ACTIVITY II

MAKE A SIMPLE DETERMINATION KEY

A. Objective
To understand and make a simple dichotomous and determination key.

B. Introduction
The determination key is a list of properties arranged as to direct somebody to find out the
species name of a living thing. The list is arranged in numbers. Determination key is usually
dichotomous. It means that every number contains two statements uttering yes or no.
The following figure shows a simple dichotomous key and determination key.

Example of determination key:

1. a) Lives in water _______________ fish
b) Doesn’t live in water _________ 2
2. a) Has big ears ________________ rabbit
b) Doesn’t have big ears ________ 3
3. a) Breeds quickly ______________ mouse
b) Doesn’t breed quickly ________ 4
4. a) Barks _____________________ dog
b) Doesn’t bark _______________ cat
Now it‘s time for you to learn how to use a simple determination key. You can also develop a simple
dichotomous determination key for the plants or animals in your surrounding.

C. Apparatus and Materials

1. Singkong (cassava) 11. Some paper
2. Mawar (rose) 12. Pencil and ballpoint
3. Bambu (bamboo) 13. A ruler
4. Rumput (grass)
5. Mangga (mango)
6. Bayam (spinach)
7. Pisang (banana)
8. Belimbing (star fruit)
9. Bunga sepatu (Hibiscus flower)
10. Jagung (corn)
D. Procedure
Students Worksheet Grade VII Semester 1 Classification of Living Things 1|Page
 1. Prepare ten species of plants.
2. Observe the morphological feature/characteristics of those ten plants correctly and carefully. You can
use this aspect in observing the plant characteristics:
1) Batang (herba atau berkayu)
2) Batang (tumbuh di bawah tanah atau di atas tanah)
3) Batang (ruas dan buku terlihat jelas atau ruas dan buku tidak terlihat jelas)
4) Batang (berduri atau tidak berduri)
5) Batang (bergetah atau tidak bergetah)
6) Sistem perakaran (serabut atau tunggang)
7) Tipe daun (daun tunggal atau daun majemuk)
8) Bentuk daun (bulat, jorong/lonjong, memanjang, pita)
9) Pertulangan daun (menyirip, menjari, sejajar, melengkung)
10) Peruratan daun (memata jala, sejajar)
11) Tepi daun (rata atau tidak rata)
3. Make a list of properties of those plants and find out the scientific name of those plants.
4. Make a simple dichotomous key.
5. Make a simple determination key.

E. Data
Table 1 Characteristics of plants
Name of Name of
No. Characteristics No. Characteristics
plants plants
A Cassava 1. B Rose 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
8. 8.
9. 9.
10. 10.
11. 11.
C Bamboo 1. D Grass 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
8. 8.
9. 9.
10. 10.
11. 11.
E Mango 1. F Spinach 1.
2. 2.
Students Worksheet Grade VII Semester 1 Classification of Living Things 2|Page
 3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
8. 8.
9. 9.
10. 10.
11. 11.
G Banana 1. H Star fruit 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
8. 8.
9. 9.
10. 10.
11. 11.
I Hibiscus 1. J Corn 1.
flower
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
8. 8.
9. 9.
10. 10.
11. 11.

Students Worksheet Grade VII Semester 1 Classification of Living Things 3|Page

F. Discussion
1. Make a list of properties of those plants.
Table 2 List of Properties of 10 Plants
Types of Plants
No. List of Properties/characteristics Notes
A B C D E F G H I J
a. Batang tumbuh di atas tanah √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ go to no. 2
1.
b. Batang tumbuh di bawah tanah √ G. Pisang
a.
3.
b.
a.
5.
b.
a.
7.
b.
a.
9.
b.
a.
11.
b.
a.
13.
b.
a.
15.
b.
a.
17.
b.
NOTES : (Find out the scientific name of the plants you’ve observed)
A. Singkong (Cassava) :
B. Mawar (Rose) :
C. Bambu (Bamboo) :
D. Rumput (Grass) :
E. Mangga (Mango) :
F. Bayam (Spinach) :
G. Pisang (Banana) :
H. Belimbing (Star fruit) :
I. Bunga sepatu (Hibiscus flower) :
J. Jagung (Corn) :

Students Worksheet Grade VII Semester 1 Classification of Living Things 4|Page

1. se plants.
Make a list of properties of tho

2. Make a simple dichotomous key.

TUMBUHAN

Batang tumbuh di atas tanah Batang tumbuh di bawah tanah

(G. Pisang)

Students Worksheet Grade VII Semester 1 Classification of Living Things 5|Page

3. Make a simple determination key.
Kunci Determinasi
1. a. Batang tumbuh di atas tanah …………………………………………………………………………………… 2
b. Batang tumbuh di bawah tanah ………………………………………………………………………………. G. Pisang
2. a.
b.
3. a.
b.
4. a.
b.
5. a.
b.
6. a.
b.
7. a.
b.
8. a.
b.
9. a.
b.
Determination Key
1. a. The stem grows above the ground …………………………………………………………… 2
b. The stem grows under the ground …………………………………………………………… Musa paradisiaca Linn.
2. a.
b.
3. a.
b.
4. a.
b.
5. a.
b.
6. a.
b.
7. a.
b.
8. a.
b.
9. a.
b.
Students Worksheet Grade VII Semester 1 Classification of Living Things 6|Page