Year 4 Science Classification keys: check-up and practice test questions

Method. Read the animal key table.

1. Read the table. Step 2 asks about feathers, and the yes column gives bird.
   step 2
2. Write the answer.
   2

Check. The yes answer at step 2 gives bird. ✓

Method. Follow the steps for a goldfish.

1. Steps 1 to 3. Yes to backbone, no to feathers, and yes to fins and water.
   fins and water
2. Step 3. The yes column gives fish.
   fish
3. Write the answer.
   fish

Check. A goldfish lives in water. ✓

Method. Read step 1 of the leaf key.

1. Read step 1. The yes column gives holly.
   holly
2. Write the answer.
   holly

Check. Holly leaves have spiny edges. ✓

Method. Read the minibeast key.

1. Read step 1. Step 1 asks about 8 legs, and gives spider for yes.
   step 1
2. Write the answer.
   1

Check. Spiders have 8 legs. ✓

Method. Check the answers.

1. Check the answers. You can answer yes or no to this question.
   yes or no
2. Write the answer.
   yes

Check. Counting the legs gives a clear answer. ✓

Method. Follow the steps for a woodlouse.

1. Steps 1 and 2. It does not have 8 or 6 legs.
   neither
2. Step 3. It has 14 legs, so the key names it woodlouse at step 3.
   step 3
3. Write the answer.
   3

Check. Three steps are used to name a woodlouse. ✓

Method. Think about what you can see.

1. Think about the features. Legs, wings, leaves and fur can be seen.
   can be seen
2. Write the answer.
   Accept any feature that can be seen or counted, such as legs, wings, leaves or fur.

Check. A key uses features you can check. ✓

Method. Follow the steps in order.

1. Step 1. Yes, so go to step 2.
   step 2
2. Step 2. No, so go to step 3.
   step 3
3. Step 3. Yes, so the key gives fish.
   fish
4. Write the answer.
   fish

Check. Three answers lead to the name fish. ✓

Method. Follow the key for a woodlouse.

1. Follow the key. A woodlouse has 14 legs, so the key names it woodlouse.
   14 legs
2. Decide. Insects have 6 legs, so a woodlouse is not an insect.
   not an insect
3. Write the answer.
   No. Accept any sentence that says the key names a woodlouse, not an insect, because it has 14 legs.

Check. The number of legs separates the two groups. ✓

Method. Follow the key from step 1.

1. Step 1. It does not have 8 legs, so go to step 2.
   step 2
2. Step 2. It has 6 legs, so the name is insect.
   insect
3. Write the answer.
   insect

Check. Insects have 6 legs. ✓

Method. Read the key idea.

1. Read the key idea. Each question has two answers: yes or no.
   yes or no
2. Write the answer.
   yes and no

Check. Yes and no are the two answers. ✓

Method. Follow the key from step 1.

1. Step 1. The edges are not spiny, so go to step 2.
   step 2
2. Step 2. Five pointed lobes, so the name is sycamore.
   sycamore
3. Write the answer.
   sycamore

Check. Sycamore leaves have five pointed lobes. ✓

Method. Think about the leaves of each tree.

1. Read the features. Holly has spiny edges, and its leaves stay green all year.
   spiny edges
2. Name the tree. So the tree is holly.
   holly
3. Write the answer.
   holly

Check. The leaf key names holly at step 1. ✓

Method. Think about a feature that one animal has and the other does not.

1. Think about the features. A dog has fur, and a frog does not.
   fur
2. Write the question. Does it have fur or hair? gives yes for a dog and no for a frog.
   fur or hair
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any yes or no question that separates them, such as: Does it have fur or hair?

Check. The answers for the two animals are different. ✓

Method. Think about which question splits the animals into the biggest groups.

1. Think about the split. The backbone question divides vertebrates from invertebrates.
   divides
2. Write the question. So the backbone question should come first.
   Does it have a backbone?
3. Write the answer.
   Does it have a backbone?

Check. Feathers only split the animals with a backbone. ✓

Method. Think about the steps.

1. Think about the answers. Each answer decides which question comes next.
   decides
2. Write the reason. If the order changes, the key can give a different name.
   different name
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any sentence that says each answer decides the next question, so the order must be followed.

Check. The order of the steps gives the correct name. ✓

Method. Follow the key to step 3.

1. Steps 1 and 2. No spiny edges, and no pointed lobes, so go to step 3.
   step 3
2. Step 3. No rounded lobes, so the name is birch.
   birch
3. Write the answer.
   birch

Check. Birch leaves have no lobes. ✓

Method. Follow the key to step 3.

1. Steps 1 and 2. It has neither 8 nor 6 legs, so go to step 3.
   step 3
2. Step 3. It has 14 legs, so the name is woodlouse.
   woodlouse
3. Write the answer.
   woodlouse

Check. A woodlouse has 14 legs. ✓

Method. Read step 1 of the key.

1. Read step 1. The first question about 8 legs gives the name spider.
   spider
2. Count the questions. Only one question is asked before the name.
   1
3. Write the answer.
   spider; 1

Check. The first question is enough to name a spider. ✓