1. Why Classify?
Classification makes it easier to answer questions about living things such as
How many known species are there?
What are the defining characteristics of each species?
What are the relationships between these species?

2. Levels of Classification
Taxonomy
The science of describing, classifying, and naming living things
Levels of Classification
King
Phillip
Came
Over
For
Great
Spaghetti
Kingdom (largest, most general)
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species (only one kind of organism)

3. Binomial Nomenclature (two names)
What is a puma vs. a mountain lion vs. a cougar?
Names are in Latin or Greek so that all scientists use the same name
Linnaeus simplified the naming process with two parts; genus and species.
Genus is always capitalized, species is lower case
Genus and species are in italics or underlined
Felis concolor

4. House cat T. rex Dog Human Jaguar Felis domesticus Tyrannosaurus rex
Canis familiaris
Homo sapien
Panthera onca
House cat
T. rex
Dog
Human
Jaguar

5. Dichotomous Key A guide to identifying organisms
It is based on statements/questions that will be answered with one of two responses. These responses lead you to other statements until you reach the identity of the organism.

6. 1 A. Metal. go to 2 1 B. Paper. go to 5 2 A. Brown (copper). penny 2 B
1 A. Metal go to 2 1 B. Paper go to A. Brown (copper) penny 2 B. Silver go to A. Smooth edge nickel. 3 B. Ridges around the edge....go to A. Torch on back dime 4 B. Eagle on back quarter 5 A. Number 1 in the corners....$1 bill 5 B. Number 2 in the corners....$2 bill

7. Important Terms
Prokaryote – having no nucleus
Eukaryote – having a nucleus
Unicellular – made up of one single cell
Multicellular – made up of more than one cell
Autotroph – make their own food
Heterotroph – get food from consuming something else

8. Archaebacteria Fungi Eubacteria Plantae Protista Animalia
Prokaryote; Single-cell
autotrophs and heterotrophs
Cell walls containing NO peptidoglycan
extremophiles
“ancient” bacteria
Fungi
Eukaryote; mostly multi-cell, some single-cell
heterotrophs, external digestion
Cell walls made of chitin
mushrooms, mold, yeast
Eubacteria
Cell wall contain peptidoglycan
E. coli, strep throat, cheese
“true” bacteria
Plantae
Eukaryote; Multi-cell
Autotrophs
Cells walls made of cellulose
trees, flowers, shrubs
Protista
Eukaryote; mostly single-cell, some multi-cell
Cell walls made of cellulose
algae, paramecium, diatoms
Animalia
heterotrophs, internal digestion
No cell walls
mosquito, fish, dog