Look at these Irish wildlife cards: a robin, a frog, an oak, a hedgehog. How would you sort them into groups so someone else could find each one again?

Here is a split with four living things: robin, frog, oak, hedgehog.

First question: Is it a plant? Oak goes Yes. Robin, frog and hedgehog go No.

Next question for the animals: Does it have feathers? Robin goes Yes. Frog and hedgehog go No.

Which feature question would you ask next to split frog from hedgehog?

In your group, sort the Irish wildlife photo cards with yes-or-no questions about features. Write each question on a sticky note and stick the cards under Yes or No until every living thing has its own named place. Then record your finished branching key on your Investigation Journal page: list each question in order and write which living thing sits at each end point.

On the board you will see the same eight Irish wildlife cards: robin, frog, oak, hedgehog, fox, salmon, ladybird and snail. The end points are the features, not the names. We will answer one clear yes-or-no feature question at a time and send each living thing to its own end point. Watch where each card goes and say if you agree.

A mystery Irish wildlife photo is on the board. It is not one of the eight cards you sorted. We will follow a shared class branching key of yes-or-no feature questions. Answer from what you can see, not from guessing a name. On your Investigation Journal page, record each feature decision and the name you reach at the end.