Classification
- A Visit to the New York Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation
Grade
level: 7th grade
Learning
Standard: Students will demonstrate an understanding of diversity and
adaptation of organisms.
Time
Requirements: Pre-Visit: 3 hours; Visit: 3 hours; Post Visit: 3 hours
Topics
Covered by This Lesson:
Several
vocabulary words/terms related to classification
Body
parts of several animals
Compare and contrast between different phylum/species
Adaptations
of organisms to their environment
Pre-Visit:
Purpose
of Lesson: To learn an overview of classification.
Purpose
of Trip: to reinforce classroom lessons and provide close contact with
organisms discussed in the classroom.
Objectives:
Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
define the terms scientific name, classification, kingdom, phylum, order,
family,
genus,
species, algae, crustacean, echinoderm, arthropod, cnidarian, porifera,
mollusk,
habitat, invertebrate, vertebrate, plankton, tide pool, scavenger, sieve
plate,
tubefeet, adaptation.
provide
one example of an arthropod, cnidarian, porifera, mollusk, and echinoderm
and
describe two salient characteristics of each phylum.
identify
the feet, mouth, eyes and skin of at least one arthropod, cnidarian,
porifera,
mollusk, and echinoderm and compare and contrast between
different
phylum/species.
name
at least one adaptation of at least five of the animals seen at the aquarium
to
its
environment.
Materials
Required: 1 notebook and 1 pencil/pen for each student, 5 fishing nets,
5 plankton nets, 6 pails and shovels, organisms from the arthropod, cnidarian,
porifera, mollusk, and echinoderm phyla.
Student
Learning Prerequisites: Knowledge of diversity and adaptation in living
systems.
Visit:
Students
will meet an aquarium educator in Education Hall.
A
workshop on classification will take place. Students will work in-groups of
four to come up with a name for a group of organisms that have been placed
at their workstation. The emphasis will be on looking for similarities amongst
all of the organisms in their box to come up with a common name for the group.
Once
each group establishes a name, a class discussion regarding each group’s
name will take place. Each name will be compared to the real name of the phylum.
Students
will then have time to view salient features of each phylum under the microscope
and touch animals in the touch tank.
A
tour of the aquarium will follow. Throughout the tour, different animals will
be compared and contrasted and adaptations to each animal’s environment
will be highlighted.
Lunch
The
class will head out to the beach. The students will work in their groups of
four and have twenty minutes to find items along the beach and the shoreline
which fit into the five phyla discussed and a sixth group - “other”
(i.e. debris along the beach). All items will be placed in one of six pails,
according to how they classify. Each group must draw pictures of their findings
before placing them in the pails. A brief discussion regarding the class’s
findings will take place afterwards.
Post
Visit:
Assessment
- Oral - Each group of four will have ten minutes to present their findings
from the beach excursion. Each presentation must include:
the pictures they drew of their findings
name of the phylum in which their organism(s) fall
identify the salient features of the organism(s)
describe any body parts that could be identified
name an adaptation of the organism(s) to its environment
Extensions/Suggested
Homework Assignments:
Choose
your favorite animal seen at the aquarium and write a one-page essay about
this animal. Include the animal’s phylum, scientific name, habitat type,
body parts, adaptations to its environment, and diet.
Have
students make a list of any seafood they have ever eaten. Then have students
describe this experience - i.e. texture in their mouths, likes/dislikes.
Possible
questions that may be brought up:
The
fish tanks seem small, are there regulations about the size that tanks must
be?
Who
cleans the tanks?
What
happens if a fish gets sick?
Do
the different fish in the same tanks ever eat each other?
MSTEP
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