Classifying Living
Things
Classification
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Classification is the process of grouping things
based on their shared traits.
Biologists use classification to organize living
things into groups, so that the organisms are
easier to study
The scientific study of how living things are
classified is called taxonomy.
Classification System
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Carolus Linnaeus is the
Swedish scientist who
developed a classification
system based on the
organisms’ observable
features.
Linnaeus’s naming
system is called binomial
nomenclature because
each organism is given a
two part name.
Binomial Nomenclature
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The first part of the organism’s
name is its genus. This is a
classification grouping that
contains similar, closely related
organisms.
The second part of the
organism’s name is its species.
A species is a group of similar
organisms that can mate and
produce fertile offspring.
Seven Levels of Classification
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Today’s classification system uses several levels to
classify organisms. The more characteristics that
organisms have in common, the more level they
share.
Kingdom
 Phylum
 Class
 Order
 Family
 Genus
 Species
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Dichotomous Keys
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Taxonomist have developed
special guides know as
dichotomous keys to aid in
identifying unknown
organisms.
A dichotomous key consists
of several pairs of descriptive
statements that have only
two responses.
Branching Diagrams
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Branching diagrams
show the close
evolutionary
relationships
between organisms.
As characteristics
differ, branches in
the diagram form.
Cladograms
5 Kingdoms of Organisms
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Bacteria (Monera)
 Archeabacteria
 Eubacteria
Protists
Fungi
Plants
Animals
Bacteria (Monera)
http://www.ric.edu/faculty/ptiskus/six_kingdoms/
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: Archeabacteria:
Single celled (simple)
 Found in extreme
environments like hot
boiling water; oceans;
salt marshes
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Eubacteria:
Single celled (simple)
 Very common and
found everywhere.
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Streptococci
(strep throat)
Protists
http://www.ric.edu/faculty/ptiskus/six_kingdoms/
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Single Celled
 Complex Cells
Protozoa and algae are
protists.
Sometimes they are called the
odds and ends kingdom
because its members are so
different from one another.
Protists include all
microscopic organisms that
are not bacteria, not
animals, not plants and not
fungi.
Fungi
http://www.ric.edu/faculty/ptiskus/six_kingdoms/
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Most fungi are
multicellular and consists
of many complex cells
Fungi cannot make their
own food.
Examples:
Mushrooms
 Mold
 Mildew
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Some fungi taste great
and others can kill
you!
Plants
http://www.ric.edu/faculty/ptiskus/six_kingdoms/
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Plants are all multicellular
and consist of complex cells
With over 250,000 species,
the plant kingdom is the
second largest kingdom.
Examples:
 Flowering plants
 Mosses
 Ferns
Plants make their own food
using energy and sunlight.
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Without plants, life on
Earth would not exist!
Plants feed almost all the
heterotrophs (organisms
that eat other organisms)
on Earth. Wow!
Animals
http://www.ric.edu/faculty/ptiskus/six_kingdoms/
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The animal kingdom is
the largest kingdom with
over 1 million known
species.
All animals are
multicellular and consist
of many complex cells.
Animals are
heterotrophs. (organisms
that eat other organisms.)
Seven Levels of Classification

Today’s classification system uses several levels to
classify organisms. The more characteristics that
organisms have in common, the more level they
share.
Kingdom
 Phylum
 Class
 Order
 Family
 Genus
 Species
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Subdivisions
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King Philip Came Over For Good Spaghetti
 Kingdom
(Broadest/Largest)
 Phylum
 Class
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Order
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Family
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Genus
Species (Most specific/Smallest)
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Levels of Classification
http://www.ric.edu/faculty/ptiskus/six_kingdoms/
Sumatran Tiger
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class:
Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae,
Genus: Pathera, Species: tigris
VERTEBRATES
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All animals WITH a Backbone are called
Vertebrates.
5 Vertebrate Groups:
Amphibians: Frog, Toad, Salamander
 Birds: Eagle; Cardinal, Robin
 Fish: Goldfish, Clownfish, Shark
 Mammals: Lion, Dogs, Humans, Whales
 Reptiles: Snake, Lizard, Alligator
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INVERTEBRATES
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All animals WITHOUT a Backbone are called
Invertebrates.
Groups of Invertebrates
Ocean Invertebrates: Jellyfish, Coral, Sponges
 Worms
 Arthropods
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Insects: Ant, ladybug, honey bee, grasshopper
 Crustaceans: Lobster, Crab, Shrimp
 Spiders and Scorpions
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Button Experiment
1.
2.
3.
4.
Sort the buttons by color. Record how many groups
you made and how many buttons were in each group.
Take your largest group and sort that group into 2
groups. (group with 2 hole; group with all others.)
Record groups and number of buttons in each group.
Now separate that same group into 3 groups. (2 holes;
4 holes; all others). Record groups and number of
buttons in each group.
Now see if you can separate that same group of
buttons into 4 or more groups. Explain how the
buttons are grouped and how many buttons you had
in each group.
Interactive Notebook
Button Experiment
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Student side (left side): Record your groups
from the button experiment.
Example:
1. Green-6; Blue-4; Black-7; White-3
 2. Black Group: 2 holes-3; All others-4
 3. Black Group: 2 holes-3; 4 holes-1; All others-3
 4. Groups made: Square-10; round-5; triangle-8;
rectangle-6
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Teacher side (right side): Glue vocabulary list for
classifying living things unit)
Study List For Test
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Study all vocabulary words.
Name all 5 kingdoms, cell type, example of organism in
each
Know 7 levels of classification in order (King Philip
Came Over For Good Spaghetti)
Know the highest and lowest levels of classification
Know which levels are used for scientific naming
Know how plants make food
Vertebrates and examples
Invertebrates and examples