Year 6 Science Living Things and their Habitats – Block 6LvH – Classification Connoisseurs

Session4:Classification in Your Back Yard
Science curriculum area: Living Things and their Habitats / i. give reasons for classifying plants and animals based on specific characteristics
Working
Scientifically (UKS2) / i. recording results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams & labels and classification keys
ii. reporting and presenting findings from enquiries in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations
Teaching Objectives /
  • To observe, research and record features of a range of leaves found in their local environment
  • To design a key to classify leaves found in their local environment

Other curriculum areas / Art
  • Improve mastery of drawing using pencils

Teaching Objectives /
  • To sketch a tree and its corresponding leaf in the style of a botanical illustration

Key Vocabulary:classification, classification key, opinion, similarities, differences, group, observations
Resources
Bags, magnifying glasses, cameras, botanical drawings, leaf feature files, leaf classification resources. / Weblinks
- British trees, The Woodland Trust; - The modern botanical illustration collection, NHM.
Whole Class:Make arrangements for a fieldtrip, either on site or at a local wood or park.Today’s session is a practical session to take place outside. You can either complete it on your school grounds, or arrange a trip to a local wood or park. You will need bags to collect leaf specimens, magnifying glasses, and cameras. Explain to the chn that you are heading out to see what trees are in your local environment. Explain that chn will be looking for a range of trees to classify (see link to explore native and non-native species). Ask chn to predict which tree species they think they will find (they may know common tree names). Before you go, also explain that they will be sketching the trees - artists who produce botanical drawings have to observe their subjects very carefully. Show children some examples of these drawings from the resources (or online at the NHM). The first drawing shows the meadow buttercup and creeping buttercup from Session 3 and the second shows the wood buttercup and the creeping buttercup. Photos can be used to record species today, but drawings can bring all the features together, arranged so that flowers, seeds, fruit, etc. can all be displayed in one picture. The flower can be ‘dissected’ so that stamens, petals, pistils, etc. can be drawn separately. Explain that on their return chn will draw their leaves next to their corresponding tree sketch(ensure that chn name all their tree sketches and corresponding leaves, or just label them A, B, C, etc.). Explain that chn will need to collect 8 to 10 different tree (preferable) or wildflower leaves. If there are insufficient trees or wildflowers in the school grounds then bring some into school that you have collected earlier. Make sure that there are enough sets for children to work in small gps.
Activities:Once chn have collected their specimens first get them to look at their tree sketches and add in a detailed sketch of the leaf - chn could also look for an image of the seed to sketch as well. Remind chn to focus on drawing what they see and using back and forth movements of the pencil to create accurately shaped lines. Chn may wish to mix paints to create the exact colour to include as a sampler on the page. Get chn to now create leaf feature files (see example) to ensure that they have noted the very specific features of the leaf – they can also use the leaf resource to help with this. Chn should then create a classification key (like they did in Session 3) to classify their leaves. Point out that chn should look for the obvious differences to separate the leaves into two gps first. Then look at each gp separately (may be another obvious difference or may be a smaller difference) to work out a question to separate those leaves. They do not have to think of a question that separates one individual leaf from all the others that are left each time, sometimes the question will separate those left into two gps of two or more leaves. Encourage chn to use their first attempt as a draft - they may decide to go back to the beginning and use a different question to sort them into two initial gps, before asking the other questions they have chosen. Asking the questions in a different order may be more helpful. When they have finished their classification key they should swap with another group to try out each other’s. If the gp trialling their key has problems get them to adjust their questions. Chn then make a final copy of their keys and stick the leaves into the right places (possibly laminated before doing this) or write the name of the plantfrom which the leaf was taken.
Plenary / Set out the sketches as an art exhibition and get chn to identify 2 or 3 really accurate drawings. Chn might like to create ‘An Illustrated Guide to Local Trees’ book by collating all of the sketches from the class.Explain to chn that there are at least 50 species of native tree in the UK (many more if we include non-native species) and about 100,000 worldwide to give them some idea of the scope of classifying just one small group of trees. Remember to give the children the next two code letters (P and I).
Outcomes / Children will
  • Observe and record features and names of leaves found in their local environment
  • Design and test classification keys to classify leaves found in their local environment

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We refer you to our warning, at the foot of the block overview, about links to other websites.