Sorting into categories

Ideas, objects, items, and people can be sorted into different categories using different tools.

A mammal is a warm-blooded animal with a backbone that has hair or fur.

Can you place the animals in the correct cell?

1. Which animals have four legs?
2. Which animals do not have four legs?
3. From the animals that have four legs, which ones are mammals? Which ones are not mammals?
4. From the animals that do not have four legs, which ones are mammals? Which ones are not mammals?

Complete the Mammals Chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document.

Press ‘Answer’ to reveal if you completed the task correctly.

Answer

Carroll diagrams

A Carroll diagram is a sorting graphic organizer that:

• has a title
• is arranged in a table
• has columns and rows
• each column and row is labelled with a subject or attribute

Carroll diagrams are like Venn diagrams. They are used to sort two sets of data so we can compare them.

Brainstorm

Exploring Carroll diagrams

Sort the three-dimensional objects using the following attributes:

• pyramid
• not a pyramid
• even number of flat faces
• odd number of flat faces

Complete the Shapes Carroll Diagram in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document.

Shapes

	Is a pyramid	Is not a pyramid
Even flat faces
Odd flat faces

Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Shapes Carroll Diagram. 

Activity(Open PDF in a new window)

Press ‘Answer’ to reveal if you completed the task correctly.

Answer

	Is a pyramid	Is not a pyramid
Even flat faces	triangle-based pyramid	cube cylinder rectangle-based prism
Odd flat faces	square-based pyramid pentagon-based pyramid	cone triangle-based prism

Did all the shapes fit in the Carroll diagram? Why is that?

Record your ideas digitally, orally or in print.

Independent task

Sort and compare two different attributes for this group of fruits and vegetables.

Choose two attributes and organize the data. Use the Carroll diagram or record a detailed description of how you would sort the data. Remember to include your two attributes.

Hint: Is it a vegetable? Is it not a vegetable? What shape is it?

Complete the Carroll Diagram in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document.

Think about your learning

1. How did you choose your attributes?
2. What was important to consider when looking at the data set?
3. How did you know where to place an item?
4. Were any items hard to place? How did you decide where to put those items?
5. How can you make sure that all items have a place in your organizer?

Record your thinking in a method of your choice.

Reflection

How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity?  Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel…

I have an excellent understanding of the concepts   I have a very good understanding of the concepts   I have some understanding but need to review some more  my understanding of the concepts needs a lot more work

Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.