Name: ___________________________ Class: ______________________ Date: ____________________
Pokémon Classification Project
Background
Pokémon was a video game originally released for the Game Boy in 1996. The purpose of the game is to travel the
world capturing and training wild creatures, called Pokémon. While these creatures are all fictional, most of them
are based in part on real animals. For this project, you will take some of these animals and attempt to classify them
based on all the characteristics you have learned about both vertebrates and invertebrates.
Pokémon List
These are the Pokémon you are to use for this project. Each one is assigned a number that corresponds with its entry
in the official index, called the Pokédex. This is available online at http://pokemondb.net/pokedex
#06 – Charizard
#07 – Squirtle
#12 – Butterfree
#13 – Weedle
#17 – Pidgeotto
#19 – Rattata
#22 - Fearow
#24 - Arbok
#27 – Sandshrew
#37 - Vulpix
#41 - Zubat
#47 – Parasect
Page 1
Name: ___________________________ Class: ______________________ Date: ____________________
#54 – Psyduck
#56 - Mankey
#60 - Poliwag
#73 - Tentacruel
#87 - Dewgong
#90 - Shellder
#116 - Horsea
#120 – Staryu
#128 - Tauros
#130 - Gyardos
#138 - Omanyte
#147 - Dratini
Tree Diagram
Take each of the organisms shown above and design a tree diagram to separate them. This is a useful way to
determine which are more closely related, and which are not. You can use any observable physical characteristic
to separate these organisms:
-
Vertebrate or Invertebrate
Warm Blooded or Cold Blooded
Body Symmetry
Breathes Oxygen from Water or Air
Outer body covering: scales, fur, shell, fathers, etc.
Name: ___________________________ Class: ______________________ Date: ____________________
Create the tree diagram below. Each organism should eventually end up on its own branch. You may need
to extend it with additional branches.
Name: ___________________________ Class: ______________________ Date: ____________________
Creating Levels of Classification
Now that these animals have been studied and separated by physical traits, we can now assign them to different
taxons, or classification levels. For each of the phyla group you created, give a short description of what
characteristics define it, then list any of the Pokémon that would fit within that taxon. Note: some may be empty.
Phylum
Characteristics
Pokémon
For each of the class group you created, give a short description of what characteristics define it, then list any of
the Pokémon that would fit within that taxon.
Class
Characteristics
Pokémon
Name: ___________________________ Class: ______________________ Date: ____________________
For each of the order group you created, give a short description of what characteristics define it, then list any of
the Pokémon that would fit within that taxon.
Order
Characteristics
Pokémon
Name: ___________________________ Class: ______________________ Date: ____________________
For each of the family group you created, give a short description of what characteristics define it, then list any
of the Pokémon that would fit within that taxon.
Family
Characteristics
Pokémon
Name: ___________________________ Class: ______________________ Date: ____________________
For each of the genus group you created, give a short description of what characteristics define it, then list any of
the Pokémon that would fit within that taxon.
Genus
Characteristics
Pokémon
Name: ___________________________ Class: ______________________ Date: ____________________
Writing the Key
Using the numbered cladogram you completed as a guide, write out each division as a true-or-false statement.
To the right of each question, indicate where the user must go next if the statement is true.
Example: 1a. The organism has feathers.
1b. The organism does not have feathers.
1a. _________________________________________________________
1b. _________________________________________________________
2a. _________________________________________________________
2b. _________________________________________________________
3a. _________________________________________________________
3b. _________________________________________________________
4a. _________________________________________________________
4b. _________________________________________________________
5a. _________________________________________________________
5b. _________________________________________________________
6a. _________________________________________________________
6b. _________________________________________________________
7a. _________________________________________________________
7b. _________________________________________________________
8a. _________________________________________________________
8b. _________________________________________________________
9a. _________________________________________________________
9b. _________________________________________________________
10a. _________________________________________________________
10b _________________________________________________________
11a. _________________________________________________________
11b. _________________________________________________________
12a. _________________________________________________________
12b. _________________________________________________________
……..…go to 2
………..go to 8
Name: ___________________________ Class: ______________________ Date: ____________________
13a. _________________________________________________________
13b. _________________________________________________________
14a. _________________________________________________________
14b. _________________________________________________________
15a. _________________________________________________________
15b. _________________________________________________________
16a. _________________________________________________________
16b. _________________________________________________________
17a. _________________________________________________________
17b. _________________________________________________________
18a. _________________________________________________________
18b. _________________________________________________________
19a. _________________________________________________________
19b. _________________________________________________________
20a. _________________________________________________________
20b. _________________________________________________________
21a. _________________________________________________________
21b. _________________________________________________________
22a. _________________________________________________________
23b _________________________________________________________
24a. _________________________________________________________
24b. _________________________________________________________
25a. _________________________________________________________
25b. _________________________________________________________
Name: ___________________________ Class: ______________________ Date: ____________________
Constructing the Presentation
The final step is to create a classification book:
1. Make a cover page with your name and period.
2. Next are the names you created for each levels (phyla, classes, orders, family, genus) and a description
of characteristics that define them.
3. Pokémon Dichotomous Key
4.
A page for each Pokémon that contains the following
a. Pokémon Name
b. Levels of Classification
c. Picture
Classification Rubric
Cover Page (3 points):
- Title
- Name and Period
- Picture
Levels of Classification (10 points):
- Each level (phylum, class, order, family, genus) are named.
- Short description of characteristics for each level.
Dichotomous Key (15 points):
- Used characteristics to write the key
- Named every Pokémon
Pokémon Pages (72 points):
- Each page has the name, levels of classification and picture of Pokémon.
Total: 100 points