Grade 6 Diversity of Life
Program Terminology
Here are some terms we hope you will introduce to your class before taking part in the grade six program. Understanding the meaning of these words will help the students prepare for and enjoy their visit to the Museum of Natural History.
Characteristic: A specific quality that you can observe about a person, group, or object.
Classification: The act of dividing something up according to shared qualities or characteristics.Dichotomous Classification:The act of dividing something up into two different groups based on the presence or absence of certain qualities or characteristics.
Diorama: A life-size display representing a scene from nature.
Endo: Internal, or “on the inside”.
Exo: External, or “on the outside”.
Invertebrate: Any animal without vertebrae. Examples of invertebrates include insects, worms, crabs, octopuses, snails, and sea stars.
Organism: Any living thing, such as an animal, plant, or bacteria.
Specimen: An object (such as an animal, plant, rock, or mineral) that we can use to learn about our world.
Vertebrate: Any animal with vertebrae. Examples of vertebrates include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
Grade 6 Program Terminology [PDF 42 KB]