Year 4 · Autumn 1.1 · Step 5

Earth & Space

Classification keys (plants)

Using keys to sort plants by their features — and answering our enquiry: how can living things be grouped and classified?

Arrival Starter I do We do Independent Exit ticket
🌱 Seedling · Working towards 🌿 Sapling · Expected 🌳 Oak · Greater depth

⏱ Whole lesson ≈ 44 min · pick a tier in the bar, or leave on "All"

Arrival 4 min

Recap of last lesson: grouping plants. Whole-block review too.

Recap: grouping plants

🌱 Seedling
Working towards

Flowering plants make ____.

🌿 Sapling
Expected
  1. Name a non-flowering plant.
  2. How do ferns spread?
🌳 Oak
Greater depth

What yes/no question would separate a rose from a fern?

Bridge into todayWe used keys for animals; today we use them for plants — and answer our big question: how can living things be grouped and classified?
Starter 5 min

Keys work for plants using closed questions about features.

Keys for plants

We classify plants the same way as animals — with a key of yes/no questions about features: "Does it have flowers?", "Does it have broad leaves?", "Does it make cones?" Good questions are about facts, not opinions.

🌱 Seedling
Working towards

Plant keys use ____ / no questions.

🌿 Sapling
Expected

Write a good yes/no question to sort plants.

🌳 Oak
Greater depth

Why is “Is it pretty?” a poor key question?

I do · 1 6 min

Teacher models building a plant key. Watch to recall plant features.

Build a plant key

▶ Can't see it? Watch "Classifying and grouping plants — build a key" on YouTube

Swap the clip: change the ID after /embed/ (now cgVlrtGnG6s).

Say thisStart with the biggest split: "Does it have flowers?" Yes → a flowering plant; no → ask again: "Does it have fronds?" for a fern. Each closed question about a real feature narrows it down to one plant.
🌸
Flowers?first split
🍃
Leaf shape?broad / needle
🌰
Cones?conifers
We do · 1 6 min

Walk a plant down the key together.

Follow the plant key

Flowers? → no → Fronds? → yes → fern  |  Flowers? → yes → Broad leaves? → yes → daisy

Answer the enquiry
How can living things be grouped and classified? By their features, using keys of yes/no questions.
I do · 2 4 min

Play the animation. Bust: questions can be broad or based on opinion.

The same key idea, for plants

Does it have flowers? YESNO Flowering plant 🌸 Does it have fronds? Fern 🌿 the same yes/no key works for plants too

"Does it have flowers?" splits plants in two; the next question narrows it to a fern.

Model the ideaA good plant key question is specific and closed: "Does it have flowers?" works; "Is it nice?" or "How green is it?" don't — they're opinions or too broad to sort reliably.

Watch for: broad questions and opinion questions; thinking plants can't be classified with keys.

We do · 2 5 min

Sort questions: would each help sort plants?

Good plant key question?

Decide together
"Does it have flowers?"   "Is it pretty?"   "Does it make cones?"
Which are good closed questions, and which won't help?
Independent 10 min

On your own. Sort each question, then answer the big enquiry.

Plant key question sorter

✅ Good key question

🚫 Poor question

💬 Not a question

Tap a card to sort it…

🌱 Seedling
Working towards

Sort the cards. Then finish: Living things can be grouped by their ____.

🌿 Sapling
Expected

Sort them, then write two good yes/no questions to sort plants.

🌳 Oak
Greater depth

Sort them, then answer the enquiry: how can living things be grouped and classified?

Exit ticket 4 min

Answer at your tier, then hand it in. End of the block.

Show what you know

🌱 Seedling
Working towards
  • Write one good plant key question.
  • Flowering plants make ____.
🌿 Sapling
Expected
  • Why must key questions be closed?
  • How do we group non-flowering plants?
🌳 Oak
Greater depth

Answer our enquiry: how can living things be grouped and classified?

TA Focus · Plant keys & the enquiry
Same skill as L3, plant features: first question is usually 'Does it have flowers?' Keep questions closed and factual ('Does it make cones?'), not opinion ('Is it pretty?'). This lesson answers the block enquiry — living things are grouped by their features, using keys.
Cold Call · Question bank
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