Study Guide for Classification
Vocabulary:
classification: The process of grouping similar things together.
kingdom: A major, large group of similar organisms.
phylum: A major group within a kingdom. Phyla is the plural form of phylum.
species: Smallest group for classifying living things
vertebrate: An animal with a backbone.
invertebrate: An animal without a backbone.
mammal: A phyla of vertebrates that have hair and produce milk for their young.
bird: A phyla of vertebrates that have feathers.
reptile: A phyla of vertebrates that have scaly skin and most lay their eggs on land.
amphibian: A phyla of vertebrates that begin life in water, but when they are adults, they live on land.
fish: A phyla of vertebrates that have scales and live their entire life in water.
arthropods: a largest phyla of invertebrates. They have jointed legs, two or more body segments, and an
exoskeleton.
insects: the largest class of arthropods. They have six legs and three body segments.
nonvascular plants: A plant without transport tubes to carry water and nutrients throughout the plant.
vascular plants: A plant with tubes to carry water and nutrients throughout the plant.
vascular tissue: A material that supports a plant and conducts nutrients.
xylem: Vascular tissue that carries water and nutrients from roots to the other parts of a plant.
phloem: Vascular tissue that carries food from leaves to the other parts of a plant.
gymnosperm: A vascular plant that produces seeds that are not surrounded by a fruit (naked seeds).
angiosperm: A flowering plant whose seeds are surrounded by fruit.
What I need to know and be able to apply…
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Each vocabulary word
Invertebrates have the greatest number of animal species. 97% of animals are invertebrates, so
3% are vertebrates.
Plants and animals are multi-cellular.
Plants are producers (they make their own food).
Animals are consumers (they eat other living things).
Nonvascular plants….
o Don’t have true roots, but are anchored by rootlike structures.
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o Don’t have true stems, but have parts that look like stems.
o Have small leaflike structures that make food, but they aren’t true leaves.
o Don’t have any tissue for carrying materials throughout the plant.
o Do not grow very tall.
o Absorb water and nutrients from their surroundings and carries it directly from cell to cell.
Vascular plants…
o Have vascular tissue that carries water and food.
o Have true leaves, stems, and roots.
o Vary by size and ecosystem
The function of a wing is to fly, but the structure of wings can be different. For example, a
dragonfly’s wing is a flat piece of the same material that makes up the insect’s exoskeleton. But a
bird’s wing has hollow bones inside and is covered with feathers on the outside.
*****You may access the online text book by going to www.henry.k12.ga.us/le, click on teachers, click on
Odle, click on science links.