TABLE OF CONTENTS - Lindbergh School District

Strand 3: Characteristic and Interactions of Living Organisms
1. There is a fundamental unity underlying the diversity of all living organisms
Major Objectives IS Suggested Activities Suggested Assessments
Concept D: Plants and animals have
different structures that serve similar
functions necessary for the survival of the
organism
a. Compare structures (e.g. wings vs. fins
vs. legs; gills vs. lungs; feathers vs. hair
vs. scales) that serve similar functions
for animals belonging to different
vertebrate classes.
Concept E: Biological classifications are
based on how organisms are related
C3 a. Teacher will employ visuals of many
different animals. Students will observe the
similarities and differences of the creatures.
Students will classify animals into groups
dependant upon their structures. (1.8; 2.3)
a. Students will create Venn diagrams (GO2)
comparing structures that serve similar
functions.
a. Explain how similarities are the basis for
classification.
b. Distinguish between plants (which use
sunlight to make their own food) and
animals (which must consume energyrich
food).
c. Classify animals as vertebrates or
invertebrates.
C3
C10
C3
T
C3
a. Students will take off one shoe and place it
into a pile. They will observe characteristics
of the shoes and create a list of criteria to
divide the shoes into groups. Students will
continue to classify the shoes into smaller
groups. (Instead of shoes, other classroom
items can be used.) (1.3; 4.6; 1.8)
b. Students will compare cell structures of a
plant and an animal. Students will discuss
the similarities and differences of producers
and consumers. (1.8; 2.4)
c. Teacher will model or describe a backbone
to the class using pipe cleaners and lifesavers
candy. Give students visuals of many
different animals. Students will classify
animals into two groups, those with and
those without backbones. (1.3; 1.8)
a. Give each group a pile of mismatched
buttons or beads. Students will write the
characteristics they are using to classify the
buttons and create a ladder chart (GO1)
showing how classifications go from general
to specific. Students will write each
characteristic used and which or how many
items met those criteria.
b. Students will invent a species and explain
why it is a plant or animal using proper
characteristics. They will create a diagram of
their species listing the criteria that specify it
as a producer or consumer.
c. Students will create a t-chart (GO3) or Venn
diagram (GO2) classifying the animals as
vertebrates or invertebrates.
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