Classification-Lesson Plan

Year 6 Lesson 4

Classification

Overview During this lesson, students will gain understanding of how living things are grouped according to similarities and differences in their characteristics, and use a classification key to sort a range of animals. They will learn in greater depth about the Arachnida class, integrating and exhibiting learning by creating a system to simulate the defining characteristics and movement of a spider.

Key Information 45 or 90 minute lesson

Lesson Structure

Learning Objectives As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:

Warm-Up

➜ Recognise​ that animals are sorted according to their similarities and differences.

Mini-lesson

➜ Explore ​ways of classifying living things in more depth.

Worked Example​ – Let’s Build!

Challenge 1 Challenge 1 ​– Debug It!

➜ Create ​a system to simulate the defining movement of a spider.

Challenge 2

➜ Create​ a modification to the system to simulate the spider’s eyesight and reactions.

Chilli Challenges​ & ​Exit Ticket

➜ Opportunity to extend understanding and reflect on learning.

Curriculum Topic ​(refer to the ​Curriculum Alignment Map​)

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Science Year 6

Materials Required SAM Labs STEAM kit, plus Pressure Sensors (not essential)

Blu-Tack​TM

Pipe cleaners

The Student Handouts can be used alongside each lesson.

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Year 6 Lesson 4

Classification

Warm-Up

Recognise that animals are sorted according to their similarities and differences.

Key Information to Share: ● Living things are classified in relation to their observable characteristics. ● There are different kinds of classification systems; for example, animals can be classed according to their appearance, or the structure of their body. ● A ​taxonomist​ is a scientist who classifies living things into categories, based on their common characteristics. ● In the 18th Century, Carl Linnaeus published a system for classifying living things. It continues to be modified as scientists discover more and more species. ● The groups in the Linnaean taxonomy: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

Activity: ● Display a range of living things on the Lesson Slides. Think, pair, share: ​“Can you identify similarities and differences between these living things?”

“How could they be classified into groups?” ● Explore the different ways in which they could be classified (e.g. lay eggs, can fly, live on land) and explain that several options could be possible depending on the criteria they are sorted. ● Display the Linnaean taxonomy system. Explore how all living things can be classified using this system and how closely all species are linked. Use the example of the classification of humans to demonstrate how the system can be used. Opportunity for students to further research what is contained in each level of the system.

Link Forward:​ ​Students learn how living things can be classified into small groups.

Mini-lesson

Explore ways of classifying living things in more depth.

Key Information to Share: ● Living things are often classified into two major categories: ​vertebrates ​(with a backbone)​ ​and ​invertebrates ​(without a backbone). ● These two categories can be further split into smaller groups. For example, the category of invertebrates can be divided into insects, arachnids, annelids, molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms. ● Vertebrates can be split into mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians. ● Each of these groups is defined by a set of characteristics. ● Some animals have characteristics that are so unusual from any other group that it is difficult to classify them. ● The ​Arachnida ​class is a group of invertebrate animals. Their characteristics include: joint-legged, eight legs, hard exoskeleton, no wings or antennae, Ⓒ 2019 SAM Labs

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Year 6 Lesson 4

Classification

segmented body, inability to chew. (NB. Further behavioural characteristics on the Lesson Slides).

Activity: ● Display the classification diagram on the Lesson Slides. Option for students to use it to classify the living things from the Warm-Up. ● Think, pair, share: ​“Can you think of a living thing in each group?” ● Display the four images of living things. Opportunity for students to research terms from the classification diagram and classify the living things accordingly. ● Display the images of arachnids. Think, pair, share: ​“What are common characteristics of arachnids? Can you think of any other animals which belong to the Arachnida class?”​ Discuss the characteristics in more detail and how they make arachnids differ from other invertebrates. ● Look at the behaviour of spiders in greater detail. Think, pair, share: ​“Why do you think spiders behave in this way?”

In their Student Handout, students choose a species of arachnid and draw it, labelling its defining characteristics.

Students can complete the keyword activity in the Student Handout.

Keywords: Classification

The arrangement and sorting of living things into specific groups according to their observed similarities.

Taxonomist

A scientist that groups living things into categories.

Species

A group of living things sharing similar features and characteristics; able to share genes with each other.

Vertebrate

An animal with a backbone.

Invertebrate

An animal without a backbone.

Arachnid

A joint-legged invertebrate; usually with eight legs.

Let’s Discuss:​ ​“Which classification group do spiders belong to?” ​Students can discuss with a partner how classifying living things makes it easier to identify them.

Link Forward: ​Students build a system that simulates the movement of a spider.

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Year 6 Lesson 4

Classification

Worked Example – Let’s Build!

Create and compare two systems where movement is controlled by pressure.

Instructions

Workspace

Notes

Step 1 Turn on and pair: ● 1 Pressure Sensor block/virtual Pressure Sensor block ● 1 DC Motor block and drag onto the workspace. Also drag on: ● 1 Filter block.

Connect the blocks as shown.

Explain that the Pressure Sensor receives values through pressure being applied to it.

Note, if you do not have a hardware Pressure Sensor block, discuss with students how the input to a virtual pressure sensor might work and what it simulates.

Explain that the default setting of the Filter block is ‘30–70’, which means that the DC Motor will turn when the Pressure Sensor reads a value between ‘30’ and ‘70’.

Step 2 Test your system.

Encourage students to reflect on the use of the Filter in the system, as next they will compare with a different behaviour block.

Step 3 Remove from the workspace: ● Filter.

Drag onto the workspace: ● 1 Threshold block.

Connect the blocks as shown.

Explain that adding the Threshold block means the DC Motor will be activated when a ‘True’ value is reached (the default setting is ‘50’).

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Year 6 Lesson 4

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Step 4 In the settings of the Threshold, set the ‘True’ value to ‘30’.

Explain that the Threshold will now activate the DC Motor to turn when the Pressure Sensor reads a value of ‘30’ or above.

Ensure students understand that ‘30’ has been chosen as the lower limit in order to be a fair comparison with the Filter.

Encourage students to consider whether the two systems (with Filter or Threshold) work differently. Compare the effect of the default Filter settings and the adjusted Threshold settings.

Step 5 Test your system.

Challenge 1

Create a system to simulate the defining movement of a spider.

Instructions

Workspace

Notes

Explain that the pipe cleaners will form the legs of the ‘spider’ so need to be approximately the same length.

Step 1 Cut four pipe cleaners in half.

Encourage students to attach the pipe cleaners at regular intervals around the Wheel, by folding them over the edge and winding them around to secure.

Step 2 Attach the eight pipe cleaners to 1 Wheel.

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Year 6 Lesson 4

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Step 3 Attach the Wheel to the DC Motor.

Explain that the DC Motor needs to be pointing upwards.

Note, the pipe cleaners will not support the weight of the DC Motor, so it can remain touching the table/surface to aid stability.

Step 4 Bend the legs of the ‘spider’ so it stands.

Step 5 Test your system.

Encourage students to test that when the Pressure Sensor is touched and its value reaches ‘30’, the ‘spider’ will start moving.

Discuss how this could be used

to simulate the ‘spider’ pouncing towards its prey when it enters the web.

Checks for Understanding:​ ​“When does the Threshold block allow the system to be activated? Which of the following does not belong in the Arachnida class?”

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Year 6 Lesson 4

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Challenge 1 – Debug It!

How can we simulate a faster reaction time of the ‘spider’?

Instructions

Workspace

Notes

Step 1 In the settings of the Threshold, set the ‘True’ value to ‘15’.

Test your system.

Ensure students observe that, if the ‘True’ value range of the Threshold is decreased, the ‘spider’ will react when less pressure added to the Pressure Sensor.

Step 2 In the settings of the Threshold, set the ‘True’ value to ‘75’.

Test your system.

Ensure students observe that, if the Threshold value is increased, the ‘spider’ will react only when greater pressure added to the Pressure Sensor.

Encourage students to discuss which Threshold setting simulated a faster reaction.

Challenge 2

Create a modification to the system to simulate the spider’s eyesight and reactions.

Instructions

Step 1 Turn on and pair: ● 1 Light Sensor block and drag onto the workspace.

Workspace

Notes

Explain that the Light Sensor block will become a second input in the system, simulating the ‘spider’s eyes.

Opportunity for students to research the eyesight of a particular species of arachnid. remind students that all spiders have eight eyes.

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Step 2 Secure the Light Sensor on top of the Wheel with Blu-Tack​TM​.

Step 3 Drag onto the workspace: ● 1 Filter block ● 1 Interval block ● 1 Switch Direction block.

Connect the blocks as shown.

Explain that the Interval will activate the Switch Direction block at set time intervals (default 1 sec), which will cause the DC Motor to change direction every second. When the Pressure Sensor block is activated, the DC Motor will turn continuously in the same direction.

Step 4 In the settings of the Filter, set to ‘20–49’.

Explain that this means any value read by the Light Sensor between ‘20’ and ‘49’ will activate the Interval and Switch Direction blocks.

Note, the lower limit is set to ‘20’ because the DC Motor does not start moving at ‘0’. Opportunity for students to experiment with the lowest value the DC Motor will start at.

Step 5 In the settings of the Threshold block, set the ‘True’ value to ‘50’.

This means when the Pressure Sensor reads between ‘50’ and ‘100’, the DC Motor will turn continuously in the same direction.

Opportunity for students to adjust the settings of both the Threshold and the Filter.

Encourage students to test the ambient light levels in the room, plus experiment with the Pressure Sensor readings with light or hard touch, and adjust accordingly.

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Year 6 Lesson 4

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Step 6 Test your system.

Discuss the effect that changing the settings of the Filter and Threshold has in terms of output.

Encourage students to test whether the spider’s simulated eyes ‘react’ when their hand moves over the top of it (obscuring the light from the Light Sensor, causing the light reading to drop below the lower limit of the Filter – ‘20’).

Discuss with students how each input causes a different movement of the DC Motor, which simulates a spider’s behaviour: ● If ​the Light Sensor reads ‘20–49’, ​then ​the DC Motor will switch direction every second. This is simulating a spider’s eyesight and spacial awareness; causing it to move erratically and change direction.

● If ​the Pressure Sensor reads ‘30–100’, ​then ​the DC Motor will move continuously. This is simulating the spider surging towards its prey when its prey enters its web.

Checks for Understanding:​ ​“What is the purpose of the Switch Direction block? Which characteristics of the spider were simulated by the system?”

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Chilli Challenges

Experiment with the settings of the Threshold and Filter blocks. Can you evaluate what happens when they are set to the same, similar or very different values?

Experiment with sound.

Can you add a Sound Player to simulate the sound of a spider walking over leaves when it starts moving? ​Hint: ‘Rain’ from the ‘Weather’ category works well.

Experiment with the Light Sensor. Can you evaluate the difference in the system when the Light Sensor is set to ‘As a Button (False / True)’ compared to ‘As a sensor (0-100).

Exit Ticket

Reinforce the learning objectives of the lesson.

In the Student Handout, students can: ● record and reflect​ on their results from the Challenge ● annotate ​their system ● apply ​what they have learned to the real world.

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