Classifications and Kingdoms Assessment Date_________ Students can study at http://quizlet.com/20447890/classifications-
and-kingdoms-flash-cards/
Classification: the act of grouping things by using a set of rules. Scientists use similarities and differences of living things to
form groups. This enables them to more easily find and share information about living things.
Kingdoms: 5 groups that include all living things. This is the largest group in which living things are classified. The five
kingdoms are animals, plants, fungi, protists and monerans. Every member of a kingdom has some characteristics that
are the same as those of other members. Scientists classify living things into the five kingdoms by determining whether
living things are one-celled or many-celled and how the living thing gets their food.
Animals: Many celled, feed on living
or once-living things.
Plants: Many-celled, make their own
food.
• Monkeys, Birds, Frogs, Fish,
Spiders
• Trees, flowers, grasses, ferns,
mosses
Protists: Most one-celled with one
nucleus, make their own food or
feed on living or once-living things.
• Algae, amoebas, diatoms
Fungi: most many-celled, absorb food
from other living things or dead thing
such as logs.There are many uses for
fungi such as penicillin, an antibiotic.
•Mushrooms, yeasts, molds
Monerans: Most are one-celled, no
cell nuclei, some make their own
food, some feed on living or once
living things. They sometimes call
this group Bacteria instead of
Monerans.
Species: The smallest group in which living things are classified. Hint: thing of species as the MOST SPECIFIC.
Genus: The second smallest group in which living things are classified.* Scientists name living things with the labels of the
two smallest classification groups- genus and species. See picture A40 in your Science textbook.
Animal Kingdom: Two main groups-invertebrates and vertebrates.
Classifications and Kingdoms Assessment Date_________ Students can study at http://quizlet.com/20447890/classifications-
and-kingdoms-flash-cards/
Animal
Kingdom
Mammals
Reptiles
Plant
Kingdom
Vertebrates
Invertebrates
Vascular
Amphibians
Birds
Fish
Nonvascular
Vertebrates: Animals that have backbones. Usually, they have sharp senses and large brains.
Divided into several, smaller groups; mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians.
Mammals: Animals that have hair and are warm-blooded. Female mammals produce milk for their young. Ex.
Cats, dogs
Fish: vertebrates that have hard scales and live in the water for their entire lives. They use gills to take the oxygen
they need directly from the water.
Birds: Animals with feathers. Feathers help to keep it warm and help it fly. Not all birds fly.
Reptiles: Animals with dry, scaly skin. Ex. Lizards, snakes and turtles. Feel cold to the touch.
Classifications and Kingdoms Assessment Date_________ Students can study at http://quizlet.com/20447890/classifications-
and-kingdoms-flash-cards/
Amphibians: Animals that have moist skin and no scales. They usually begin in the water but live in land as adults.
Invertebrates: animals without a backbone. Usually smaller than vertebrates. There are many types of invertebrates.
Anthropods: Invertebrates with legs that have several joints. Their bodies have two or more parts and they often
have an outer covering that protects them. Ex. Insects with 6 legs. (Spiders are not an insect)
Mollusks: invertebrates that may or may not have a hard outer shell such as snails, clams and squids.
Worms: Invertebrates with no shells, legs or eyes.
Plant Kingdom: Includes two large groups- vascular and nonvascular.
Vascular: Plants that have tubes in their roots, stems and leaves. Water and nutrients enter the tubes. Ex. Ferns, trees. Any
plant that has flowers or cones is a vascular.
Nonvascular: Plants that do not have tubes and pass water and nutrients directly from cell to cell. Water must soak into
the plants and pass slowly from cell to cell. Nonvascular plants usually live in damp places and don’t grow too large or
tall. They have no roots, stems or leaves. Examples include liverwort and moss.