1. VERTICAL ALIGNMENT PROJECT
EVALUATING A BIG IDEA FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL

2. BIG IDEA: CLASSIFICATION OF ANIMALS

3. Vertical Alignment of Classification of Animals from Kindergarten to High School
1st
3rd
5th
7th
Biology
SKL1. Students will sort living organisms and non-living materials into groups by observable physical attributes.
S1L1. Students will investigate the characteristics and basic needs of plants and animals.
S3L1. Students will investigate the habitats of different organisms and the dependence of organisms on their habitat.
S5L1. Students will classify organisms into groups and relate how they determined the groups with how and why scientists use classification.
S7L1. Students will investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared scientifically.
SB3. Students will derive the relationship between single-celled and multi-celled organisms
and the increasing complexity of systems.
a. Recognize the difference between living organisms and nonliving materials.
b. Group animals according to their observable features such as appearance, size, motion, where it lives, etc. (Example: A green frog has four legs and hops. A rabbit also hops.)
d. Compare and describe various animals—appearance, motion, growth, basic needs.
a. Differentiate between habitats of Georgia (mountains, marsh/swamp, coast, Piedmont, Atlantic Ocean) and the organisms that live there.
b. Identify features of animals that allow them to live and thrive in different regions of Georgia.
a. Demonstrate how animals are sorted into groups (vertebrate and invertebrate) and how vertebrates are sorted into groups (fish, amphibian, reptile, bird, and mammal).
a. Demonstrate the process for the development of a dichotomous key.
b. Classify organisms based on physical characteristics using a dichotomous key of the six kingdom system (archaebacteria, eubacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals).
b. Compare how structures and function vary between the six kingdoms (archaebacteria,
Eubacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals).
c. Examine the evolutionary basis of modern classification systems.

4. Kindergarten
This relates to classification of animals because kindergarteners are:
learning that not all things are alive
what it takes to make something be considered living
learning about grouping items, and how scientists use classification to place similar items together
looking at specific categories to separate their living items into
parents and offspring look alike
justifying their reasoning using the new categories for classifying the parent/baby pic together.
SKL1. Students will sort living organisms and non-living materials into groups by observable physical attributes.

5. Lesson Plan 1: Kindergarten
Classifying Animals
In this lesson, kindergarteners will learn why scientists use classification, and will work together to classify animals in to groups based on their features. They will understand and be able to justify their reasons for placing animals into groups with their peers. They will also work together to make alterations in their groupings as they listen to peers present, in case they have misconceptions.
Lesson 2.docx
Lesson Plan 1: Kindergarten

6. Kindergarten Inquiry Process:
1. Show SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES by grouping animals
2. COMPARE animals by choosing two physical attributes to sort the pictures, such as appearance, size, movement, etc.
3. CREATE chart that matches pictures of animal parents and their offspring EXPLAINING the observable features that help you know what to match.
4. CREATE a collage of pictures and/or drawings of parents and their babies.
5. ANAYLYZE how each student is an individual – size, features, names, where you live, parents, etc. – and by CREATING and WRITING about drawings in a “Me” book
6. JUSTIFY why two or more animals are alike using features from investigations

7. S1L1. Students will investigate the characteristics and basic needs of plants and animals.
1st Grade
Being able to understand the differences and similarities of basic needs animals is deepening their understanding of ways that classification helps scientist. It will give them a foundation for the increasingly smaller sizes of living things and what is needed to survive as the students go through the grade levels.

8. 1st Grade Inquiry Process:
1. OBSERVE various animals and ANALYZE how they survive.
2. CONSTRUCT a list of questions on how animals survive
3. CREATE a product to show animals basic needs after investigating what is needed to survive.
4. DIFFERENTIATE animals in an animal sort based on appearance, motion, growth, or basic needs.
5. OBSERVE differences among animals, based on information read in books and observations of animals around them.
6. APPLY CONCEPTS AND CREATE at least 5 riddles about animals. The riddles will be written using clues about appearance, motion, growth, and basic needs. The riddles will then be shared with the class.
7. COMPARE AND CONTRAST animals that live in water and on land.

9. 3rd Grade
This strand allows students to learn how the characteristics that an animal is born with help in classifying animals. They may also learn that some adaptations may be more common in one region than another, which might group certain animals together and they may be found only in those environments or regions.
S3L1. Students will investigate the habitats of different organisms and the dependence of organisms on their habitat.

10. Third Grade Inquiry Process:
1. INVESTIGATE by researching the different regions of Georgia and determine what makes them unique for certain animals
2. COMPARE AND CONTRAST adaptations by sorting animals into the various regions and JUSTIFYING your reasoning
3. HYPOTHESIZE how adaptations help animals live in their environment.
4. FORMULATE some questions to research on animal adaptations
5. INVESTIGATE how adaptations of animals might be more common in certain regions
6. DIFFERENTIATE the 5 vertebrate groups using criteria found in research process of vertebrate groups of birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals
7. APPLY CONCEPT by using criteria to determine grouping for imaginary animal and JUSTIFY your reasoning
8. EVALUATE differences and similarities of animals to group them
9. DISTINGUISH objects by describing them using physical characteristics
10. SORT objects based on characteristics
11. CREATE a graph and EVALUATE the data to make a conclusion
12. CONNECT how features of animals allow them to live and thrive in different regions of GA, and ANAYLYZE what features those are for different animal groups

11. 5th Grade
S5L1. Students will classify organisms into groups and relate how they determined the groups with how and why scientists use classification.
This is really where the big idea is evident. The children learn how to classify, they learn about the different groups from kingdom down to species and how scientists go through the process. In this unit they also learn about the five kingdoms and how microorganisms are grouped.

12. Fifth Grade Inquiry Process:
1. OBSERVE pictures of animals from the various groups; DISCUSS what they have in common
2. CONSTRUCT several ways to classify classmates or shoes
3. PREDICT how many will have a certain genus and species
4. INVESTIGATE and CLASSIFY classmates/shoes in ways created (#2).
5. JUSTIFY results by sharing with each other
6. INVESTIGATE AND CITE EVIDENCE to support the misconception that there are more vertebrates than invertebrates, as that came up a lot in the unit!
7. Give clues to students and have them ANALYIZE and work to classify the living thing.
8. OBSERVE various slides of cells of microorganisms under the microscope
9. COMPARE AND CONTRAST those cells by drawing pictures and making notes, then either write or discuss

13. Lesson 2: 5th grade ALIEN CLASSIFICATION
This lesson introduces the classification system. It exposes the classification system vocabulary, draws on their schema, then allows them to explore using aliens and their characteristics. They revisit the vocabulary and redefine based on what they learned.
Lesson 1.docx
..\Science\Unit Classification\STEMAnimalClassificationAlienClassificationActivity.pdf
Lesson 2: 5th grade

14. 7th Grade
S7L1. Students will investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared scientifically.
This standard addresses classification in a detailed way by introducing dichotomous keys and teaching students how to identify organisms in the natural world using the key. It also is a year when they use more of the environment to investigate for microorganisms, do field studies, and more.

15. 7th Grade Inquiry Process:
1. OBSERVE dichotomous keys and understand their usefulness in science
2. INVESTIGATE the six kingdom system
3. DESCRIBE the dynamic nature and detail of classification
4. APPLY CONCEPTS by selecting and using appropriate tools and procedures to determine and monitor biodiversity in an area. Eg. Field guides, dichotomous keys
5. APPLY appropriate strategies and skills to DEVELOP an understanding of biological concepts, related to
6. UTILIZE appropriate scientific problem-solving or inquiry strategies when answering a question or solving a problem.
7. RECORD, ORGANIZE, AND DISPLAY data and observations using an appropriate format.
8. Begin to FORMULATE connections to real world in areas of ecology, medicine, biotechnology, etc.

16. In biology, students dive deep into the cells and cell functions and structures, and learn how scientists classify the smallest living things. They start to apply the seven characteristics of life in a real world way. They also make connections or theories using classification about how our world came about with hands on involvement and schema. Finally, they understand how the classification system came about and how it is designed out of hierarchy.
High School
SB3. Students will derive the relationship between single-celled and multi-celled organisms
and the increasing complexity of systems.

17. High School Inquiry Process:
Students will OBSERVE a variety of cells, JUSTIFY how living things are grouped based on structure and function, and APPLY CONCEPTS to show how cells and microorganisms fit into the classification system.
They will HYPOTHESIZE, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT experiments that test how substrate and environmental conditions affect the growth of microorganisms. Also will INVESTIGATE how body systems react to these conditions based on the cell changes.
Students IMPLEMENT their experiments, ANALYZE AND INTERPRET their evidence, and prepare a report, APPLY CONCEPTS to the real world.