When ordinary people or scientists classify objects they were pioneering a way for future developments of the classification system. In essence, when you classify something or someone you consider the appearance, behavior, DNA, differences, similarities and much more. Classification has come a long way. Thanks to the contributions of Aristotle and Linnaeus, today we now have a logical structure of classification. In the past and present, what does scientific classification have an effect on? Everything.

The earliest know system of classifying forms of life come from a philosopher Aristotle. He classified life according to modes of transportation. The three main groups were named air, land, and water. Predicaments arose when it came to this type of classification. Some animals have many abilities of transporting themselves. Birds can fly or walk, multi legged animals walk, and some animals swim. What do you categories a duck? Ducks can walk, swim, and fly. Some do not fit into the categories as easily as others. His categories were not narrow enough. There were far too many ways of classifying animals and organisms. He also classified plants and animals into blood or bloodless. This type of categorizing was used in 4th century BC.

Another significant contributor to the scientific history of classifying life was Carolus Linnaeus. It is his way of thinking that we use today as a system of classification. Linnaeus developed naming organisms, rank, and also classifying organisms. Taxonomy is the study of organism of groups. According to history, Linnaeus classified animals and plants on similarities in form, and also developed the scientific process of binomial nomenclature, a system of naming organisms. This system answers the question of past and present relationships of how we classify. Before Carolus Linnaeus, classification was not yet clear. Linnaeus’s system made it easy to identify any known plant or animal. Now all scientists are clear about how to use the classification system for all plants, animals and organisms.

Although scientists today are questioning how to create a new way of classifying organisms, one way of classification is here to stay, and that is Carolus Linnaeus way. Over periods of time plants and animals changed and will continue to transform. Therefore, new systems will evolve. As time changes new mechanisms and technology will emerge and transform. As stated before, history and the present made different connections to theories and ways of systems.

Reflection

Unit:  Just So Stories

Objective: Students will read Kipling’s Just So Stories and work to write and revise their own Just So Stories.  They will identify a topic under the above capstone which will be a variation of Kipling’s Just So Stories. They will create and write their stories focusing on the use of dialogue. They will read their stories to a group of 1st and 2nd graders who will then draw pictures for the Just So Stories.

ODE Benchmarks Addressed:  WRTP A, WRTP C-E, WRTA A

1. How do the Just So Stories relate to our Classification Capstone? Explain in detail.

2. What did you like and/or dislike about writing your own Just So Story? Explain in detail?

I enjoyed writing my own Just So story. I liked it because it was something different. We were use to writing in a formal way, and doing research. So writing the stories were fun. The Just So Stories gave us a way to express our creativity and to actually have fun writing something. Then, once I found out that they were for the elementary students, I thought it would be even better.

3. What was your experience working with the elementary students? Give a detailed summary of your experience.

My experience was great. My illustrations came out to be very good. The kids I worked with weren’t giving me a hard time at all. They actually enjoyed my story, and where asking questions to make sure they understood. It was nice to write a fictional story, and then reading it to younger students. It was sort of like giving back. I know when I was younger and in their grade, I don’t remember anyone reading to me how I read to my kids. So I think it was a good experience for the children and me.

4. Would you work with elementary students in the future? Give 3 examples of how we can work with elementary students in all subject areas.

Of course, I would love to work with elementary students in the future. One idea is that we can help tutor them in all subject areas. The kids might be struggling a little bit and maybe if we help them, we could think of better and creative ways to help them. We could even teach them a lesson in a subject area, or create a project with them that would tie into their lessons that they are learning.  Another idea could be that we could write stories together. This can improve their writing skills, grammar, reading, and spark their creativity more.