CLASSIFICATION NOTES & WORKSHEET

Objective 1: Classify based on observable properties.

a. Outline the characteristics of living things

b. Categorize living organisms based on physical features (e.g., body covering, no. of limbs etc.).
c. Defend the importance of observation in scientific classification.
d. Demonstrate that there are many ways to classify things.

Objective 2: Use and develop a simple classification system.

a. Using a provided classification scheme, classify things (e.g., shells, leaves, rocks, bones, fossils, weather, clouds,
stars, planets).
b. Develop a classification system based on observed structural characteristics.
c. Generalize rules for classification.
d. Relate the importance of classification systems to the development of science knowledge.
e. Recognize that classification is a tool made by science to describe perceived patterns in nature.

Objective 3: Classify organisms using an orderly pattern based upon structure.

a. Identify examples of organisms that belong to the various kingdom
b. Arrange organisms according to kingdom (i.e., plant, animal, Monera, fungi, protist).
c. Use a classification key or field guide to identify organisms.
d. Report on changes in classification systems as a result of new information or technology.

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 Notes Outline
What is classification?
• Grouping things according to observed similarities in physical characteristics or by other shared features such as
method of reproduction, mode of nutrition or at the cellular level, .

Why do we classify things?

• Organisms can be found and referred to easily; newly discovered organisms can be easily grouped;
relationships between organisms can be easily studied.
o A dictionary
o A store
o A Library

The study or science of classifying living things is called TAXONOMY

How Did We Get a Classification System?

Who was the first person to classify things? That honor belongs to the Greek scientist Aristotle. He first classified
living things around 330 A.D. Aristotle classified living things as being either plant or animal. Next, he classified plants
and animals.
• Plants: Herbs, bushes, trees
• Animals: Land, water, air

There were problems with his system. Where do we put the frog? It can live on both the land and the water. Where
to place the frog? Something had to be done to improve how we classify living things. That change came in the
1750’s. A Swedish scientist, Carolus (Carl) Linnaeus, developed the science of Taxonomy.

Carolus Linnaeus is responsible for developing the classification system we use today. He classified organisms into
five taxonomic groups and used the following 7-level classification hierarchy for each group:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata (have a backbone)
Class: Mammalia (have mammary gland)
Order: Primata (flexible limbs)
Family: Hominadae (bipedal)
Genus: Homo (large brain)
Species: sapiens (knowledge, thinking)

How can you remember each level of the classification hierarchy?

􀂃 Katy Please Come Over For Ginger Snacks
􀂃 Kids Prefer Cheese Over Fried Green SPINACH.
􀂃 King Phillip Came Over For Gungo Soup.

Kingdom
This represents the broadest level or TAXON of the seven levels of classification. Currently there are five
Kingdoms and organisms are placed into kingdoms based on how they obtain their food, the types of cells that
make up their body and the number of cells they contain.

Phylum
The phylum is the next level following kingdom in the classification system. It comes from the Greek “phylon”
(tribe). All the organisms included within a phylum have the same general body plan, varying only in detail.

Classes
Classes are way to further divide organisms of a phylum. As you could probably guess, organisms of a class have
even more in common than those in an entire phylum. Humans belong to the Mammal Class.

Order
Organisms in each class are further broken down into orders. A taxonomy key is used to determine to which
order an organism belongs. A taxonomy key is nothing more than a checklist of characteristics that determines
how organisms are grouped together.

Families
Orders are divided into families. Organisms within a family have more in common than with organisms in any

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 classification level above it. As a result, organisms of a family are related to each other.
Genus
Genus is a way to describe the generic name for an organism. The genus classification is very specific so there are
fewer organisms within each one. For this reason, there are a lot of different genera among both animals and
plants.

Species
Species are as specific as you can get. It is the lowest and most strict level of classification of living things. The
main criterion for an organism to be placed in a particular species is the ability to breed with other organisms of
that same species. http://www.softschools.com/science/biology/classification_of_living_things/

Carl Linnaeus also developed binomial nomenclature (also known as the scientific name).
o Binomial nomenclature means “two names.”
o He gave each species two names, a genus name and a species name.
o All names are given in Latin -this is because Latin does not change.
o All Names are unique for each species.
o By using a scientific name, you know exactly which species you are talking about.

Do you know the scientific name of any organisms?

Common name Scientific name

1._____________________________________________________________________________________
2._____________________________________________________________________________________
3._____________________________________________________________________________________
4._____________________________________________________________________________________
5._____________________________________________________________________________________

NB. When writing scientific names the first letter of the genus is capitalized. This is NOT done for the species name.
Both names must be underlined separately. When the names are being typed they may EITHER be underlined OR
written in italics. E.g. Mangifera indica OR Mangifera indica (common name – mango)

THE DIFFERENT KINGDOMS ARE DERIVED FROM THREE DOMAINS (A domain is not included in the 7 levels of
classification and is based on differences in nucleic acid in the nuclei of cells)

Living organisms are grouped into three major domains:

1. Archaebacterial
2. Eubacteria Prokaryota: no membrane-bound nucleus in cells

3. Eukaryota: cells have a membrane-bound nucleus

Domains 1. Archaebacteria 2. Eubacteria 3. Eukaryota

Prokaryota

Kingdoms
Monera Protista Fungi Animalia Plantae

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 1. Monera (bacteria) Kingdom – Microscopic; unicellular; saprophytic; members of the Monera have no true
nucleus, as the genetic material is not bounded by nuclear membranes like cells in the other kingdoms.

2. Fungi Kingdom – unicellular/ multicellular cells with cell walls; heterotrophic/ saprophytic.

3. Protista or Protoctista Kingdom – come in a wide variety of forms, some are animal-like and are called
_____________, such as _____________. Some are plant-like (no roots, or leaves) and are called
_____________, such as_______________ and still others are fungi-like and are called molds. Many are
single-celled and others are multicellular. Some are heterotrophic ______________others autotrophic
_______________.

4. Plant Kingdom – multicellular, have cell walls, autotrophic.

5. Animal Kingdom – multicellular; cells have no cell wall; heterotrophic (holozoic).

FOR EACH KINGDOM RESEARCH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION –

Examples:
Habitat:
Role:

Plant kingdom
The plant kingdom is sub divided into two phyla. What are they?

1. ____________________________ 2_______________________________

What are the classes to which flowering plants (Angiosperms) belong?

1_______________________________ 2.___________________________

Below are pictures of the two classes of flowering plants. Identify the differences between the two groups by
completing the table which follows.

Class - Class -

Venation of leaf

Root structure

Shape of leaf

No. of cotyledons

Examples

Non-flowering plants are classified as primitive (lower) or advanced (higher) plants, based on vascular tissues
(transport tissues) of the root or shoot system; the present/ absence of a true root and true shoot systems and mode
or method of reproduction.

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 Phylum: Non-flowering plants

Class: Spore bearers Non spore bearer

Sub-class:

1._____________ 2______________ 3. Gymnosperm (conifers)

State 3 ways in which mosses are different from ferns.

Mosses & Liverworts (Bryophytes) Ferns (Pteridophytes)

Animal Kingdom
The animal kingdom is sub divided into two groups. What are they?

1. ____________________________ 2_______________________________

What are the 5 classes to which vertebrates belong?

1__________________ 2.___________________3.___________________4._____________5.______________

2. Complete the diagrams below by providing suitable examples of each class from the list provided.

Turtle, rabbit, elephant, toad, turkey, kangaroo, bat, rat,

salamander, snake, duck, frog, whale, newt, crocodile, dolphin,
shark,

Mammals Reptiles Birds

_________________________ ______________________ _____________________

________________________ ______________________ _____________________

________________________ ______________________ _____________________

________________________ ______________________ _____________________

________________ _________________
Fish
Amphibian
_________________ _________________

_________________ __________________

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Complete the table below to compare the 5 classes of Vertebrates
Mammals Reptiles Amphibians Bird Fish
Habitat

Body covering

Type of fertilization

Organ used for

breathing
Homiotherm or
Poikilotherm
Location of eggs
produced (inside
the body, on land,
in water)
Any other unique
structure (beak,
fins, mammary
gland etc)

Invertebrates – these are animals without a back bone. There are several phyla of invertebrates as shown
on the flow chart below. The class of arthropods is further sub-divided into subclasses based on the number of legs.

Invertebrates

Phylum: arthropods molluscs nematodes annelids flatworms echinoderms cnidaria

Class: insects arachnids myriapods crustaceans

TABLE COMPARING THE CLASSES OF INVERTEBRATES

Cnidaria Flatworms Annelids Nematodes Molluscs Echinoderms

(Playthelminthes) (ringed worm) (round worm)
-umbrella -Flat body - long body -Long thread- - Soft muscular - radial body
shaped body - most are divided by rings like body unsegmented pattern
-presence of parasitic into segments - body round but body - body is hard
tentacles - have special - most are not segmented - body covered and covered by
- hooks or suckers aquatic/ some - some live in by a shell in spines
aquatic( marine/ at the front of the live in the soil the soil but most most cases - all marine
fresh water) head - some are are parasites of -most are
- lives mostly in external plants and aquatic
fresh water parasites animals

Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples Examples: Examples:

1. Observe the pictures below carefully then complete the table above by placing the organisms in their classes.

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 leech
coral
earthworm jellyfish

Hydra

2. Complete the table below by comparing the different subclasses of arthropods according to the given features.

Insects Arachnids Crustaceans Myriapods

No. of body
segments
No. of legs

No. of wings

No. of antennae

Body covering

Habitat

Examples

3. Name the three parts of an insect’s body:

1 _________________________ 2. _________________________________.3______________________

Label the three parts on the diagram above.

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 Rules you need to follow when classifying

􀂃 Know what is being classified.

􀂃 Make many observations about the things being classified.
􀂃 Classify things based on your observations.
􀂃 Group the most similar things together.
􀂃 When grouping living things, place the most similar organisms in the same species.
􀂃 The largest or most general, group of living things is the kingdom.

Classification Vocabulary
Autotrophs: Organisms that manufacture their own food through photosynthesis

Classification – grouping organism based on similarities in observed physical characteristics

Classification Key – A device used to identify what group an organism or object is in

Heterotroph- any organism that depends on another organism for food

Kingdom – The largest of the classification groupings. Currently scientists have identified five kingdoms: plant,
animal, protist, fungi and Monera

Organism – Any living thing

Protozoan – comes from the Greek “protos” (first) and “zoon” (animal), which are single-celled animals and were the
“first animals” to exist on Earth

Saprophytes: organisms that feed on dead and decaying matter.

Identifying Organisms – Use of Dichotomous Keys

In biology a classification (Dichotomous) key is used to easily identify an organism. A dichotomous key
consists of pairs of contrasting statements that identify the presence or absence of a particular physical
feature

Steps in constructing a dichotomous key :

1. Examine organisms/ objects for any differences in features

2. Divide the organisms into two groups using on obvious feature

3. Write a pair of contrasting statement to represent the division you made

4. Then continue to write descriptive statements for each organism based on observed features.

NB. Every descriptive sentence must exist in pairs that are opposite to each other. See example below.
Suppose you have four insects a ladybug, a housefly, a dragonfly and a grasshopper. After studying
the insects, you might use wing covering, body shape, and where the wings point towards. To
begin the key, you could start separating the four insects based on wing covering
"wings covered by exoskeleton" vs. "wings not covered by exoskeleton."

The first step in the key will be organized the following way:
1. a. wings covered by an exoskeleton
b. wings not covered by an exoskeleton
Next, the statements need to lead the observer to the next step to
narrow the identification further:

Step 1 a. wings covered by an exoskeleton ………go to step 2

b. wings not covered by an exoskeleton ……….go to step 3 8
Step 2 needs to consist of a pair of statements that will allow for the identification of the ladybug and the grasshopper:

2. a. body has a round shape ……….ladybug

b. body has an elongated shape ……….grasshopper

Step 3 needs to consist of a pair of statements that will allow for the identification of the housefly and dragonfly:

3. a. wings point out from the side of the body ……….dragonfly

b. wings point to the posterior of the body ……….housefly

Notice that there were four organisms to be identified and it only took three steps. There should be one less step than the total
number of organisms to be identified in your dichotomous key.

Using the example provided as a guide construct your own dichotomous key on folder paper to identify each
organism below.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Revision Questions
What is an organism?_______________________________________________________________________

List the seven characteristics of living things –

What is the difference between excretion and egestion?

What is the difference between breathing and respiration?

What is the difference between movement and locomotion?

Number the following classification groups from the largest to the smallest (the largest group will be Number 1)
_____ Class
_____ Genus
_____ Kingdom
_____ Species
_____ Phylum
_____ Order
_____ Family

Match the letter of the word from the following choices with the phrase below: Not all letters will be used.

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A. Species B. Small letter C. Linnaeus D. Kingdom E. Diversity F. Darwin G. Capital letter
H. Classification I. Structure J. Binomial nomenclature K. Phylum

_____ A word that means “different kinds”

_____ The procedure for grouping organisms
_____ Who made the system of classification of grouping organisms?
_____ Classification is based upon _________.
_____ The smallest grouping that can interbreed.
_____ The term for a scientific name made up of two Latin names.
_____ An organisms name always begins with a ___.
_____ The largest grouping in classification.

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