Create a Key Task: You will be creating a dichotomous key for 10 ...

Name
Create a Key
Due Date
Task: You will be creating a dichotomous key for 10 objects. Your key will be graded by
another student in class.
Step 1
Draw your 10 objects in the spaces. Do NOT write the names in the spaces provided. This is
where your classmate will write the answers to your key.
Remember, when drawing, your creatures or objects should all look related, but must all be
unique.
Step 2
Create a dichotomous key for your organisms in a tree format. Start with one word to
describe all of your objects and keep branching into two categories until you have identified
a single creature. Repeat this process for all of your creatures.
Example
Smili - Wilis
Hair No Hair
Gugu Smiling Not Smiling
Zsuza
su
Nose No Nose
Remember, each step can only have two divisions. The traits you use have to be obvious to
your classmates. For example, you can’t say, “gets cold in winter” if you can’t see that from
the picture.
Snifa
Yoya

Step 3
Take your dichotomous key in a tree format and translate it to a list format.
1. a. Smili – Wilis has hair……………Gugu
b. Smili – Wilis has no hair………..go to step 2
2 a. Smili – Wilis is smiling……………Zsuza
b. Smili – Wilis is not smiling………go to step 3
3. a. Smili – Wilis has a nose…………Snifa
Step 4
b. Smili – Wilis has no nose……….Yoya
* Be sure to try your dichotomous key to make sure it actually works! *
Create an answer key on the back of your sheet of creatures
Step 5
1.
a.
Smili - Wilis
Hair No Hair
a. b.
Gugu 2 Smiling Not Smiling
.
a.
Zsuza
su
Nose No Nose
Staple your drawings, dichotomous key, answer sheet and rubric together and turn in on
b.
Snifa
Yoya
b.
3
.

Category
Name
1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9.
10.
1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.

Answer Key
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Grading Rubric
Name
Grader’s name
This is the rubric that your classmate will be using to grade your dichotomous key.
Category
Points
Possible
All 10 organisms are drawn 10
All 10 organisms can be named 10
Each step of the key has 2 statements 10
Key is easy to follow 10
Creatures are neat and creative 10
What difficulties did you have with the key?
What are the positive points about the key?
Total Score 50
What kind of improvements could be made to this key?
Points
Earned