2. Taxonomy
In Biology, scientists group organisms into categories. Each larger category is then broken down into smaller categories.
Taxonomy is the study of naming and classifying organisms.
Until the mid-1700’s, biologists would name organisms by giving it a descriptive sentence which sometimes would have 12 or more Latin words. These were called polynomials meaning “many names.”

3. Binomial Nomenclature
To make it easier, biologists decided to give each organism a two part name.
The language that is used to write scientific names is Latin.
The two-part naming system is called binomial nomenclature.
The scientist who came up with this system of naming was Carolus Linneaus.

4. Take a look at some of the history of binomial nomenclature
Take a look at some of the history of binomial nomenclature. Click on the video clip on the left of this website.
Classification

5. Scientific Name
The two-part name for a species is called its scientific name.
The first word in the name is called the Genus. A genus is a group of organisms containing similar species.
Genus Myzomela

6. Scientific Name
The second word identifies one organism within the genus. This is called the species.
A species is the most specific group in the system of classification.

7. How to write a scientific name?
When we classify an organism, we give it a genus and a species as its scientific name.
When we write a scientific name, the genus is always first and capitalized and the species is written second and is lowercase.
Example: Quercus rubra (red oak)

8. How to write a scientific name?
After the first use of the full scientific name, the genus name can be abbreviated as a capital letter. For example, Querus rubra can be abbreviated Q.rubra
All organisms have 2-part scientific names.
The scientific name for humans is Homo sapiens.

9. Linnaeus classified plants and animals by their traits.
There are 7 levels in which organisms can be classified.
The kingdom is the biggest group and everything else is contained within it.

11. "King Phillip Came Over For Great Spaghetti"
K P C O F G S
Can you make a sentence using the first letter of each classification subgroup?
"King Phillip Came Over For Great Spaghetti"

12. In the kingdoms, we have all different kinds of organisms
In the kingdoms, we have all different kinds of organisms. As we step it down to the genus and species the organisms become more specific and more similar.
As we step from kingdom to species, the members within the same group have more in common with EACH OTHER than with organisms in another group.

13. Can you make a sentence using the first letter of each kingdom?
Kingdoms
We have 6 kingdoms of living things.
ARCHAEBACTERIA
EUBACTERIA PROTISTA FUNGI PLANT ANIMAL
A E P F P A
Can you make a sentence using the first letter of each kingdom?

14. Tim and Moby Discuss the 6 Kingdoms
Click on the following link to view the video: The Mysteries of Life

15. What kingdom has most organisms?

16. Learn about Eubacteria and Archaebacteria and Algae by clicking the links below:
What is Bacteria?
What is Algae? (Video clip on the left of webpage)

17. Why do we classify things?
Classification provides scientists and students a way to sort and group organisms for easier study.
There are millions of organisms on the earth! (approximately 1.5 million have been already named)
Organisms are classified by their: * physical structure (how they look) * evolutionary relationships * embryonic similarities (embryos) * genetic similarities (DNA) * biochemical similarities

18. How Biologists Classify Organisms?
Scientists use differences in appearance and structures to group organisms.
Sometimes these structural differences cannot determine if two organisms are of the same species.
So, biologists define what makes something its own biological species.

19. Biological Species
A group of actually or potentially interbreeding populations that are reproductively isolated from other groups.
This biological species concept works well for the Kingdom Animalia because there are many modes to reproduction between animals.

20. Click on the video link on the website below to view an overall review of the entire Classification packet.
Classification

21. If you have extra time, play the mosquito or parasite game
If you have extra time, play the mosquito or parasite game! Click the link below.
Mosquito or Parasite Game

23. Organisms are grouped among these 6 kingdoms by:
* the presence or absence of a nuclear membrane * unicellular (one cell) or multicellular (many cells) * the type of nutrition used by the organism (heterotrophic or autotrophic)