Similarities and differences

Similarities and differences

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
Thist task is about using physical features to group small animals.
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3
 
  earthworm
Earthworm
 
leech
Leech
beetle spider
Beetle        Spider    
earwig   crab
Earwig            Crab       
 

snail
Snail
 
shellfish
Shellfish 
[NOT DRAWN TO SCALE]

Question 1Change answer

a) These animals belong to three different groups. For each group, name or describe one feature that all the animals in it have in common.
Group 1: 
Group 2: 
Group 3: 

Question 1Change answer

b)  What is one feature that is different between the spider, the earwig, and the crab?

Question

c)  Name the animals shown which are insects.
    • Earthworm

    • Leech

    • Beetle

    • Spider

    • Earwig

    • Crab

    • Snail

    • Shellfish

Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online.
Level:
3
Description of task: 
Task: use features to group small animals, identify differences between 3 animals, and identify the insects. Assessment focus: using features to group small animals.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capability: Gather and interpret data
This resource provides opportunities to discuss when we look very carefully and notice lots of things it helps us describe how things are similar and different.
 
Science capabilities: 
Making Better Sense: 
Answers/responses: 
 

Y7 (04/1998)

a) i)
ii)
iii)
Segmented body/round body shape/or description of.
Exoskeleton/limbs/jointed limbs/or description of.
Shell/muscular foot/or description of.
very difficult
moderate
easy
b)   Number of legs. difficult
c)   Beetle and earwig. difficult

 

Diagnostic and formative information: 
  Student response
c) Frequency of answers where the wrong animal was given as an example of an insect: earthworm (23%), leech (12%), spider (34%), snail (25%), other (6%).

All the animals in Group 2 belong to the group called arthropods. All arthropods have:

  • a segmented body with a thick outer skeleton
  • a head with sense organs and paired mouth parts
  • jointed legs

Differences:

  1. Arthropods can be further divided into subgroups. 
  2. Crustaceans have many legs and breathe through gills, e.g., crab. 
  3. Arachnids have two body parts, two pairs of feelers or pincers, and four pairs of legs, e.g., spiders.
  4. Insects in their adult form have three body parts, three pairs of legs, and, often but not always, one or two pairs of wings.
  5. Millipedes and Centipedes.

Students at Level 3 are likely not to have a clear understanding of the scientific classification system. They often, when they start learning about classification, don't recognise that the model is hierarchical, with each group being subdivided into smaller groups. While they initially may put spiders and insects in the same group, once they learn the differences, they may then not recognise that they also belong to a common group.

Common way of classifying by children

How scientists classify animals

             

At Level 3 it is sufficient that children understand that insects, spiders, and crustaceans have differences, but are related. Using the analogy of families may be useful.