2. What are the properties of each phylum?

3. What properties of the various shapes did you use to classify them?

4. Using the classification system you developed, into what categories (kingdom, phylum, etc.) would you place the shape in Figure 2? What properties of Figure 2 determined your choice of classification? What properties of Figure 2, if any, did you ignore in making your classification decision? What reasons can you give for the choices you made?

5. Take another look at your classification system and Figure 2. Would you prefer to create a new kingdom or phylum to accommodate the shape in Figure 2? Would you prefer to modify the properties of your existing kingdoms or phyla to accommodate the shape? What changes would you make? Why?

6. If the objects in Figures 1 and 2 actually existed in three dimensions, what other properties might you use to classify each one?

7. How does this exercise compare to the classification of living things?

8. Every system of classification serves at least one purpose. Sometimes the purpose defines the system of classification and sometimes a purpose arises from the design of the system. Based on the classification system you designed, what would you say your purpose was for designing it the way you did? You may want to refer to the slide entitled, "4 General Purposes of Classifying" on page 17, and the mind map entitled "Some Purposes of Classification," on page 20, below.

9. Suppose my real purpose in having you classify the 28 shapes was to have you sort them by how precisely they were cut from the paper. Would you say the classification system you designed is useful for this purpose? If not, how would you design an appropriate classification system for this purpose? What properties would the kingdoms and phyla have?

10. In class, compare your answers with the answers of others. Or compare your answers with the mind map of the "Shapes Kingdom" on page 10. How are they similar? How are they different? Which classification systems are better? Why? Are some classification systems just different without being better or worse? If so, what can you conclude from that?