Students classify deep-sea organisms by identifying traits, creating groupings, and presenting their reasoning, exploring how scientists organize life in the ocean.

Deep Sea Sort challenges students to apply classification principles to unfamiliar marine life. Working in groups, they analyze images of deep-sea species, identify meaningful traits, and design their own classification schemes. Students present their groupings through charts or diagrams, explaining their reasoning and raising questions for further exploration. This hands-on activity builds critical thinking, observation, and communication skills while introducing the diversity and adaptations of deep-sea organisms—all through the lens of how scientists organize life on Earth.