Dichotomous Key Challenge
A worksheet to help 4th-grade students understand and use dichotomous keys to identify organisms.
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Dichotomous Key Challenge
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Read each question carefully and follow the instructions. A dichotomous key helps us identify different organisms by asking a series of questions with two choices.
1. A dichotomous key is a tool used to organisms.
2. The word "dichotomous" means splitting into parts.
3. Each step in a dichotomous key gives you choices.
4. Which of these is a good first question for a dichotomous key?
Is it blue?
Does it have wings?
Is it pretty?
What is its name?
Use the dichotomous key below to identify the animal:
1a. Has fur .......................................................................... Go to 2
1b. Has feathers ................................................................. Go to 3
2a. Has stripes ................................................................... Tiger
2b. Does not have stripes .................................................... Bear
3a. Can fly ........................................................................ Eagle
3b. Cannot fly ..................................................................... Penguin
5. An animal has fur and stripes. What is it?
6. An animal has feathers and cannot fly. What is it?
7. Every step in a dichotomous key must have only two choices.
True
False
8. A dichotomous key always tells you the exact color of an animal.
True
False
9. Imagine you have two different types of leaves. Write one dichotomous key choice that could separate them.