Prairie Activity: Classification of Animals: Twenty Questions Game
Purpose : to help students in grades 3-7 understand the classification of animals and to use higher level
skills in questioning.
Objective : students will, after viewing the online unit
of animals of the prairie and playing this game, be
better able to identify classifications of animals, under-
stand categories and classifications of things, and ask
higher level questions.Time period: used as a skills-
and-content-practice game after the introduction of the
classification system. 10-20 minutes per session.
Grade Levels: 3-6
Time Required : 15-30 minutes
Can be used as a warm-up, break activity, too
Materials :
list of prairie animals, although this can be played with any study of animals.
classification chart* see link below
person to keep track of questions and verify question form
Chart content:
Classification often used in elementary texts: with partial example
Kingdom
Kingdom = Animal
Phylum
Subphylum = Vertebrates or Invertebrates
Class
Class = Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians
Order
Order = rodents, carnivores,
Family
Family = squirrels, beavers, mice
Genus
Genus = gray squirrel, prairie dog,
Species
Species = black-tailed prairie dog
Here is a website with links to images and information: https://bps.boston.k12.ma.us/rc328sb/dw/dew590.htm
*and a page with a good chart: https://www.york.biosis.org/zrdocs/zoolinfo/gp_index.htm#chordates
Motivation :
Help the students read the printed chart on animal classification, pointing out the names of the divisions
that you are studying in class. Practice with a few animals, finding them on the chart and tracing their
classification up the chart.
Prairie Animal Activity: Classification: Twenty Questions Game,
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