I worked on this project all last week. We are discussing animals for the next few weeks, with the main part of the time being spent on an indepth animal "report" for both Rylan and Cale. I am thinking they will do a lapbook or something similar, but I want this to be them. But I will help them get their ideas focused and brainstorm for content to include. This is also a duel purpose unit on research. But before we jump into their projects I wanted to go over animal classification again. We did this a little last year, made a big poster and everytime we saw an anmimal we would glue it's picture in the right place. And draw a symbol for it's habitat.
So this year I made this:
Our animal classification box. There are divisions for Invertebrate/Vertebrate/Arthropod, then into the classes: mammal, bird, echinoderm, insect, etc...
Here is the control chart. I downloaded it from here.
Then there are animal picture cards 3-4 for each class. I based them off the ones available at the above website. I didn't like them so I found my own pictures and printed them on business card paper (makes it so much easier!)
 Then there are reference cards that tell a few facts about each class:
We've been working through it together. So far sorted all the animals into their Phylums and the vertebrates into classes (no I didn't actually use the phylum/class terminology with them...) Tomorrow we tackle the invertebrates, before they choose which animal they want to do their reports on.
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• Aug. 13, 2008 - Like this animal classification
This would probably help our younger children understand our science better.
We have been studying zoology so this would fit in perfect with the animal classification etc.
Thanks for sharing this, I love the box idea.
I think we will work on putting something like this together as it will help them and myself understand.
Thanks again.
Sheila