1. Classification

2. Classification Common features
While there is a lot of variation between organisms, they also have a lot of features in common.
On the next slide is an activity comparing a cow and a dolphin. It may sound like they do not have many things in common but you may be surprised.
The activity looks at six different features – take a guess now at how many you think they have in common.

3. Common features

4. Classification
As you saw a dolphin and a cow do have things in common. Scientists use these common features to put organisms into groups. It would be a bit like you grouping your class in terms of their eye colour.
This kind of grouping is called CLASSIFICATION.
Before we look at the classification system that scientists invented lets see how you would classify some organisms.

5. Classification Look at the organisms on the next page.
Notice the similarities that they have to each other. From these similarities see if you can group them into four different groups.
How you group them is completely up to you.
However, you must be able to tell other people why you grouped each of the organisms together.
Good Luck!

7. One way that a scientist might have grouped them is to put
How did you group your organisms?
One way that a scientist might have grouped them is to put
them into the following four groups:
You may have heard some of these words before.
They come from a scientific way of classifying organisms.
Move on to learn more about this classification system.
Plants
Birds
Mammals
Reptiles

8. The Classification System
Scientists across the world all use and recognise the same classification system.
In this classification system they start off using very big groups that include a lot of animals, and then move down to smaller groups that do not include as many animals.
The biggest groups are called the KINGDOMS. All living things are classified into five different kingdoms.

9. Kingdoms

10. Kingdoms

11. Animal Classification
Animals are first split up into two different groups:
Invertebrates
These animals do not have a backbone.
They have soft inner bodies which are held in shape by a flexible covering of outer cells or by a hard covering called an exoskeleton.
Vertebrates
These animals have a backbone.
They have a firmer body because of the muscles that connect to their skeleton.

12. Animal Classification

13. Animal Classification

14. Vertebrate features

15. Kingdoms

16. Classifying

17. The Odd One Out whale tuna perch shark sprat sturgeon trout flounder
Look at the names of the organisms below.
In terms of classification which of these is the odd one out and why.
whale
tuna
perch
shark
sprat
sturgeon
trout
flounder
salmon
seahorse
The whale is the odd one out.
All of the rest are fish, a whale is a mammal.

18. The Odd One Out raven penguin platypus duck kiwi swan robin eagle
Look at the names of the organisms below.
In terms of classification which of these is the odd one out and why.
raven
penguin
platypus
duck
kiwi
swan
robin
eagle
pigeon
owl
The platypus is the odd one out.
All of the rest are birds, a platypus is a mammal.

19. The Odd One Out horse fly ladybird caterpillar cicada moth lice
Look at the names of the organisms below.
In terms of classification which of these is the odd one out and why.
caterpillar
ladybird
ant
moth
horse fly
silverfish
scorpion
cockroach
lice
cicada
The scorpion is the odd one out. All of the rest are insects, a scorpion is an arachnid.

20. Invertebrates
No backbone
Normally have an exoskeleton

21. Jellyfish and sea anemones
Jelly-like body.
Have tentacles with stinging cells to catch food.

22. Flatworms
Flattened body with no segments (divisions).

23. Roundworms
Long thin body with no segments.

24. Segmented worms
Long, tube-shaped body made of segments.

25. Molluscs Many have a shell. Body not in segments.
Move around on a muscular foot.

26. Starfish and sea urchins
5 ‘arms’ or star-shaped pattern on their bodies.
Spiny skins

27. Arthropods Jointed legs. Body has a hard outer skeleton
They can be divided into 4 smaller groups: Crustaceans, Insects, Spiders, Centipedes and millipedes.

28. Arthrodops: Crustaceans
Chalky outer skeleton.
Most live in water.

29. Arthropods: Insects
6 legs.
3 parts to the body.
Have wings.

30. Arthropods: Spiders
8 legs.
2 parts to the body.
No wings

31. Arthropods: Centipedes and millipedes
Long body made up of segments.
Many legs.