Worksheet: Building a Branching Database of Minibeasts

Cover teacher: you need no subject knowledge

What this practises: organising data into a database table, searching it, and building a branching database (a chain of yes or no questions that identifies each minibeast), all on paper. Pupils then sort with 2 rules at once in a Carroll diagram and draw a bar chart with a scale in 2s, which is real numeracy (representing data) and is marked from the sheet. The data come from an invented minibeast hunt.

Print: this sheet, one per pupil, and the stimulus sheet “Ysgol Bryn Celyn minibeast hunt: picture cards”, one between two. A ruler for the bar chart. No computers are needed.

Run: 5 min read the cards together and read “What you are doing” aloud · 10 min Step 1 · 6 min Step 2 · 12 min Step 3 · 5 min Step 4 · 8 min Step 5 · 10 min Step 6 · 4 min pairs test each other’s questions from Step 3. Total 60 minutes.

Collect: this sheet. Representing data (numeracy) evidence is Step 5 (the Carroll diagram, sorted by 2 rules, with counts) and Step 6 (the bar chart). Quick checks: 59 minibeasts found altogether; bar heights 18, 24, 3, 14; the box “wings, not 6 legs” is empty; the mystery minibeast in Step 4 is the woodlouse.

What you are doing

Year 4 at Ysgol Bryn Celyn went on a minibeast hunt in their wildlife garden. They found 12 kinds of minibeast. You will put their results into a database, search it, and build a branching database that can name any of the 12 minibeasts using only yes or no questions.

Step 1: fill in the database

Use the picture cards. Each row is one record. Each column is one field. Two records are done for you.

Step 2: search the database

Step 3: build the branching database

Start at question 1. Each answer sends you to another question, or to a minibeast. Fill in the empty boxes. Then write your own questions 8 to 11 to split up the 5 minibeasts with wings. Every question must have a yes or no answer, and the answer must be the same for everyone (“Is it pretty?” does not work).

Step 4: test it

No.	Yes or No question	If YES	If NO
1	Does it have legs?	Go to 4	Go to 2
2	Does it have a shell?	Garden snail	Go to 3
3		Earthworm	Slug
4	Does it have wings?	Go to 8	Go to 5
5	Does it have 6 legs?		Go to 6
6	Does it have 8 legs?		Go to 7
7	Does it have more than 20 legs?
8
9
10
11

(a) A mystery minibeast has legs. It has no wings. It does not have 6 legs. It does not have 8 legs. It does not have more than 20 legs. What is it?

(b) Pick a winged minibeast. Follow your questions 8 to 11. Did you reach the right name? Yes ☐ No ☐

Step 5: sort with 2 rules (Carroll diagram)

Write each minibeast name in the right box. Then write how many kinds are in each box.

Step 6: draw a bar chart

(a) Use the Number found field. Add up how many minibeasts were found in each group.

(b) Draw a bar for each group. The scale goes up in 2s, so an odd number sits halfway between two lines. Use a ruler.

(c) How many more minibeasts with 6 legs were found than minibeasts with 0 legs?

Step by step

Success criteria

I can put data into a table with records and fields.
I can search a database using one rule or two rules.
I can write yes or no questions that split a group into smaller groups.
I can sort objects using 2 rules in a Carroll diagram.
I can draw a bar chart with a scale that goes up in 2s.

Minibeast	Number of legs	Wings?	Shell?	Number found
Ladybird	6	Yes	No	4
Bumblebee	6	Yes	No	3
Large white butterfly
Hoverfly
Damselfly
Worker ant
Garden spider
Woodlouse
Brown centipede
Garden snail
Slug
Earthworm

	6 legs	Not 6 legs
Wings
No wings

Building a branching database of minibeasts