Biology Unit 1
Part 4 – Classification
Name: ___________________________
Date ______________Pd: 1 2 6 7 8
CREEPY CRITTERS CLASSIFICATION
Organisms were classified over 2000 years ago by the Greek philosopher, Aristotle and then
much later, by Linnaeus. Now it is your turn to become a taxonomist and classify organisms the way
that you see fit.
Procedure:
1. Study the organism cutouts carefully. Choose some trait to separate the organisms into two
groups of approximately equal numbers.
2.
Make a branching chart similar to the one you see below on the back of your answer sheet
to show you how you divided the organisms. Write the criterion you used to divide the group
on the lines in your chart corresponding to lines 1a and 1b. Also list the letters of the
organisms that belong to that group on lines 1a and 1b.
3. Next choose some trait to divide the objects in group 1a into two subgroups. Write the trait
and the letters that represent each subgroup on the line that corresponds to lines 2a and 2b.
4. Separate group 1b into two subgroups, and write the trait and the letters that represent
each subgroup on the line that corresponds to 3a and 3b.
5. Continue dividing each subgroup until each pictured organism is separated from all the
others. On your chart, continue to list the criterion you and your partner used for dividing
each group.
6. Answer the analysis questions.
Creepy Critters Classification Analysis
(Use complete sentences)
1.
List all the different features found in the creepy critter population.
2.
What feature did you and your partner use to separate the critters into two initial groups? Why?
3.
Is there another feature that could be used to classify these organisms? Would this grouping be
any more or less correct? Why or why not?
4.
Based on your answer to question #3, is Taxonomy an exact science? Explain how modern
taxonomists have improved the field of classification? (hint-what factors are most important in
classifying)
5.
What benefits are gained from classifying organisms?
6.
As your exit ticket out, use what you know about Linnaeus’s nested hierarchy for classification,
place the taxon category name with a sticky-note next to that part of your branching diagram
that would best represent “Kingdom”, “Phylum”, “Class”, “Family”, “Order”, and “Genus
species”. (you might not use Family or Order along some branches)(hint-you may want to use
your book in Ch. 17, Section 1)