Dichotomous Key Maker
Quickly and Accurately Identify Species
Visually organize large amounts of information to quickly identify, categorize, and analyze organisms.
Customizable dichotomous key templates
Real-time visual collaboration
PNG, SVG, and PDF export
- Customizable dichotomous key templates
- Real-time visual collaboration
- PNG, SVG, and PDF export
Over 10 Million people and 1000s of teams already use Creately
How to make a Dichotomous Key Diagram?
Create Your Dichotomous Key Online with Editable Templates
Draw Complex Dichotomous Keys in Minutes
Multiple dichotomous key templates to quickly visualize and organize information.
Powerful and customizable table to effortlessly create list-styled dichotomous keys.
Simple to use drag and drop tools to quickly generate complex dichotomous keys.
Automatic drawing with Plus Create to create branching flowcharts instantly.
Freehand drawing and highlights to sketch anything you want and analyze organisms.
Centralize All Information
Import images, vectors, and more to create informative dichotomous key diagrams.
Add docs, attachments, and more to capture details on each organism’s evolution.
Infinite canvas to gather research data and to visually arrange them.
Analyze Dichotomous Keys Together
Real-time cursors for students, teachers, or researchers to work on a shared canvas.
Comment with context, have discussions and follow-ups on the same canvas. Async!
Multiple access and role levels to share, review and edit.
Build Interactive Dichotomous Key Diagrams
Custom properties and additional data fields to add information about organisms.
Use frames to generate page-like layouts to organize data, or build presentations.
Export as SVGs, PDFs, and PNGs to publish, present, print, and share.
Embed in any site or share them with anyone via an email or link invite to collaborate.
What is a Dichotomous Key?
How Can You Collaborate Around a Dichotomous Key in a Classroom Setting?
Dichotomous keys are used to identify objects or organisms based on a series of choices between two characteristics. It can help students to develop critical thinking, problem-solving abilities and also help them to gain a deeper understanding on a subject area. Below are some ways how a dichotomous key can be used in a classroom setting.
- To teach students on how to identify different species of plants and animals in Biology.
- To teach students about the classification of living things and how a dichotomous key is used to identify different taxonomic groups, such as phyla, classes, and orders.
- As a problem-solving tool to help students identify an unknown substance or object based on its physical characteristics.
- Help students classify different types of writing genres, such as poetry, fiction, and non-fiction in language arts.
- Help students identify different types of landforms, such as mountains, valleys, and plateaus.
How to Create a Dichotomous Key in Your Classroom?
irst select a suitable platform
Select a platform to draw your dichotomous key. Creately’s dichotomous key maker offers an intuitive interface for drawing dichotomous keys online.
Assign groups
Divide the class into small groups. Assign each a specific group of organisms to build a dichotomous key.
Research and gather information
Guide each group to conduct a thorough research and gather information about the assigned organisms' physical characteristics, habitat, and other features. Show them how to list down the characteristics of the specimen they are trying to classify with the dichotomous key.
Create and assign folders and workspaces to each group in Creately. Provide necessary permissions to edit.
Organize the information
Organize the characteristics in order. Start with the most general characteristics before moving to the more specific ones. Identify the more obvious and less obvious contrasting characteristics among the specimen before creating your dichotomous key.
Use Creately’s powerful and customizable table function to list down characteristics. Highlight with configurable color themes to better analyze and understand.
Divide the specimens
Divide the specimens into two groups. The first differentiation should be made on the most general characteristic. Based on the next contrasting characteristics, divide the specimen further. Continue to subdivide the specimen by asking enough questions until your group has identified and named all of them.
Write the key
Guide each group on how to use the already organized information to create the key. Ensure that each statement in the key has two options and that each choice leads to a unique identification of the organism.
You can create a text-based dichotomous key or a graphical one where you can even use images of the specimen you are trying to identify. Easily drag and drop shapes to create the dichotomous key and use the notes panel of each element to include more information along with attachments and links. You can also import images or use the in-built Google search function to include graphics on the canvas.
Review and revise
Once created, share the key with other groups for feedback to improve. Use comments and discussion threads to exchange feedback on the shared canvas. Each group can share the workspaces via an email or link invite.
Test and present
Test the validity of your dichotomous key by using it to identify various organisms from the chosen group.
As the next step, the groups can present the finalized key to the class. Use frames inside the canvas to build presentations and report-like layouts for interactive lectures and to share information.
FAQs About the Dichotomous Key Maker
What is a dichotomous key maker?
How to use Creately’s dichotomous key maker?
How to use the dichotomous key maker with your team?
Guides and Resources to Interactively Teach and Learn
