CLASSROOM COOPERATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITY

EDP 621, Summer 2001

FAITH SMITH

Grade 6

Classifying Leaves 2 day group activity (40 minute class period for each day)

Goal:

Students, given a group of different types of leaves from different plants, will come up with and demonstrate visually on what basis they classify or separate their groups of leaves.

Materials Needed:

1.) Folder with 10 different leaves

2.) Scrap paper 1 per group

3.) Poster paper 1 piece per group

4.) Pencil

5.) Colored pencils

*Hint: if you store the leaves in a sealed zip lock bag in the refrigerator they will last long enough for the two days required for this activity without wilting.

Procedures:

1.) Divide students into groups of 3 by passing out cards with numbers on them. Example: If you have twenty- four students pass out cards numbered 1-8. The 1’s are together, the 2’s are together and so on. So you would end up with 8 groups of 3.

2.) Have students sit with their partner and each group should receive a folder with 10 different leaves, a piece of scrap paper, and a pencil. Have then label their folder with the group member’s names.

3.) Have students review with the teacher discussing how to classify things. Example, Size, Number of leaflets, veins are visible, veins are not visible, shape, points, sharp points, rounded points etc. Tell students they should at least have three different leaf classification groups. They should be grouped according to how the leaves are alike. Also, tell groups that each member should have a job they are doing within their group. They may want to assign them according to what each group member is good at.

4.) Have students open folders and pull out leaves. Together they need to look through their leaves and begin to decide on some ways to group or classify the leaves as to how they are alike.

5.) Once the leaves have been classified place them into groups on the desk according to how they are alike.

6.) Have students make a table on scrap paper with drawn picture of leaves, description, and a made up agreed upon name they chose for each group of leaves. Get the scrap paper the way they want the final poster to look like. Put group # on scrap paper and hand n the scrap paper and folder.

Day Number 2:

1.) Have students regroup with group members from yesterday.

2.) Redistribute folder, scrap paper. Also today pass out poster paper, and colored pencils.

3.) Have each group finish scrap paper together.

4.) Get scrap paper okayed by teacher.

5.) Take scrap paper, and helping each other within the group, create a poster with what the group did on scrap paper. Each doing what they decided their job would be.

6.) Add color with colored pencils to poster.

7.) Put group names on poster and group #. Hand in all materials to teacher when complete.

Discussion: (Orally go over on the third day after the projects have all been turned in.)

1.) What was most difficult about classifying leaves within your group?

2.) Did your whole group have the same idea for how the leaves should be classified?

3.) How can you relate this classifying activity to other objects you see daily?

4.) How do scientist use this to make a classification system or dichotomous key?

Evaluation:

Teacher check numbered folder to identical numbered poster to see how the group classified their leaves. Are they organized into groups according to how they are alike? Did they include descriptive picture and name for each category?

Individual test can be given at a later time to determine if classifying is understood by the individuals within the class. Where possible group bonus points could be added depending on the performance of each member on their test to the leaf project.