Resources required

Graph paper and coloured pencils.

Learning activity

• Ask students to draw a person in their books.

• Discuss how they know it is a human being and not another animal or a plant.

• Discuss having two legs, eyes looking forwards, hair on head and so on.

• Talk about humans as a species; compare us to cats/dogs/tulips. What similarities do all humans have? What differences can the students see (for example, eyes). Record in books in two columns: Similarities and Differences.

• Discuss eye colour: What groups will they use and how will they record the data? Record all students' eye colour and display the data as a bar graph.

Learning outcomes

• Identify characteristics that group organisms as a species.
  
• Record simple scientific data appropriately.
  
• Graph these data correctly.

Extension work
Homework: graph these data as a bar graph.

Special needs
Students could draw two people who are different and label the differences, or use two different animals, such as a cow and a cat.