Design a Learning Experience Through Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction

Learning Experience – How to Read & Write a Dichotomous Key

Gagne’s 9 Events of Instruction

1. Gain Attention: As students enter the classroom they’ll see a graphic on the board. The graphic will be of many different ‘wacky people.’ The teacher will ask the class a series of questions that should pique the class’s interests. “What are these wacky people?” “Do they share any similar characteristics?” “Are they possibly be related, if so, how?” “How would you classify them?”

2. Establish Purpose: The purpose of this learning experience is for the class to create a dichotomous key using the written form. The significance of this experience is to be able to read and understand the classification system used to identify living organisms. After completing your own key, you will then recognize and read a dichotomous key effortlessly.

3. Stimulate Recall of Prior Learning: Discuss biological classification and how scientists have organized living things into different ranks based on shared physical characteristics. This organization or classification is known as scientific taxonomy. The different ranks within this system are: Life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. The more specific the classification is the lower the rank is. For example: Things are placed into kingdoms based on their similar physical characteristics. They are then divided into smaller and smaller groups. The more similar living things are within the kingdom, the more closely they are grouped, resulting in the most specified rank, species.

4: Present Content: After scientific taxonomy and how biological classification operates is reviewed, the class with examine how a dichotomous key functions further. Through a small power point, the teacher will present the two forms of a dichotomous key; written and graphical. It will be discussed how you work through each form. Using an example the teacher will ‘walk’ through a dichotomous key with the class. The teacher will emphasize that a dichotomous key gives instructions in pairs of statements and it is also important to identify one thing at a time.

5: Guided Learning: As a class we will identify the first three ‘wacky people’ using the given key. Then in partners they will identify each ‘wacky person.’ With each character, we will start with the first pair of statements. Then decide which description describes your chosen character best and follow the line to the right. There will either be a number or a name. If it is a number, go to the pair of steps with that number, for example, if the number is 3, go to steps 3a and 3b. If the line ends in a name you have identified your character, so write it down by the creature. Continue until each creature has a name. There is only one creature per name, and no creature has two names.

6: Elicit Performance: Now that students can read and navigate through a dichotomous key, they will create their own. The requirements for this key are that there must be at least but not limited to 12 pairs of statements, 10 creatures, and a title of where these creatures come from. Students will need to draw their creatures in a landscape setting and write a dichotomous key based on their drawings. The final drawings will need to be colored along with the final key being typed. Students will work in groups of 3-4 over the course of 3 class periods to complete this task. The class will have the remainder of the class to brainstorm within their teacher-selected groups.

7: Provide Feedback: As students work on their creatures and dichotomous key, the teacher will be available to answer questions and provide feedback while walking and monitoring the classroom.

8: Assess Performance: The student’s final key and drawing will be assessed by the attached rubric. Students will need to turn in their final products along with their rough sketches and first draft of the key. Students will also be asked to fill out the same rubric reflecting their group members’ participation. They will be encouraged to fill it out honestly.

9: Enhance Retention: Their final landscapes and keys will be displayed around the room throughout the rest of the unit. Students can refer to them when classifying living organisms in future assignments.

Dichotomous Key & Landscape Rubric

*Circle Score	3	2	1	Comments
Statements	12 or more paired statements were developed.	11 to 10 paired statements were developed.	9 or less paired statements were developed.
Creatures	10 or more creatures were used.	9 to 7 creatures were used.	6 or less creatures were used.
Dichotomous Key	Each creature can be easily identified without error. There are not any statements that lead to more than one creature.	The majority of creatures can be easily identified. There are 2 or fewer statements that lead to more than one creature.	Creatures are difficult to identify. There are 3 or more statements that lead to multiply creatures.
Final Key & Landscape	Key was typed and the landscape was colored. There was also a relevant title present.	Either the key wasn’t typed or the landscape wasn’t colored or there isn’t a relevant title present. Only one component missing.	Key wasn’t typed. Lanscape was not colored. There wasn’t a title present at all.
Materials	Drafts and final copies of landscape and key were submitted on time. Each group member completed peer rubric.	Drafts and final copies of landscape and key were submitted on time. Missing completed peer rubrics.	Drafts or final copies are missing. Assignment is handed in late.

TOTAL _________/ 15___