Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes	Part B: Common Names
20 minutes	Part C: Scientific Names
30 minutes	Part D: Picture Book Page
5 minutes	Reflection

Part A: Introduction

Begin this lesson by explaining to students that they will be given a range of clues relating to an organism. Their task is to use these clues to work out what organism the clues might be describing. Students can guess the animal after any clue. Tell students they can only guess once until the whole class has guessed or until the animal is determined.

Read out the clues in the following order:

I am an animal
I am a vertebrate. (Note: Vertebrates have a backbone and internal skeleton. Invertebrates have no backbone nor spinal column.)
I have feathers and wings.
I live near the water.
I am a seabird that lives in Australia.
I am a gull.
I am a Silver Gull.

The majority of students will say ‘Seagull’ as the answer. Ask the class if anyone has a different name for it. Explain that ‘Silver Gull’ is the common name in English, though most people know it as ‘Seagull’. The scientific name for the Silver Gull is Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae.

Ask the class if anyone has been overseas and seen a gull. Was it a Silver Gull? Explain that even though gulls look very similar, the Silver Gull only exists in Australia, but in English you would still call them ‘Seagull’ or ‘Gull’, despite them being different.

This is why each gull has its own scientific name, so we know exactly which gull is being referred to.

Part B: Common Names

Step 1.

Now display on the board pictures of common animals from the Common Animal Names resource, one at a time.

As you move through the images, invite students to raise their hand if they know what it is called.

Invite students to raise their hand again if they know what it is called in another language (examples are given on the Common Animal Names resource if the class does not know.

Do this for each animal.

Step 2.

Instruct students to answer the following questions (also available on the Student Worksheet):

If someone knew the name of an animal in a language you didn’t speak, what information would you need to identify the animal?
Suggested answers: Physical description, where it lives, what it eats, behaviours, sounds.
Can you think of a faster way for people from different countries to talk about the same animal?
Suggested answers: Have the same name, show pictures

Step 3.

Select random students to share their answers.

Students should now have come to or been led to, the conclusion that having just one name for an animal helps people from all over the world know what animal is being referenced.

Part C: Scientific Names

Step 1.

Display the images of the Bush Blitz species on the board, making sure to include the jumping spider and the peacock spider. Ask the class how they would decide on a name that all scientists would use.

Step 2.

As you display each animal, invite students to raise their hands if they can think of a name that suits the animal, from looking at the image. You can prompt students by encouraging them to think of a name that reflects what it looks like, what it reminds them of (could be something in popular culture or a famous person, or it could be based on where it was found).

Step 3.

Show the Jumping Spider. Its scientific name is Jotus fortiniae, named after a teacher, Dr Ellen Fortini.

Then show the peacock spider, Maratus lincunxin, explaining that is was named after the ballet dancer Li Cunxin, as the spider also dances.

Step 4.

Now direct students to the following table (also available on the Student Worksheet). Explain that scientists name organisms using a Genus (always capitalise the first letter) and a species (lower case). In text, the combination will be italicised. The genus can be the same as other organisms but the species is always unique to that type of organism.

Their task is to work in pairs to complete fill in the gaps on the table. If they get stuck they can ask other pairs for help.

Students should be able to complete this task by referring back to the animals reviewed in the Common Animal Names document.

Genus	Species	Common Name
Chroicocephalus	novaehollandiae	Silver Gull
Panthera	leo
Panthera	tigris
Canis	familiaris
Canis	lupus	Wolf
Macropus (Hint: Macropod - “large foot”)	rufus (Red haired)
Macropus	giganteus

Once students have had a go at completing the table, invite them to share their answers, using the completed table below to guide answer sharing.

Genus	Species	Common Name
Chroicocephalus	novaehollandiae	Silver Gull
Panthera	leo	Lion
Panthera	tigris	Tiger
Canis	familiaris	Dog
Canis	lupus	Wolf
Macropus (Hint: Macropod - “large foot”)	rufus (Red haired)	Red Kangaroo
Macropus	giganteus	Eastern grey kangaroo

Latin names can be difficult for some students, especially students with an EAL background. Give them hints by asking them what English word it sounds like. Reassure them that this information is easily accessible online (type in ‘Animal scientific name’) and they can use that resource to complete the table. To know if Genus or species comes first, think species = specific, so it must be the most unique name and come second.

Part D: Picture Book Page

Step 1.

Display the hierarchical system of classification for the Silver Gull on the board. Point out how genus and species are last on the list. Explain that every organism can be classified in each of those categories. The kingdom is the most general and species the most specific.

Silver gull taxonomy

Step 2.

Break the class into groups of three. Assign each group with one of the scientific names from the following list, or find scientific names of local plants and animals:

Melaleuca citrina (Crimson bottlebrush)
Sphaeropteris cooperi (Scaly tree fern)
Ornithorhynchus anatinus (platypus)
Pogona barbata (Eastern bearded dragon)
Latrodectus hasseltii (Red backed spider)
Cherax destructor (Common Yabby)
Aseroe rubra (Starfish fungus)
Amanita muscaria (Fly amanita)
Macrocystis pyrifera (Giant Kelp)
Escherichia coli (E. coli bacteria)

Step 3.

Then explain that each group member will have a role. The roles are:

One person is the timekeeper. Their job is to make sure the group finishes on time.
One person is the manager. Their job is to keep everyone focussed and make sure you are all on task.
One person is the cheerleader. Their job is to keep it positive and encourage everyone to contribute.

Step 4.

Students must work collaboratively to research and note down on the Student Worksheet the hierarchical classification of the organism they have been assigned.

Step 5.

Once complete, distribute one piece of A3 paper to each group and explain that each group must write a page in a picture book that will show a primary school-aged child how the organism is classified, using words and pictures. For each stage (kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species) they must draw a picture that represents what that stage means. For example, for vertebrates they could draw a spine.

Each page must start with a phrase like ‘Hi, my name is (Genus species)’ or ‘You can call me (Genus species)’. Display the hierarchical classifications in order, for example ‘I am from the Kingdom….’

Each group has a different type of organism, so each picture book page should be unique.

Step 6.

When finished, have each group read their page to the class. You could also create a gallery walk of pages:

A gallery walk enables students to provide feedback on their peers' work. Display students' work around the classroom and place a piece of blank paper next to each work to collect votes one. Invite students to move around the room viewing each others' work. Students could also reccord one thing they like about the pages displays, one thing they wonder, and one thing that may improve the work.

Reflection

Instruct students to answer the reflection questions on the Student Worksheet:

What surprised you about how scientists classify and name organisms?
What do you want to learn more about, or what do you find challenging or confusing about the lesson?

Differentiated Learning

Extension -

Instruct students to use the taxonomic classification system to create a ‘Who am I?’ like at the start of the lesson. They can then play with their classmates.

Provisions for Learning Support –

Part C - Choose a plant or animal for students who need more support, as they are easier to understand. Encourage students to put words into Google Images to help them understand what it means. Give students search hints such as typing in the scientific name and ‘taxonomy’ to get more specific results. Or things like name + ‘phylum’.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

• What did you learn about your teaching practice today?
• What worked well?
• What didn't work so well?
• What would you share?
• Where to next?
• How are you going to get there?

What did you learn about your teaching practice today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

Backyard Bush Blitz - Taxonomy

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