West Virginia. Master Naturalist Class
Description
Title: |
NAMES, CLASSIFICATION,
AND IDENTIFICATION |
Objectives: |
Make students comfortable with scientific names and phylogenetic
classification. Give students the ability to identify plants
and animals using taxonomic keys. |
Class type: |
Core
curriculum |
Time: |
1 hour |
Optimal season: |
Any |
Materials: |
Printed keys, a selection of field guides and manuals,
rulers, 10x magnifiers. |
Expected outcomes: |
The student will gain a basic understanding of
- scientific names, their proper form, use, and pronunciation.
- the concept of phylogenetic classification,
and learn the major taxonomic ranks (levels).
- techniques to identify plants and animals using taxonomic
keys.
|
West Virginia Master Naturalist Class Outline
Title: |
NAMES, CLASSIFICATION,
AND IDENTIFICATION |
Time: |
1 hour |
- Necessity of having a system of names
and a classification
- Species definitions
- Morphological
- Biological
- Cladistic
- Cronquist's pragmatic definition
- Hierarchical system of classification
- Names and positions of levels, e.g.,
species, genus, family
- Phylogenetic (natural) classification
- Scientific names
- Universal and unique
- Structure and characteristics
- Proper use
- Pronunciation
- Common names
- Identification
- Field guides, floras, manuals, etc.
- Collections
- Can be sent to a specialist for ID
- Use of keys
- Construction and use of taxonomic
or dichotomous keys
- Computer keys
*** DNR *** |