1. Classification
SC.6.L.15.1: Analyze and describe how and why organisms are classified according to shared characteristics with emphasis on the Linnaean system. 2 Handouts: “Levels of Classification” and “It’s Classified!”

2. Key concepts and ideas for you to know You will learn why we classify and and how we figure out what gets classified where in this unit!
Classification is a way of grouping things according to how similar they are: you can be classified as a student along with your classmates.
There are currently about 1.5 million different species of living things that have been identified on the Earth so far!
In Science we classify living things into groups and levels to make it easier to learn more about those organisms as we study them.
The study of how living things are classifed is called taxonomy
Organisms (living things) are grouped by their shared characteristics.

3. Why do we classify? We classify organisms for a couple of reasons:
If an organism is classified, we automatically know a lot about it since it was classified with similar organisms.
If we find a new form of life and look at it’s characteristics, we can classify it and that will help us to learn more about it.
So, classifying living things according to levels of shared characteristics really helps us.
For example, an organism that has a backbone is different from one that does not. One that makes its own food is different than one that needs to eat.
Linnaeus was a Scientist who created a classification system in the 1700’s.
We classify using the Linnaeus system
There are “levels” or tiers in the Linnaeus classification system

4. How we classify
We classify using a 7-step naming system-Linnaeus’s system
Organisms are placed into a domain and kingdom based on their cell type (do their cells have nucleus, for example), how many cells (one or many), and whether they can make their own food or not (plants are not listed on this chart because they make their own food and are in a different kingdom. They’re in domain eukarya but are in the plant kingdom.
Look at our housecat: it’s in a domain called eukarya which includes anything that has a nucleus. It’s in the animal kingdom, then in phylum chordata, which means it has a backbone or a cord of some kind in its back.

5. Levels of Classification: here they are
Levels of Classification: here they are! You need your worksheet, “Levels of Classification” for this.
A Domain is the broadest or most general category. Within a domain is a kingdom and within that, a phylum and within that, a class. So, really, a class is part of a phylum which is part of a kingdom which is part of a domain.
See how the classification levels get smaller and smaller and there is less within each level?

6. You will need your “It’s Classified” sheet as you watch this video.
Highlight the link below and right click on “Open Hyperlink”.
You can pause the video as needed.