Key Stage 2
Keys, glorious keys
Teachers’ Notes
Learning Objective
To explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name
a variety of living things in the local and wider environment.
Learning Outcomes
All children to be able to:
Use a simple key to classify some
common invertebrates.
Curriculum Links
Lower KS2
Science:
To explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a
variety of living things in their local and wider environment .
(Pupils could begin to put invertebrate animals into groups such as snails and
slugs, worms, spiders, and insects.)
Upper KS2
Science:
They should use and develop keys and other information records to identify,
classify and describe living things and materials, and identify patterns that
might be found in the natural environment.
(Through direct observations where possible, they should classify animals into
commonly found invertebrates (such as insects, spiders, snails, worms).)
Pupils might work scientifically by: using classification systems and keys to
identify some animals and plants in the immediate environment.
Some children to be able to:
Develop questions for their own
identification keys.
Key Stage 2
Keys, glorious keys
Teachers’ Notes
This pack contains two keys.
Key 1 is designed to be used in school. The aim is to get the children used to working with keys
and classifying some common UK minibeasts . All of the key questions have been provided, so
the children simply have to match each minibeast to the correct answer space on the key.
They could do this by cutting and sticking the boxes from the right hand side of the page, or
they could draw their own pictures in the appropriate space. Then you could take the
children out into the local woods or school grounds to see how many of each type they can
find!
Please note: This key will help classify most common invertebrates that you are likely to find, but there may be
some that it does not work for e.g. caterpillars or grubs. Perhaps you could ask the children to come up with
their own key question to identify these creatures (remember, they are both still insects!)
Key 2 is to be used during a trip to Marwell Zoo, where the children can begin to develop their
own keys by looking at the many different bird species in Marwell’s main walkthrough aviary.
They will need to find four different birds, watch them closely, and then write suitable
questions so that another child can use the key to identify them. Some ideas of what to look
for have been given to help focus the children’s observations (so that hopefully they won’t just
concentrate on colours!). A tick list has also been provided so that once they swap over, they
can quickly check which birds have been included on the key.
Keys, glorious keys 1
Use the key to work out which invertebrate group these animals belong to.
Then go outside and see how many of each you can find!
e.g slugs and
snails
START: Does it have any legs?
Yes
No
e.g. woodlice
Does it have 6 legs in total?
Yes
Does it have a long, tube-like
body with rings around it?
No
Yes
No
e.g. earthworms
Does it have 8 legs in total?
Yes
No
Does it have a grey,
oval-shaped body?
INSECT
Yes
No
e.g. beetles,
ants, flies, bees
(and more!)
ANNELID
GASTROPOD
e.g. centipedes
and millipedes
ARACHNID
CRUSTACEAN
MYRIAPOD
e.g. spiders
and scorpions
Keys, glorious keys 2
Bird list:
Choose four birds from the list, then fill in the blank questions and
answers to make your own identification key. Then swap with a
friend and see if you can use their key to identify one of the birds!
START: Does this bird have a smaller body than a pigeon?
Yes
No
Does it have bright yellow feathers?
Yes
No
Q. _______________________________?
No
Yes
Q. _____________________
Village weaver
Waldrapp ibis
Pied avocet
Hamerkop
Madagascar teal
Night heron
Little egret
Schalow’s turaco
Blue-crowned
laughing thrush
Crowned plover
Other:__________
Tick the birds you
have used!
_____________________?
No
Yes
Village weaver
bird
Ideas to look for:
Beak shape
Leg length
\
Types of feathers
Does it have webbed feet?
Is it endangered?
Waldrapp ibis
Q. _____________________
_____________________?
Yes
No