species’, how scientists decide whether they have found a new species, and why the discovery of new species could have important consequences for humans in the future. Students will explore a number a case studies focusing on the discovery of species new to science, introducing them to different ways that scientists work in the field and engaging them with examples of how science has real world application.

Students will explore why scientists must classify organisms in order to study them and will develop a more in-depth understanding of how scientists achieve this. Students will be introduced to the legacy of Carl Linnaeus and the classification hierarchy, and will revise the concept of using dichotomous keys to aid in the classification of species.

Students complete three activities during this session.

  • The first activity requires students to identify nine newly discovered amphibian species using a simple dichotomous key.
  • The second activity requires students to look at photographs of a variety of newly discovered species to identify the key features that differentiate the species from the other species in their image selection. Students will use their observations to construct their own dichotomous key and will test their keys on their peers to assess whether or not they have correctly identified features that may aid in the classification of species. Students and will use the feedback generated during the discussion phase following the testing to refine their keys.
  • The final activity requires student to plan their own expedition to discover new species using a mocked-up proposal template. Students are provided with a briefing document which provides background information on expedition planning and species discovery, and must carry out independent research to address the points in the proposal guidelines.

Preparation guidelines:

  1. Read through the instructions to make sure you understand the activity.
  2. Download the Species Discovery PowerPoint presentation.
  3. Print off the Identifying Newly Discovered Amphibians worksheet (one worksheet per student). Make sure that the worksheet contains two parts, a page with the key and a page containing nine amphibian images. Familiarise yourself with the answers for the amphibian identification worksheet (See ‘Answers’ document).
  4. Print off the Make Your Own Classification Key worksheetsA + B. There should be one worksheet per student or per small group, depending on how you decide to organise the class for the second part of the activity, and worksheets A + B should be distributed so that roughly half the class has worksheet A and half the class has worksheet B. This enables students to swap their work with their peers for testing once they have constructed their keys.
  5. Print off the New Species Expedition Proposal template and briefing documents (one for each student). If completing this activity in class, ensure that each student has access to a computer connected to the internet.

How to run the session:

  1. Begin by introducing the concepts of biodiversity, variation and classification by working through the Species DiscoveryPowerPoint presentation. Discuss why scientists try to find new species and how their discovery could potentially be important to humans in the future. Discuss how scientists set about discovering new species in the field and explore some of the case studies on recent species discoveries. Introduce the idea that all organisms must be classified and discuss why this may be and how scientists can classify species. Run through the example classification key in the PowerPoint with the class to ensure they are confident with how to use classification keys.See slide notes on the PowerPoint presentation for further guidance and information.
  1. Introduce the firstclassification keyactivity, explaining to students that they must imagine that they are scientists that have discovered nine new amphibian species. Students must correctly classify each species by matching its photograph with the correct species name. Inform students that they must look carefully at each photograph to identify key features that might help them identify each species, before working their way through the classification key. Once they have worked out the species’ names using the key, they must write the names under the correct photograph.
  1. After completing the first activity, students should be confident in using a dichotomous (yes/no) classification key to identify unknown species. Hand out the worksheets for the second classification activity, giving half the class worksheet A and half the class worksheet B. Either working alone, in pairs, or in small groups, students should be encouraged to look carefully at each of the species they have been given and list all of the things that make them different from each of the other species they have been given. Using this information, students should begin to construct their own classification key that will allow another person to be able to identify the species in their photographs.
  1. Once students have completed their own version of a dichotomous key, have students with worksheet A swap their own key with another student, pair or group with worksheet B. Students should then try and identify the species on the other worksheet using the key designed by their peers.
  1. Facilitate a discussion between the students, asking them whether they think their key worked or not. What kinds of features do they think worked best for classifying different species? How did they distinguish between similar species, for example two mammals? Were there any questions that weren’t helpful for deciding between species? How could they make this better?
  1. For the final activity, students are required to imagine they are a scientist planning an expedition which aims to discover exciting species that are completely new to science. Their task is to write an expedition proposal to present to grant-giving organisations, with the aim of convincing funding committees that their project is important and deserves financial assistance.

The task is designed to get students thinking about the complexities of planning a large project and will foster an appreciation of the amount of work that goes in to planning scientific expeditions and surveys. It is intended to encourage them to develop independent research skills, work methodically and think logically, as well as promote scientific thinking and collaboration. The task will also introduce them to a number of conservation organisations who carry are involved with the discovery of new species in the field.

  1. [OPTIONAL] To extend this activity further, or to challenge older or more able students, get them to consider some of the costs involved in planning a project of this scale and include it in their proposal. Once the proposals are complete, get the students to print them out and, in groups, undertake a peer review process to assess whether each of the proposals follow the guidelines set out in the project brief. As a group, students must decide which project they would award funding to, based on the information that has been provided in the proposal.

Suggestions for extension activities:

  • Explore the theme of species discovery further with ARKive’s ‘Newly Discovered’ species topic page.
  • Introduce students to adaptation and have students design their own species waiting to be discovered with ARKive’s ‘Adaptation – Design a Species’ teaching resource.
  • Print off a map of the world or use a world map poster. Have students research some of the newly discovered species featured on ARKive to find out where they were discovered. Get the students to place markers on the map showing where these new species have been discovered. Are there any patterns on where species have been found in recent years? Students could also use Google Earth to look up the country in which these newly discovered species were found.