CHAPTER 9: Diversity of Plant and Animal Life

Sections Topic Duration

9.1 Why Do We Classify Living Organisms?

9.2 Classification of Organisms 105 mins

9.3 Using Dichotomous Key for Identification

Science Matters: Lesson Notes

 2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
 [Lower Secondary Science] – Diversity in Plant and Animal Life

Section 9.1: Why Do We Classify Living Organisms?

Section 9.2: Classification of Organisms 105 mins
Section 9.3: Using Dichotomous Key for Identification

Learning Outcomes
After this lesson, your students should be able to
 explain the need to classify living organisms
 classify living organisms into major groups
 construct a dichotomous key
 use dichotomous keys in identifying living organisms
 use dichotomous key in classifying living organisms

Points to note while teaching:

 If activities involve animals or plants that may harm the students, use photos/illustrations/slide shows instead of the living animals or plants.
 Be careful in giving examples; students may form a misconception that big animals are vertebrates while small animals are invertebrates. Give a variety
of examples.
 Highlight some exceptions to the general characteristics, e.g. platypus is a mammal that lays eggs.
 Students might not know what is meant by ‘cold-blooded’ or ‘warm-blooded’. Explain, using examples, how cold-blooded animals differ from those that
are warm-blooded.
 The fact that human beings are classified as mammals, which means they are animals, might create some disagreements. You may want to carefully
highlight that this is the scientific classification.
 At this point, students may have forgotten how some plants reproduce by spores. It is advisable to quickly highlight this method of reproduction.
 When explaining about dichotomous key, it is good to distinguish between the graphical form of the key and the list of steps in the key. Highlight that
when not specified, students may give a key in whichever form easier for them.
 Emphasise that in constructing dichotomous keys, a group should only be divided into two, and not more.

Science Matters: Lesson Notes

 2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Page 2 of 7
 [Lower Secondary Science] – Diversity in Plant and Animal Life

Lesson component Content Resources required

Starters/Triggers Questioning/Discussion
 Class discussion
You may start by asking the students to imagine that they are in a huge supermarket. They are
supposed to get some groceries from the list given by their mothers. The list includes the following
items: milk, salmon, canned mushrooms, lettuce and chicken nuggets. Ask the students how they
would find each item in the huge supermarket.
Next, you can ask the students to suggest the similarities of milk, yoghurt and cheese, knowing that
they can be found under the same category ‘Daily Products’.
Conclude the importance of categorising/classifying items.
* Approximately 10 minutes given for this discussion session.

Science Matters: Lesson Notes

 2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Page 3 of 7
 [Lower Secondary Science] – Diversity in Plant and Animal Life

Concept Powerpoint presentation, textbook, questions from the workbook, activities from the practical book
Development and inquiry worksheets.
 Powerpoint slides
1. Highlight the importance of classification in the study of living organisms based on similar or  Textbook (p. 130 – 140)
different characteristics. Give different scenarios in which knowledge on classification of  Workbook (Worksheets
9.1 and 9.2, p. 87 – 94)
organisms is useful.
2. Classify organisms into five kingdoms, highlighting characteristics and examples of each
kingdom
3. Classify animals into vertebrates and invertebrates and further classify them into smaller
groups: with/without jointed legs, fish/amphibians/reptiles/birds/mammals. Use clear
photographs/illustrations to show the characteristics of each group. Some examples are given
on pages 133 – 135 of the textbook.
4. Classify plants into flowering and non-flowering plants. Further classify non-flowering plants
into groups such as mosses and liverworts, ferns and gymnosperms.
5. You may use clear photographs/illustrations or conduct a field trip to the Singapore Zoo or
 Inquiry Worksheets
Botanical Garden to study different classes of animals and plants. The inquiry worksheet on – Linnaean Taxonomy
Linnaean Taxonomy may be used for the visit to the Botanical Garden. (IT, field trip)
6. Test students on their abilities to classify organisms or to state the similarities/differences
between two organisms of the same/different group or class. For example, you may give a
detailed characteristics of a few known organisms classified into their groups. Give each group
of students a list of characteristics of an unknown organism. See if students can group it
correctly.
7. Show step-by-step procedure in constructing the two types of dichotomous key, given a variety
of living organisms. Use of photographs will help.
8. Identify the living organisms based on the dichotomous key.

Other initiatives National Education/Related Websites

Science Matters: Lesson Notes

 2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Page 4 of 7
 [Lower Secondary Science] – Diversity in Plant and Animal Life

 For more on classification of living organisms, visit the following websites:  Internet
http://www.kidsbiology.com/biology_basics/five_kingdomes_life/classification1.php
 You may ask students to test their knowledge in classifying organisms by playing the games in
the following websites:
 Inquiry Worksheets
http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience/critters/critters.html – Classifying
Arthropods
 To learn more about some animals in each group of vertebrates by playing a fun game, go to:
(Discussion & short
http://www.kidscom.com/games/animal/animal.html door activity)
– Observable Features
 Extra activities are provided in the Inquiry Worksheets. (Discussion)

Review Questions  Allow students to attempt the questions on their own.  Textbook p. 141
 Explain the challenging questions in this section.

Science Matters: Lesson Notes

 2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Page 5 of 7