Classification Cards

Summary

Students learn to classify plant leaves using a key they design themselves or use from a book or the Internet. (They may also make a Mothers and/or Fathers Day card with a leaf and classification theme.)

Materials

• 20 numbered leaves mounted on cardstock with book tape (you may wish to have students make these)
• Little Golden Book tree identification or Internet Program such as: What Tree is That? Online
• cardstock
• markers
• book tape (2" or 3" wide)

Background for Teachers

If students mount the leaves themselves they will need to collect leaves as homework and press them between pages of a book to bring to school. It will take about 20 minutes to mount them on cardstock with book tape and number them using a marker. If a key will be built from these leaves, another 50 minutes will be necessary. For students to use a book or the Internet to name the leaves, it will take 30-40 minutes to name 5-10 of them. To make the Mothers and/ or Fathers Day card, 20-30 minutes.

Instructional Procedures

1. If you have enough types of leaves on your school grounds and wish to take a field trip to collect them, take your class outside and have each student collect a different one. Press them in class in a book between two pieces of paper overnight.
2. Have the students mount the leaves on cardstock by taping them in place with book tape. If you want the students to identify them, use a classification key or Internet site (as listed above). To "properly" identify their leaf, the students should put the following information:
   
   Tree Name
   Date collected
   Location collected
   Collectors Name
   
   
3. In another version of the activity, you might prepare the leaves ahead of time. You will need enough specimens of each type of leaf for each student group and there should be about 8 different kinds of leaves. Students should put them in two groups and then divide them further based on characteristics. They can make a branching key like this:
   
4. Cards can be made with a leaf taped on the front and a message from the student that relates to classification. For example:
   
   
5. A similar card could be made for Fathers Day.

Bibliography

Lesson Design by Jordan School District Teachers and Staff.