K12 Students
Create a dichotomous key that identifies the 10 leaves on the Common Leaves sheet. Look closely at those leaf samples and devise a dichotomous key that helps you identify them. Be sure that your dichotomous key contains only pairs of statements about a single characteristic. For example, a pair of statements might be:
leaf margin smooth
leaf margin toothed
However, you should avoid pairs of statements that do not address the same characteristic. The following pair, for example, would not be very informative in your key:
leaf margin smooth
leaf type needle-like
As you develop your key, test it out with the 10 leaves provided on the Common Leaves sheet. When you've developed a key that identifies all 10 leaves, type your statements, “go tos,” and identifications, following the format in the example below. The example is based on this lesson’s dichotomous key for birds.

Once you have completed your dichotomous key, answer the two remaining questions. When you are finished, submit this assignment to your teacher by the due date for full credit.
Total score: Click or tap here to enter text. of 26 points
(Score for Question 1: Click or tap here to enter text. of 20 points)
Complete a dichotomous key for the 10 leaves on the Common Leaves sheet. The chart provided here allows for 11 pairs of statements. Depending on how you build your dichotomous key, you may or may not need all of them, or you may need to add some.

(Score for Question 2: Click or tap here to enter text. of 3 points)
Can more than one dichotomous key be developed to identify the same group of organisms? Explain. To answer this question, refer to this lesson’s dichotomous key for birds.

Type your answer here. Click or tap here to enter text.
(Score for Question 3: Click or tap here to enter text. of 3 points)
If two different people use the same dichotomous key to identify the same organism, should they have different results? Explain.

Type your answer here. Click or tap here to enter text.