Students will launch the animal classification project by making fast evidence-based sorting decisions from mystery animal packets, comparing their ideas with peers and a zoo educator’s observations, and beginning a research notebook with an initial classification question and first-round evidence notes.

Students will investigate a zoo-based mystery creature case by classifying animals from evidence, refining a focused investigation question, drafting a hypothesis, and building a peer-reviewed evidence plan they can use in the next phase.

Students will systematically sort and document animal evidence by using shared recording tools, observation logs, labeled diagrams, and evidence-tagged sorting records. They will compare structures, behaviors, and cell-based traits, test the reliability of their claims through peer and teacher critique, and revise their notes and sort criteria so later analysis is traceable to strong evidence.

Students will analyze patterns and anomalies in their animal evidence, test the strength of their classification claims through critique, and turn their findings into interactive species sort boards and concise gallery explanations that include evidence, limitations, and a next question.

Students will present their interactive species sort boards to an authentic audience, defend classification decisions with evidence, respond to questions, and close the project with individual and group reflection on scientific reasoning and teamwork growth.