Standard and objective:

• V1a. Categorize non-living objects based on external structures.

Activity title: Shoe Classification

Description: In a large group, students will practice making a classification tree and key using the
students’ own shoes. By the end of this class, students should be able to complete the Collection
Project which is one of the assessments for the unit.

Materials needed:
• Student worksheet that follows
• Overhead copy of worksheet
• Overhead projector or front board
• Students’ shoes

Prior knowledge needed: Exposure to making classification trees and keys

Time required: 30 minutes

Special teacher procedures, safety notes, and suggestions:

• Have the students put one foot with their shoe up on their tables. If they need to, they can
remove the shoe. The students should lead the process of creating a classification tree and
key for the shoes, with minimal assistance from the teacher. Fill in the worksheet with the
characteristics chosen by the students. Students will need to add branches for the tree and
rows for the key as needed.
• Check understanding by asking why certain shoes could only go on a particular branch
(items must be a part of the entire branch, all the way back to the start – they cannot jump
onto another branch part way through the process.
• At the end, have a student volunteer to go outside the classroom. Have the students use
the key to give characteristics of the shoe, even though they cannot observe the shoe.
Point out that if you use the key or tree from beginning to end, you identify an unknown
organism. By using the key or tree backwards, you can find characteristics of a known
organism or other object.

Student sheet or handout (if needed): follows

Scoring guide: Try to get input from all the students during the construction process.
 Name ______________________________ Period __ Shoe Classification

Classify one of the shoes of all the students. Along the arrows, write in the
characteristics you used to divide the shoes into groups. Remember the classification rules.

The whole class’s shoes

Use the characteristics you chose to create a classification key for the shoes.

1a. ……………
1b. ……………
2a. ……………
2b. ……………
3a. ……………
3b. ……..…….