1. Classifying Organisms
7th Grade WebQuest SOL LS.5
Created by Paula Pulley 2008
Introduction
Task
Process
Resources

2. Introduction
Suppose you had only 10 minutes to run into a supermarket to get what you needed. Could you do it? In most supermarkets this would be an easy task. You would probably head straight to the area where the items were located. But what if you had to shop for the same items in a market where things were randomly placed throughout the store. Where would you begin? You would have to search through a lot of things before you found what you needed! You could be there for a long time!
Biologists have organized living things with similarities into groups so that the organisms are easier to study. This process is called classification.

3. Task
Working with a partner, you will research the distinguishing characteristics of kingdoms of organisms, the distinguishing characteristics of major animal and plant phyla and the characteristics of the species.
As you explore keep the following questions in mind:

4. Task, continued Why do scientists classify?
What are the major levels of classification?
How are organisms classified?
What is binomial nomenclature?
What are the six different kingdoms of organisms that are generally recognized by scientists today?
What are some examples of major animal and plant phyla?

5. Process Follow the directions for each section carefully.
Answer all questions in your notebook or on a sheet of paper.

6. Why Do Scientists Classify?
Classification is the process of grouping things based on their similarities. Biologists use classification to organize living things into groups so that the organisms are easier to study.
The scientific study of how living things are classified is called taxonomy.

7. Classify Organisms Based on Physical Features
How might you classify a sunflower, a robin, a lizard, a blue jay, and a tree? Copy the table on paper and fill in your answers.
Plants
Animals

8. Classify Organisms Based on Physical Features
What characteristics may have been used to group these beetles?
Write answers on your paper. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

9. Levels of Classification
Organisms are grouped by their shared characteristics.

10. Understanding Classification
Imagine a room filled with everybody from the state of Virginia.
There may be some people from Suffolk. There may be some people from your neighborhood. There may be some people that live on your street. You will be the only one that lives in your house.
Virginia
The most general group you belong to is the state. The most specific group you belong to is the house. The more levels you share with others, the more you have in common.
Suffolk
Harbour View
1st Street
#123

11. Levels of Classification
Click on the following link to complete a classification activity. Return to this webquest when you are done.

12. Binomial Nomenclature
Linnaeus devised a system of naming organisms. Linnaeus placed organisms in groups based on their observable features. Each organism has a unique, two-part scientific name. This naming system is called binomial nomenclature.
Click on each picture below to see what their scientific names are.

13. Kingdoms
Any grouping of organisms into kingdoms is based on several factors:
Presence of a nucleus
Unicellular or multi-cellular
How organisms get their food.
Six different kingdoms of organisms are generally recognized by scientists today
Bacteria
Archaea
Protists
Fungi
Plants
Animals

14. Kingdoms, continued Protists Fungi Plants Animals 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 5
Go to the following website find out what the main characteristics of these kingdoms are. Complete the following chart on paper.
Protists
Fungi
Plants
Animals 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 5

15. Kingdoms, continued Bacteria Archaea 1. 2. 3.
Go to the following website find out what some of the characteristics of these kingdoms are. Complete the following chart on paper.
Bacteria
Archaea 1. 2. 3.

16. Recognize Examples of Major Animal Phyla
Use the following websites to unscramble major animal phyla and answer the questions that follow. Write the words and answers on paper.
a r d c i n s n i a __________________
1. List 3 examples of this phyla.
l o l u k s s m ____________________
2. Name the 3 groupings of this phyla.
n e a d i l s n _______________________
3. How many species of this phyla are there?

17. Animal Phyla, cont.
Use the following websites to unscramble major animal phyla and answer the questions that follow. Write the words and answers on paper.
d o a r h r t o p s _________________
4. This phyla is the first animal group to have _______ legs.
m r d e h c i o n e s ____________________
5. This phyla generally have ____ arms and dwell at the bottom of oceans’ levels.
e t a c o h r d s ____________________
6. Animal groups in this phyla include _____, _____, _____, ______and _____.

18. Recognize Examples of Major Plant Phyla
Use the following websites to unscramble major plant phyla and answer the questions that follow. Write the words and answers on paper.
s m o s e s _____________
1. This plant phyla are found in _____ areas and do not grow vertically too high but can spread out to be a yard long.
o f r e s c n i ______________ This plant phyla bears ______, instead of real fruits.
n r s f e _______________ This plant phyla can mostly be found in ________ _______ _________.
w o f l r n i g e a l p s n t _________ ________
4. The four basic parts of this plant phyla are ______, _______, _______, and _______.

19. Resources