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Animal, Plant & Soil Science

Lesson B1-1
Classifying Living Things

Interest Approach

Show pictures of various plants or


animals, preferably of those that
students cannot quickly identify and
name. Ask the students how they
would go about identifying those living
things. Lead discussion into the
importance of taxonomy, distinguishing
plant or animal characteristics, and
use of taxonomic keys.

Objectives

Examine the history of taxonomic


classification.
Define organism and identify
characteristics shared by all living
things.
List and describe the eight life
processes of living organisms.

Objectives

Identify the seven levels of taxonomic


classification.
Compare and contrast the five kingdoms
of organisms.
Identify the similarities and differences
between plants and animals.
Demonstrate the use of a taxonomic key
to identify organisms.

Terms

animal
autotrophic
organism
binomial
nomenclature
cell
circulation
class

division
eukaryotic cell
family
food
genus
growth
heterotrophic
organism

Terms

kingdom
life process
locomotion
order
organism
phylum
plant

prokaryotic cell
protoplasm
repair
reproduction
respiration
secretion
sensation

Terms

species
taxonomic key
taxonomy

What is the history of


taxonomic classification?

Taxonomy is the science of identifying,


classifying, and naming living things.
A. The Greeks made the first attempts at
taxonomy nearly 2,000 years ago, but
their efforts were limited, with no definite
system of naming living things.

What is the history of


taxonomic classification?

B. In the early 1700s, Carolus Linnaeus, a


Swiss botanist, developed binomial
nomenclature, a two-name system of
classification.

1. The first name (the genus) is always capitalized,


while the second name (the species) is never
capitalized.
2. Both names should be underlined or italicized.

C. In 1969, scientist Robert Whittaker


proposed five kingdoms into which all living
organisms could be classified.

That system is still in use today.

What is an organism, and what


characteristics are shared by all
living things?

An organism is a living thing. Organisms are


unique, varying in size and shape.
However, they share many similarities.
A. Organisms are structural units that
carry out chemical and life processes.

A life process is a function essential for an


organism to remain in the living condition and
produce new members of the species.
Life processes vary among plants, animals, and
other organisms.
They are the distinguishing characteristics between
plants and animals.
When life processes stop, the organisms die.

What is an organism, and what


characteristics are shared by all
living things?

B. Organisms are made of cells.

A cell is a unit, or building block,


with a definite structure and function.
The number of cells in an organism varies from one
to millions, depending on the size of the organism.
Cells have membranes and substances that carry
out chemical activities needed for life processes.
The cells of organisms contain protoplasm.
Protoplasm is a liquid-like material inside a cell
that holds various suspended solid materials that
carry out chemical processes needed for living.

What is an organism, and what


characteristics are shared by all
living things?
C. Organisms need energy to carry out
life processes.

Energy for plants and animals


comes from food.

D. Organisms have life spans.


E. Organisms grow and reproduce.

Growth is the process of an organism


increasing in size by adding cells.
Reproduction is the process of organisms
giving rise to new individuals of the same
kind.

What is an organism, and what


characteristics are shared by all
living things?
F. Organisms respond to
their environment.

The environment may


promote growth and life
processes, or it may
prevent growth or cause
death.

G. Every organism
belongs to one of the five
kingdoms.

What are the eight life


processes of living organisms?

All living organisms carry out life processes in


different ways.
Life processes are the characteristics of
organisms.
A. Living organisms carry out eight life
processes:
1. Food acquisition and useFood is the
material that provides nourishment for a living
organism.

Some organisms require food in a ready-to-use form.


Other organisms can manufacture food from
nutrients.

What are the eight life


processes of living organisms?

2. MovementMovement refers to internal


processes as well as locomotion.

It involves a complex system of


responding to stimuli.
Locomotion is the ability of an organism
to move itself from one place to another.

3. CirculationCirculation is the movement of


necessary materials throughout an organism.

Animals have circulatory systems that move blood,


whereas plants have vascular systems that move
water, nutrients, and manufactured food.

What are the eight life


processes of living organisms?

4. RespirationRespiration is the process by


which the cells of an organism receive oxygen
so that the energy in food or digested food can
be released.

Respiratory structures vary among species.

5. Growth and repairGrowth processes occur


from the beginning to the end of life.

Growth occurs when cells become larger or multiply


or specialize into organs and tissues. In mature
organisms, most growth is for tissue repair.
Repair occurs when parts of an organism wear out
or are damaged and are replaced by growing new
cells.

What are the eight life


processes of living organisms?

6. SecretionSecretion is the production


of substances needed by an organism for
the living condition to occur.

Secretions are often important


in how an organism carries out
other life processes.
For example, saliva is required
for good ingestion in some animals.

What are the eight life


processes of living organisms?

7. SensationSensation is the
awareness of an organism to its
environment and the responses it makes
to stimuli.

Organisms respond to stimuli received


through their senses.
Animals have systems for sensation in five
areas: vision, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
Plants are responsive to light and deficiencies
or conditions in their environment.

What are the eight life


processes of living organisms?

8. ReproductionReproduction
processes vary, but all sexual
reproduction involves the union of a male
sex cell and a female sex cell, regardless
of the species involved.

Some organisms reproduce asexually, such


as plants that send out runners or bulbs that
divide.

What are the eight life


processes of living organisms?

B. Seven of the processes are essential


for an organism to remain in the living
condition.

Reproduction is not essential for an organism


to live but is required for new members of a
species to be produced.
Disruption of any of the eight processes
results in organisms failing to live and
reproduce.

What are the seven levels of


taxonomic classification?

To understand organisms better, we


arrange living things into groups that have
similar physical characteristics or are
related to each other.
The classification of organisms is
hierarchical in nature.
This means that large groups containing
many different species are divided into
successively smaller, more specific
groups.

What are the seven levels of


taxonomic classification?

The seven levels of taxonomic


classification are:
A. KingdomKingdom
is the highest category
in the Linnaean system
of classification.

All living organisms are


classified into one of five kingdoms: Plantae,
Animalia, Fungi, Protista, and Monera.

What are the seven levels of


taxonomic classification?

B. Phylum or divisionIn animal


classification, phylum is the level of
classification immediately below
kingdom.

At this level, animals are


grouped according to their
basic body plan or
organization.
This level in plant
classification is known as division.

What are the seven levels of


taxonomic classification?

C. ClassClass is the level of


classification immediately below phylum
or division.

Members of a class have more common


characteristics than those of a phylum or
division.

D. OrderOrder is the level of


classification immediately below class.

Members of an order have more common


characteristics than those of a class.

What are the seven levels of


taxonomic classification?

E. FamilyFamily is the level of


classification immediately below order.

Members of a family have more common


characteristics than those of an order.

F. GenusGenus is the level of


classification immediately below family.

Members of a genus have more common


characteristics than those of a family.

What are the seven levels of


taxonomic classification?

G. SpeciesSpecies is the level of


classification immediately below genus
and is the most specific level of
classification.

Members of a species
can be bred and
produce offspring
similar to their parents.

What are the similarities and


differences in the five kingdoms of
organisms?
In 1969, Robert Whittaker proposed five
kingdoms.
Some researchers have proposed
additional kingdoms, but most biologists
employ Whittakers system.
The five kingdoms are:

What are the similarities and


differences in the five kingdoms of
organisms?
A. MoneraThe Monera kingdom
consists of some of the first forms of life
on Earth.

The Monera kingdom


contains unicellular
organisms that are
prokaryotic.
A prokaryotic cell doesnt have a
membrane-bounded nucleus.
Microscopic organisms, such as bacteria and
cyanobacteria, belong to the Monera
kingdom.

What are the similarities and


differences in the five kingdoms of
organisms?

B. ProtistaThe Protista kingdom consists of


organisms that are eukaryotic.

A eukaryotic cell has a nucleus that is separated


from the cytoplasm of the cell by a nuclear
membrane.
Many species within the Protista kingdom resemble
members of the Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia
kingdoms except that most are unicellular.
Perhaps the best way to define members of the
Protista kingdom is as eukaryotes that are not fungi,
plants, or animals.
Algae and protozoa are two members of the Protista
kingdom.

What are the similarities and


differences in the five kingdoms of
organisms?

C. FungiThe Fungi kingdom consists of


multicellular, eukaryotic organisms that are
immobile and heterotrophic.

A heterotrophic organism is an organism that must


consume other organisms, or their products, to gain
energy.
Heterotrophic organisms obtain their energy by
decomposing dead organisms and absorbing their
nutrients.
Some fungi cause disease, such as rusts and smuts,
while others are useful for baking, for brewing, or as
sources for drugs.
Yeasts, molds, mushrooms, and mildews are all
members of the Fungi kingdom.

What are the similarities and


differences in the five kingdoms of
organisms?
D. PlantaeThe Plantae kingdom
consists of immobile, multicellular,
eukaryotic organisms that are autotrophic.

An autotrophic organism
can produce its own food
through photosynthesis.
Ferns, conifers, mosses,
and flowering plants are
all members of the Plantae kingdom.

What are the similarities and


differences in the five kingdoms of
organisms?
E. AnimaliaThe Animalia
kingdom consists of
mobile, multicellular,
eukaryotic organisms
that are heterotrophic.

Sponges, worms, insects,


fish, amphibians, reptiles,
birds, and mammals are
all members of the Animalia kingdom.

What are the similarities and


differences in the five kingdoms of
organisms?
1. Agricultural species of animals are, of
course, in the Animalia kingdom and are
further classified into the phylum
Chordata.

The phylum Chordata includes humans and


all domestic animals.

2. Agricultural species of animals are then


placed into one of three classes: Aves
(birds), Mammalia (mammals), or
Osteichthyes (bony fishes).

What are the similarities and


differences between plants and
animals?

Plants and animals have both similarities and


differences.
A. A plant is an organism that uses nutrients to
make the food needed for life processes.

The nutrients are taken in as a liquid.


Structural characteristics and
functions allow plants to use the nutrients
in making food in the appropriate environment.
Plants are in the kingdom Plantae.
Some 350,000 species of plants have been
identified.

What are the similarities and


differences between plants and
animals?
B. An animal is an organism that acquires
food from other sources and has other
qualities that distinguish it from plants and
organisms in other kingdoms.

Animals are members of the kingdom


Animalia.
Scientists have identified nearly a million
species of animals.

What are the similarities and


differences between plants and
animals?
C. Plants and animals
are similar or alike in
several ways.
1. Both have life cycles.
2. Both carry out
processes to remain in
the living condition.
3. Both are made of cells.
4. Both must have food.

What are the similarities and


differences between plants and
animals?
D. Animals depend on plants to
manufacture food, which enters the food
chain.

Animals eat plants. Upon death, the animals


decompose to provide nutrients for plants.

E. Plants use the nutrients from the


decaying remains of animals and other
plants.

Nutrients in manure are also used by plants


for growth.

How can a taxonomic key be


used to identify organisms?

A common method of classifying and


identifying objects, such as organisms, is
the use of a taxonomic key, also known
as a dichotomous key.
A taxonomic key is a device
used to identify an object that
the user does not know but that an
expert has described.

How can a taxonomic key be


used to identify organisms?

A. A taxonomic key is based on the


process of elimination, in which the user
is presented with a sequence of choices,
each with a pair of alternatives.

The user chooses between the alternatives,


which are possible characteristics of the
unknown object.
The statement chosen may ask the user to
go on to another pair of statements, or it will
give the user the name of the object.

How can a taxonomic key be


used to identify organisms?

B. A taxonomic key can be used to


identify just about any object.

For instance, taxonomic keys may be used in


agriculture to identify plants, animals, or even
soil types.

Review

What is the history of taxonomic


classification?

What is an organism, and what


characteristics are shared by all living
things?

What are the eight life processes of living


organisms?

Review

What are the seven levels of taxonomic


classification?

What are the similarities and differences in


the five kingdoms of organisms?

What are the similarities and differences


between plants and animals?

How can a taxonomic key be used to identify


organisms?

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