Classy Mobile

Summary

Students will create a mobile demonstrating their understanding of the five kingdoms of life.

Materials

• student worksheet (attached)
• Internet capable computers
• printer (optional)
• field guides and other nature books
• paper
• markers or crayons
• scissors
• Popsicle sticks, clothes hangers, string, or other material to construct the mobile

Background for Teachers

Groups of two students will use field guides and the Internet to research the common and scientific names of examples of organisms in the five kingdoms of life. They will create a mobile that illustrates their information.

Student Prior Knowledge

Students need to know the five kingdoms of living things and be familiar with some examples in each kingdom. They should be familiar with search techniques on the Internet and how to save or print images from the Internet.

Instructional Procedures

1. You may need to explain the difference between a common name and the scientific name. The scientific name is not in English and is two words written in italics in encyclopedias or in field guides.
2. Explain that the first word that is capitalized is the genus name and the second lowercase name is the species name. The genus is a group that might have several different kinds of organisms that are similar to each other. The species is one type of creature. An analogy might be that the genus is like your last name and the species is your own name. There are several people in your family (the genus), but only one you (with the genus and species together.) You might give some examples: Canus domestics (dog) and Canus latrans (coyote).

Assessment Plan

Scoring Guide: Use the rubric below.

Bibliography

Lesson Design by Jordan School District Teachers and Staff.