6.01 Classification of Living Organisms
Instructions & Template
Please take time to read this document carefully. For full credit, all empty portions
of this document must be completed.
The 6.01 lesson taught you about 2 classification systems (Linnaean taxonomy and cladistics). You will be
practicing your knowledge of those systems in this assignment.
Your job is to classify these birds using both systems:
1. Blue jay
2. American robin
3. Northern cardinal
4. Yellow canary
5. Brown pelican
Part 1: Creating a Taxonomy Chart
Below you will find an incomplete taxonomy chart that classifies the birds mentioned on the previous page. Please complete the
taxonomy chart. Here are 2 websites that can help you fill out this taxonomy chart: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu and
www.allaboutbirds.org.
Double click the RED boxes of the taxonomy chart below to write your information.
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum name
Phylum
Class name
Class
Order name
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Pelecaniformes
Corvidae
Family name
Family name
Family name
Family name
Genus
Genus
Genus
Serinus
Genus
species
(blue jay)
migratorius
(robin)
species
(cardinal)
species
(canary)
species
(pelican)
Part 2: Creating a Cladogram
Below you will find the tools to create a cladogram. You can also erase the tools and insert a clear picture of a cladogram you have drawn
by hand or made with another program. When two animals share a common ancestor, they normally exhibit similar features or behavior.
This is what you are trying to show with the cladogram. Group the birds by similar characteristics. This video is very good at explaining
how to understand cladograms: http://safeshare.tv/w/GgAYkkwfVe.
You could group the birds’ characteristics according to one of these:
• Diet
• Size
• Type of feet
• Beak
• If they are/are not a songbird
Move the lines and boxes below to create your cladogram.
Blue jay
American robin
Northern cardinal
Yellow canary
Brown pelican
Part 3: Summary Questions
Answer the following 3 questions in complete sentences.
Double click the box below to add in your answers.
1. Describe the traits your birds had in common with one another in the taxonomy chart. Break down your descriptions by
taxa (kingdom, phylum, class, order, and family). The first one is done for you.
• Characteristics of Kingdom Animalia: Eukaryotic cells, multicellular, internal digestion, sexual reproduction, advanced mobility,
collagen-supported cell membranes, complex organ systems.
• Characteristics of Phylum ______:
• Characteristics of Class ______:
• Characteristics of Order ______:
• Characteristics of Order Pelecaniformes:
• Characteristics of Family Corvidae:
• Characteristics of Family ______:
• Characteristics of Family ______:
• Characteristics of Family ______:
• Characteristics of Family ______:
2. Explain the positions of each bird in your cladogram.
3. Which was more difficult to make: the taxonomy chart or the cladogram? Explain your answer.