(5-8) A1

Science Curriculum Preview Committee Clarification of Learning Results

Revised 04/07/04

5-8

A1: Compare systems of classifying organisms including systems used by scientists.

Curriculum Organizing Questions

How does an invented classification scheme differ from a scientific one?

What is a scientific classification system?

How have systems for classifying organisms changed over time?

What are some major ways to group organisms?

How can classification help determine how closely organisms are related?

Elaboration
Students should move from student developed systems of classification to those used by biologists. This move should not be to teach the systems, but to show students the features used to classify organisms. Students should learn that scientist group living things by characteristics; this hierarchal system of classification has changed over time and continues to change today in response to new information. Students should begin to extend their attention from external anatomy to internal structures and functions. Patterns of development may be brought in to further illustrate similarities and differences among organisms.Benchmarks p. 104.

Specific Ideas

Classification systems are not part of nature but rather a framework for suggesting relationships or similarities.

One of the most general distinctions among organisms is between plants that use sunlight to make their own food and animals which consume energy-rich food. Benchmark 5A1.

Some organisms, many of which are microscopic, are not classified as plants or animals. Benchmark 5A1.

Similarities among organisms are found in internal anatomical features and similar chemical processes which infer degree of relatedness.Benchmark 5A3.

Biologists consider details of internal and external structures to be more important than behavior or general appearance.

Humans have classified organisms in various ways for thousands of years. Benchmark 5A3.

The classification of organisms is based on decisions made by many scientists using available information. Additional information or new technology can lead to new classification systems.

Developmental & Instructional Implications
12 year olds were found to have difficulty with taxonomic categories, more so with plants than with animals. Pupils appear to learn a "school science" way of classifying whilst retaining their intuitive ideas about concepts such as "flower" and "animal" for use in everyday life. Driver p. 24.

Examples

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Curriculum Organizing Questions	How does an invented classification scheme differ from a scientific one? What is a scientific classification system? How have systems for classifying organisms changed over time? What are some major ways to group organisms? How can classification help determine how closely organisms are related?
Elaboration	Students should move from student developed systems of classification to those used by biologists. This move should not be to teach the systems, but to show students the features used to classify organisms. Students should learn that scientist group living things by characteristics; this hierarchal system of classification has changed over time and continues to change today in response to new information. Students should begin to extend their attention from external anatomy to internal structures and functions. Patterns of development may be brought in to further illustrate similarities and differences among organisms.Benchmarks p. 104.
Specific Ideas	Classification systems are not part of nature but rather a framework for suggesting relationships or similarities. One of the most general distinctions among organisms is between plants that use sunlight to make their own food and animals which consume energy-rich food. Benchmark 5A1. Some organisms, many of which are microscopic, are not classified as plants or animals. Benchmark 5A1. Similarities among organisms are found in internal anatomical features and similar chemical processes which infer degree of relatedness.Benchmark 5A3. Biologists consider details of internal and external structures to be more important than behavior or general appearance. Humans have classified organisms in various ways for thousands of years. Benchmark 5A3. The classification of organisms is based on decisions made by many scientists using available information. Additional information or new technology can lead to new classification systems.
Developmental & Instructional Implications	12 year olds were found to have difficulty with taxonomic categories, more so with plants than with animals. Pupils appear to learn a "school science" way of classifying whilst retaining their intuitive ideas about concepts such as "flower" and "animal" for use in everyday life. Driver p. 24.
Examples