More About This Resource...

• In this Biodiversity Counts activity, students learn how scientists use physical characteristics to identify and classify plant specimens. The printable five-page PDF handout includes:

  • a series of inquiry-based questions to get students thinking about what they already know about classification in general,
  • step-by-step directions for the two-part activity (analyzing two twigs and then finding the plant, tree, or shrub they came from), and
  • a worksheet that includes brainstorming questions and areas for illustrating observations and recording answers.

• Completion Time

  Approximately 1 period

• Topic

  Biology

• Subtopic

  Plants

• Subtopic

  National Science Education Standards
  Grades 5-8:
  Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A: 

  • abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry• understanding about scientific inquiry

  Life Science CONTENT STANDARD C: 

  • structure and function in living systems

  History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G: 

  • science as a human endeavor• nature of science

  Grades 9-12:
  Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A: 

  • abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry• understanding about scientific inquiry

  History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G: 

  • science as a human endeavor• nature of scientific knowledge

• Learning Standard

  National Science Education Standards
  Grades 5-8:
  Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A: 

  • abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry• understanding about scientific inquiry

  Life Science CONTENT STANDARD C: 

  • structure and function in living systems

  History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G: 

  • science as a human endeavor• nature of science

  Grades 9-12:
  Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A: 

  • abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry• understanding about scientific inquiry

  History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G: 

  • science as a human endeavor• nature of scientific knowledge