Welcome to this experimental science test. We hope that you will find it interesting and worthwhile. Carefully read through these directions and the directions on the next page before you begin to work.

You may be part of a group for the first part of this exercise. Each group should carry out the experiment and collect the data together, but each student must record the data in his or her own booklet. Be sure to record the data exactly as you observe them. After the data have been collected, each student should answer the questions independently.

After you have finished your experiment and have recorded all of the data, you will be asked to answer some questions about the experiment and the data you recorded. Your answers must be written in this test booklet in the space provided. Make sure that you understand each question before you begin to write. At any time while you are writing your answers, you may look back at the directions for the experiment and the data you collected. Be sure that your answers are written as clearly and neatly as possible.

Before you turn the page, read the list of materials given below and check to make sure that your group has everything listed.

Biologists deal with information about thousands of animals. In order to work more efficiently with this information, they group or classify organisms into categories. Biologists devise flow charts or keys to assist in the identification process. Your task is to group the animal pictures provided and to design a flow chart to identify the individual animals. Your chart should be designed so that it can be used by others.

You may want to work on the blank pages 9-12 at the end of this booklet and then transfer your answer to page 5.

Classification: Parts A and B provide some hints to help you begin. You do not need to write answers for Parts A and B. You should record your flow chart on page 5 as the answer to Question 1.

A. Select a characteristic for separating your set of animal pictures into two groups. The characteristic must be one that is observable on the card. The example flow chart shown below may help you to start.

B. Select another characteristic to divide one of your groups into two parts as shown in the example flow chart below.

Please answer the following questions by yourself.

1. Continue to select a single characteristic to divide your animals into groups until each animal is in a category by itself. Diagram each step as you complete the chart. Follow the pattern set out in Parts A and B.

2. Is your classification chart the only one that could be used for these animal pictures? Explain your answer and give an example.

3. When developing a classification chart, you must be careful about which characteristics you select to separate the animals. For instance, if you chose color (for example, "white" and "nonwhite") as your first distinguishing characteristic, you would have a problem if you had a white rabbit and a brown rabbit. You may not be able to use your chart to correctly identify both animals as rabbits. Describe what types of characteristics are better suited for identifying animals. Be sure to justify your responses by citing examples from your observations of the cards as well as examples from your experience.