Taxonomy Tales is a collection of classes each covering a major category of life on earth--from mollusks to cetaceans to marsupials! These classes can be taken in any order and do not build upon each other. Take one class or take them all! This class explores a group called "Pinnipeds", which includes 33 species of seals, sea lions, and walruses.

In this class, we will first learn what taxonomy is and how we group animals by relatedness. We will discuss what all pinnipeds have in common and why we classify them together. We then will dive in by studying pinnipeds one group at a time. Along the way, we will also focus on zoological concepts like dimorphism, tactile systems/vibrissae, and thermoregulation.

We will study the following families...
1) Odobenidae (walruses)
2) Otariidae (eared seals and sea lions)
3) Phocidae (earless seals, which--spoiler--do indeed have ears)

These may sound like challenging words! I do love to teach my students big words when scientifically appropriate, but in an approachable way that is appropriate for this age group. We will use the common names along the way so students do not get overwhelmed by scary-looking words. 

We will also discuss some specific species like walruses, ringed seals, harbor seals, elephant seals, California sea lions, and more (subject to change as I edit my classes frequently). For each group, we will compare and contrast the characteristics and lives of the animals it includes. Along the way, students will learn new vocabulary and ecological concepts that they can apply to other topics in zoology.  

This class is lecture-style with slides and photos, but highly interactive. Students are given the opportunity to ask and answer questions, ponder scientific ideas, and discuss with their classmates. Students may participate via video, audio, the chat room, or may just sit back and enjoy! 

*Taxonomy can be a complex study and the way we categorize living things is constantly changing. I follow the most widely accepted taxonomic categorizations and sometimes simplify for the level of these learners. Despite the big words used, there is absolutely no pre-requisite knowledge to be successful in this class.