Chapter 4 Lesson 1 "How Plants are Classified"

Materials:

• Worksheet "Advantages and Disadvantages of being Vascular."
• Worksheet Classifying Plants
• Several Pictures identified below will be used.

Objective:

• Students will explain how plants are classified.
• Students will describe the history of the classification of plants.
• Students will tell the difference between vascular and nonvascular plants.

Alaska Standards:

• SCI A-12 Students will distinguish the patterns of similarity and differences in the living world in order to understand the diversity of life and understand the theories that describe the importance of diversity for species and ecosystems.
• SCI A-15 Students will use science to understand and describe the local environment.
• SCI B-1 Students will use the processes of science: classifying.
• SCI C-3, Students will understand that society, culture, history, and environment affect the development of scientific knowledge.

Anticipatory Set: Students will be shown a picture of a nonvascular leaf, a monocot leaf and a dicot leaf close-up. Students will discuss how the leaves are similar and how they are different. Similarities should include leaf color and differences should include leaf shape and veins in the leaves.

Teacher Input: Students will be shown a picture of Aristotle 2000 years ago, while looking at that picture explain that Aristotle first classified plants and animals. Then show a picture of Linnaeus 250 years ago, and explain that Linnaeus developed a new method to classify plants and animals and today, organisms are classified based on his system. Scientists with their modern ways of detecting evolutionary tracts still classify plants the same way. Explain this diagram of the classification of plants and how it relates to the evolution/interrelatedness of plants.

Teacher Modeling: With the diagram of the classification of plants still infront of the students start at the bottom and define the words, vascular plant, nonvascular plant, and Vascular tissue (P68-69), Working your way up the tree define moss, fern, and seed (Page 68).

Check for Understanding: Students should discuss the advantages and disadvantages of vascular and nonvascular plants. Use the word document "Advantages and Disadvantages of being Vascular." It may help to show these pictures of redwood trees when you discuss the advantages of being vascular. Pic 1, Pic 2.

Guided Practice:

Students will discuss the similarities and differences between vascular and nonvascular plants using the Venn diagram on the bottom of the "Advantages and Disadvantages of being Vascular." worksheet.

Closure: Students will work on the Classifying Plants sheet. You can copy it onto the back of the other sheet.

Independent Practice:

• Students will take quiz 04-1, "How Plants are Classified" quiz.

Duration:

30 minutes + 10-15 for Independent Practice (Could be longer if taken for homework).