Name_________________________________________
Date___________________________________
Period__________________
Taxonomy Project
IN THE YEAR 2750…………
Humans, after hundreds of years of constant effort, have successfully polluted all
bodies of water on Earth. As a result, almost all previously known species of plant,
animal, and other life have become extinct. Through natural selection, genetic
engineering, and selective breeding programs, a portion of the Earth has been
successfully repopulated. The following organisms are all that remain:
1. Photosynthetic sun-basking sharks: Their green fins have chlorophyll to convert
sunlight to energy (autotrophs)
2. Chemosynthetic goldfish that convert pollution to food (autotrophs)
3. Aquatic humanoids whose main diet is aqua-wheat and basking sharks. They have
fins instead of legs (heterotrophs)
4. Aqua-wheat: one of the few plants that remain, it is similar to algae.
5. Terrestrial Humanoids with 4 arms, their diet consists of butter-roaches and
fuzzy hamsters.
6. Tentacled aqua humanoids: they only feed on aqua-wheat and have tentacles for
arms and legs.
7. Cockroaches that feed on humanoid waste.
8. Giant Aqua-spiders that live in water and feed on goldfish and basking sharks.
9. Green-haired rats that are photosynthetic.
10. Parasitic mosquitoes that feed off any humanoid
11. Ten-legged fleas that live on the photosynthetic rats and drink blood.
12. Poison Grass - this plant is a hybrid between grass and poison ivy. The plants
are toxic to almost everything (autotrophs)
13. Fuzzy hamsters with green hair that use the sunlight to make their food,
thought to be related to the rats.
14. Butter-roaches : genetic engineering created these butterfly-like creatures
from cockroaches. Butter-roaches eat poison grass.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
1. As an alien taxonomist, it is your responsibility to classify these existing organism types.
a. Create a taxonomic scheme (cladogram, phylogeny tree, evolutionary tree) using only kingdom,
phylum, genus, and species. The intermediate categories have been eliminated since the total
number of species has been drastically reduced. (Two Kingdoms are recommended). Use the
numbers of each organism to identify where they are placed on your chart.
b. Create Latin-sounding names for each organism. Remember, these will be scientific names and will
include the genus and species classification. Written in this form: Genus species
Ish
Al
an, ian
ary, ery, ory
Cian
Cy
cule, ling
ic,
Ist
Ite
ity, ty
Ive
Origin, nature, resembling
Relating to
Native of, relating to
Relating to, quality, place where
Possessing a specific skill or art
Action, function
Very small
Nature of, like
One who, that which
Nature of, quality of, mineral project
State of, quality
Causing, making
2. Illustrate your interpretation of each organism's appearance. Write the number and the name
(from 1b) next to the drawing. You must represent an accurate physical appearance based on the
description of the organism.
3. Prepare a dichotomous key for these organisms so that your fellow aliens can identify them when
they come to Earth. Remember that a dichotomous key is based on APPEARANCE of the organisms.
Use your drawings to make the key!
4. Diagram a food web using the organisms - at least four organisms should be used in your diagram.
5. Choose two organisms to reproduce with each other. Use #2 to come up with 3 traits (ex. color,
hair, no hair, legs) that can be put in Punnett Square format. Choose the dominant and recessive
links by flipping a coin (just like we did in the Superhero project!). CREATE 3 Punnett Squares and
show the PROBABLILITY of the outcome of those traits.
6. Choose a final GENOTYPE and PHENOTYPE and (from one of your Punnett Squares) and
ILLUSTRATE your final organism.
7. For the final step, CONSTRUCT a 3D model of your organism using the genotype and phenotype
you chose during #6.
Name_________________________
Date________________________
Period______________
Data Table 1 (to complete 1b)
Organism Name
Kingdom
Phylum
1. Sun-basking
Shark
2.Chemosynthetic
Goldfish
3.Aquatic
Humanoids
4.Aqua-wheat
Aqua
Helio
Aqua
Vasto
Aqua
Comumere
Aqua
Helio
5.Terrestrial
Humanoids
6.Tentacled Aqua
Humanoids
7.Cockroaches
Terra
Comumere
Aqua
Comumere
Terra
Vasto
8.Giant Aqua
Spiders
9.Green Haired
Rats
10.Parasictic
Mosquitoes
11.Ten Legged
Fleas
12.Poison Grass
Aqua
Comumere
Terra
Helio
Terra
Comumere
Terra
Comumere
Terra
Helio
Terra
Helio
Terra
Comumere
13.Fuzzy
Hamsters
14.Butterroaches
Genus
Species
Date Table 2 (from # 2)
Illustrate your organisms here (one per box) or make your own separate drawings. These should be
done neatly and should be colorful. The number in each box matches the numbers of the organisms
in Data Table 1.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Name_________________________
Date_______________
Period______________
Taxonomy Project Rubric
1a. Taxonomic Scheme
0
Not Completed
1
Incomplete-organisms
missing from the
scheme
Incomplete-organisms
missing
2
Complete-but not well
organized, hard to
follow, messy
Complete, but not
creative &/or
scientific names not
properly written
1b. Naming
Not Completed
2. Illustrations
Not Completed
Incomplete-some
organisms or
names/numbers
missing
Complete, but not neat
or creative, names or
numbers not written
on back or next to
picture &/or no color
or done on lined paper
3. Dichotomous Key or
Cladogram
Not Completed
Incomplete-some
organisms missing
4. Food Web
Not Completed
Incomplete-missing
minimum number of
organisms
Complete, but not
done properly,
characteristics do not
match/lead to
appropriate species,
messy & hard to follow
Complete, but messy
or incorrect flow of
energy
5.3 Punnett Squares
No Completed
6. Illustrations from
one of your Punnett
Squares
7. 3D Model
Neatness & creativity,
tasks labeled
Not Completed
1 completed square,
with probability,
genotypes and
phenotypes
Sloppy illustrations
and no color.
2 completed squares,
with probability,
genotypes and
phenotypes
Either sloppy or color
is missing
Not Completed
Not typed, little to no
creativity
Not creative
Somewhat creative,
tasks not labeled
Somewhat creative
Neat, tasks may or
may not be labeled
Proper
Heading/Rubric
Neither one there
Some parts done but
not in correct format
All pieces present but
not in correct format
3
Complete, well
organized, easy to
follow, neat, creative
Complete, neat,
creative, scientific
names written
properly: Genus
species
Complete, neat &
creative,colorful;
scientific names and
numbers written next
to pictures OR on
back; use of unlined
paper.
Complete, can be
followed for each
species, appropriate
to unique
characteristics, neat
& easy to follow
Complete-use of at
least 4 organisms,
neat, easy to follow,
arrows point in
direction of energy
flow & correct
organisms
3 completed squares,
with probability,
genotypes and
phenotypes
Colorful, neat and
creative artwork
Creative, sturdy model
Very neat and creative
all tasks labeled
appropriately
Name, date period and
assignment written at
top of the page in the
correct format