Classification resources

Students use a key to classify and describe a number of the illustrated insects and spiders.

Task: select which group pictures of animals belong to. Assessment focus: classification of small animals.

Decide whether the photographed animals are reptiles or not, and justify responses. (A fact file giving the features of reptiles is given.) Answer a question about why scientists have an agreed way of grouping living things. Assessment focus: using science-based classifications.

Task: use a key to identify which major group 4 plants belong to. Assessment focus: using a key to classify plants.

Students draw a line from each of six invertebrate animals to its correct description. They are also required to name each animal.

Task: Use information about differences between moths and butterflies to decide which category examples belong to, and identify what evidence was used. Assessment focus: observation, using evidence.

Task: use features to group small animals, identify differences between 3 animals, and identify the insects. Assessment focus: using features to group small animals.

Students are provided with six drawings of different types of insects. They use the drawings to explain two features of insects and to explain differences between the insects illustrated.

For this task students are provided with photographs of four different types of weta. Students are asked to give two features that weta have in common with each other and to give two features that show weta belong to the group insects.

Task: Students decide whether four dinosaurs are meat-eaters or plant-eaters, and justify their answers. A list of features of each group is provided. It may be completed individually or as a group assessment. Assessment focus: using evidence.

For this NEMP task students use a key to name five small animals. They answer a question about the gas animals need to survive.

Task: use a chart comparing the features of insects and spiders to decide which group a wētā belongs in. Assessment Focus: classification.

This practical task assesses students' ability to identify the features of four invertebrate groups using labels and animal cards.

For this practical task, students join 'dominos'. They match an animal feature on the initial 'domino' with the appropriate animal picture on the next 'domino'.

Task: identify micro-organisms. Assessment focus: using an identification key