Classification Keys

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Using Classification Keys to Group Living Things

We can use keys to help decide how to identify different living things.

Classification key

A classification key is a series of questions about the characteristics of living things.

Uses of classification keys

We use classification keys to group new species by their characteristics.

Classification key

You can use this classification key to classify different living things.
You can find out what a living thing is classified as by answering 'yes' or 'no' questions and following the arrows.

Year 3: Plants

1.1

Types of Plants

1.1.1Flowering & Non-flowering Plants

1.2

Parts of a Plant

1.2.1Roots 1.2.2What do Roots do?1.2.3Stem 1.2.4Leaves 1.2.5How Leaves Make Food 1.2.6Flowers

1.3

Pollination

1.3.1Pollination 1.3.2Pollination by Insects 1.3.3Pollination by the Wind

1.4

Seeds

1.4.1Types of Seeds 1.4.2Dispersing Seeds

Year 3: Animals (Including Humans)

2.1

Food

2.1.1The Need for Food 2.1.2Food Groups 2.1.3Carbohydrates 2.1.4Proteins 2.1.5Dairy 2.1.6Fruit & Vegetables 2.1.7Fats 2.1.8Junk Food

2.2

Skeletons & Muscles

2.2.1Skeletons & Muscles 2.2.2Healthy Bones

Year 3: Rocks

3.1

Rocks on Earth

3.1.1Rocks 3.1.2Fossils

Year 3: Light

4.1

What is Light?

4.1.1Light as Energy 4.1.2Reflections 4.1.3Sunlight 4.1.4Shadows

Year 3: Forces & Magnets

5.1

Forces

5.1.1What is a Force?5.1.2Contact & Non-Contact Forces 5.1.3Testing Magnetic Materials 5.1.4Attracting & Repelling Magnets 5.1.5Uses of Magnets

Year 4: Living Things & Their Habitats

6.1

Grouping Animals

6.1.1Biodiversity & Classification 6.1.2Grouping Animals

6.2

Vertebrates

6.2.1Vertebrates 6.2.2Mammals 6.2.3Reptiles 6.2.4Fish 6.2.5Amphibians 6.2.6Birds

6.3

Invertebrates

6.3.1Invertebrates 6.3.2Insects 6.3.3Spiders 6.3.4Slugs & Snails 6.3.5Worms

6.4

Grouping Plants

6.4.1Grouping Plants 6.4.2Flowering Plants 6.4.3Non-Flowering Plants

6.5

Classification Keys

6.5.1Classification Keys

6.6

Environmental Change

6.6.1Positive Impact of Humans on the Environment 6.6.2Negative Impact of Humans: Deforestation 6.6.3Negative Impact of Humans: Litter 6.6.4Negative Impact of Humans: Overpopulation

Year 4: Animals, Including Humans

7.1

Teeth

7.1.1Why Do We Need Teeth?7.1.2'Baby' Teeth 7.1.3Adult Teeth 7.1.4Incisors 7.1.5Canines 7.1.6Premolars 7.1.7Molars

7.2

Digestion

7.2.1What is Digestion?7.2.2The Digestive System - The Mouth 7.2.3The Digestive System - The Stomach 7.2.4The Digestive System - The Small Intestines 7.2.5The Digestive System - The Large Intestines

7.3

Food Chains

7.3.1What are Food Chains?7.3.2Producers, Predators & Prey 7.3.3Herbivores & Carnivores

Year 4: States of Matter

8.1

The 3 States of Matter

8.1.1States of Matter 8.1.2Changes of State

8.2

The Water Cycle

8.2.1The Water Cycle 8.2.2Evaporation at Different Temperatures

Year 4: Sound

9.1

How Do I Hear?

9.1.1What is Sound?9.1.2Sound Travels to Your Ear

9.2

Pitch

9.2.1Pitch

9.3

Volume

9.3.1Volume 9.3.2How Distance Affect Volume

Year 4: Electricity

10.1

Uses of Electricity

10.1.1What Uses Electricity?

10.2

Conductors & Insulators

10.2.1Electrical Conductors 10.2.2Electrical Insulators

10.3

Making Circuits

10.3.1What is a Circuit?10.3.2Complete Circuits 10.3.3Electrical Safety

Jump to other topics

Year 3: Plants

1.1

Types of Plants

1.1.1Flowering & Non-flowering Plants

1.2

Parts of a Plant

1.2.1Roots 1.2.2What do Roots do?1.2.3Stem 1.2.4Leaves 1.2.5How Leaves Make Food 1.2.6Flowers

1.3

Pollination

1.3.1Pollination 1.3.2Pollination by Insects 1.3.3Pollination by the Wind

1.4

Seeds

1.4.1Types of Seeds 1.4.2Dispersing Seeds

Year 3: Animals (Including Humans)

2.1

Food

2.1.1The Need for Food 2.1.2Food Groups 2.1.3Carbohydrates 2.1.4Proteins 2.1.5Dairy 2.1.6Fruit & Vegetables 2.1.7Fats 2.1.8Junk Food

2.2

Skeletons & Muscles

2.2.1Skeletons & Muscles 2.2.2Healthy Bones

Year 3: Rocks

3.1

Rocks on Earth

3.1.1Rocks 3.1.2Fossils

Year 3: Light

4.1

What is Light?

4.1.1Light as Energy 4.1.2Reflections 4.1.3Sunlight 4.1.4Shadows

Year 3: Forces & Magnets

5.1

Forces

5.1.1What is a Force?5.1.2Contact & Non-Contact Forces 5.1.3Testing Magnetic Materials 5.1.4Attracting & Repelling Magnets 5.1.5Uses of Magnets

Year 4: Living Things & Their Habitats

6.1

Grouping Animals

6.1.1Biodiversity & Classification 6.1.2Grouping Animals

6.2

Vertebrates

6.2.1Vertebrates 6.2.2Mammals 6.2.3Reptiles 6.2.4Fish 6.2.5Amphibians 6.2.6Birds

6.3

Invertebrates

6.3.1Invertebrates 6.3.2Insects 6.3.3Spiders 6.3.4Slugs & Snails 6.3.5Worms

6.4

Grouping Plants

6.4.1Grouping Plants 6.4.2Flowering Plants 6.4.3Non-Flowering Plants

6.5

Classification Keys

6.5.1Classification Keys

6.6

Environmental Change

6.6.1Positive Impact of Humans on the Environment 6.6.2Negative Impact of Humans: Deforestation 6.6.3Negative Impact of Humans: Litter 6.6.4Negative Impact of Humans: Overpopulation

Year 4: Animals, Including Humans

7.1

Teeth

7.1.1Why Do We Need Teeth?7.1.2'Baby' Teeth 7.1.3Adult Teeth 7.1.4Incisors 7.1.5Canines 7.1.6Premolars 7.1.7Molars

7.2

Digestion

7.2.1What is Digestion?7.2.2The Digestive System - The Mouth 7.2.3The Digestive System - The Stomach 7.2.4The Digestive System - The Small Intestines 7.2.5The Digestive System - The Large Intestines

7.3

Food Chains

7.3.1What are Food Chains?7.3.2Producers, Predators & Prey 7.3.3Herbivores & Carnivores

Year 4: States of Matter

8.1

The 3 States of Matter

8.1.1States of Matter 8.1.2Changes of State

8.2

The Water Cycle

8.2.1The Water Cycle 8.2.2Evaporation at Different Temperatures

Year 4: Sound

9.1

How Do I Hear?

9.1.1What is Sound?9.1.2Sound Travels to Your Ear

9.2

Pitch

9.2.1Pitch

9.3

Volume

9.3.1Volume 9.3.2How Distance Affect Volume

Year 4: Electricity

10.1

Uses of Electricity

10.1.1What Uses Electricity?

10.2

Conductors & Insulators

10.2.1Electrical Conductors 10.2.2Electrical Insulators

10.3

Making Circuits

10.3.1What is a Circuit?10.3.2Complete Circuits 10.3.3Electrical Safety

Practice questions on Classification Keys

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What is a classification key?Multiple choice

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Non-Flowering Plants

Positive Impact of Humans on the Environment