Cops and robbers - What do you know about grouping and classifying living things?

The "Cops and robbers" activity is an engaging classroom exercise designed to test and expand students' knowledge on the topic of grouping and classifying living things. Initially, pupils are given two minutes to jot down everything they can recall about how living organisms are categorized. This phase encourages them to draw upon their own understanding and memory, documenting their personal knowledge on the topic without external aid.

Following this, the activity becomes more interactive as students are given 60 seconds to 'steal' information from their peers. They can visit up to three other classmates to view their answers, taking the opportunity to add any new and relevant information to their own list. This part of the exercise not only allows pupils to learn from one another but also introduces a fun, competitive element. Each plausible statement they write down, whether from their own recollection or 'stolen' from a peer, is awarded two points. The entire activity is designed to last 15 minutes, providing a quick-paced and dynamic approach to reinforcing the concept of biological classification in an educational setting.