University of Arkansas Fort Smith

School of Education
Lesson Plan

Unit Title: Taxonomy (Linnaean

classification)
Subject Area:
Science
Duration of Lesson: 45 minutes
Name: Breanna Jones

Lesson Title: Taxonomy Classification

System
Grade Level:
7th
Date(s)
SOE Course: ENGL

I. Standard(s) and Objective(s)

Standard(s):
CDL.7.B.3 Identify the seven major taxonomic categories.
Objective(s):
Students will be able to identify the seven major taxonomic categories.
II. Assessment
Pre-assessment (before planning lesson):
From exit slips from the day before, students will be asked what ways organisms are
classified. Based on their answers, I will have an excellent understanding of what the
students know. Most students have never heard of the levels of taxonomy.
Post-assessment:
At the end of the lesson I will be able to have an idea on what students learned and if
they understand based off our group discussion. Students will have the last five
minutes to answer an exit slip reviewing the levels.
At the end of the unit, students will present an animal they researched.

III. Planning:
Open up with explaining how students will write down their three characteristics of hair
color, eye color, and gender. After doing this, students will get into their respective
groups multiple times.
A video will now be shown explaining the Linnaean Classification system.

After the video, I will explain how the activity of classifying each other by our individual
characteristics is how Linnaean classified things.
After learning the why, we will now study the seven levels of taxonomy by using the
acronym DKPCOFGS (Dumb King Phillip Came Over From German Soil); this gives the
levels of taxonomy: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Species.
IV. Engaging the Learner
Setting the stage for learning by doing the activity of students classifying by their three
characteristics of hair color, eye color, and gender. This shows how classifying works.
The video and acronym will help students remember the levels of taxonomy.

V. Methods, Activities and Resources

Methods: I will have notes for students to copy. I will have a mnemonic device
for students to remember the order. Dumb King Phillip Came Over From
German Soil. I will facilitate group discussion. Show video explaining
classification system.
Activities: Students will classify each other according to Hair color, Eye color,
and gender. They will take notes to refer back to for homework and to study for
test.
Resources:
Pencil
Paper
Computers
Internet- Video ready

VI. Potential Adaptations to the Lesson {PAL}

I will use visual aid to help show the classifying process.
Students with 504s will be tested over the first four taxonomy levels, and the
last three later on.
ELL students will be allowed to write their notes and mnemonic device in
their native language.

VII. Collaboration
Science team- discuss/share activities for this particular lesson
Computer Lab
Library for resources
VIII. Reflection and efficacy (to be completed after teaching this lesson)
Adopted Spring 2014
Attachments