STUDENT REVIEW: Characteristics of Organisms & Classification
6-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of …
organisms. (Life Science)
6-2.2 Recognize the hierarchical structure of the classification (taxonomy) of organisms (including
the seven major levels or categories of living things—kingdom, phylum, class, order, family,
genus, and species).
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do scientists classify all living organisms?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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To study all of the organisms on Earth, biologists have devised ways of naming and classifying them
according to their similarities in structures.

The study of how scientists classify organisms is known as ________________________________.

The modern classification system uses a series of levels to ______________________ organisms.

An organism is placed first into a _________________ group and is then placed into more __________________
groups based its structures.

The levels of classification, from broadest to most specific, include:_________________________,
_________________________, ______________________, ______________________, ___________________,
_____________________, and _________________________.

The more classification levels an organism shares with another, the more __________________________ they
have in common.
Kingdom

While scientists currently disagree as to how many kingdoms there are, most support a ______________ kingdom
(Plants, Animals, Fungi, Protists, Monerans) system.

Organisms are placed into kingdoms based on their ability to _____________________ and the number of
______________ in their body.
Phylum (pl. phyla)

In the Plant Kingdom, phyla are sometimes referred to as____________________________.

Plants are normally divided into two groups: _______________________ and __________________________.

In the Animal Kingdom, there are many different phyla. These phyla can be divided into two groups:
____________________________ and ________________________________.
Class, Order, Family

These levels become even more specific and will include fewer _________________________that have more in
common with each other as they move down the levels.
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STUDENT REVIEW: Characteristics of Organisms & Classification
6-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of …
organisms. (Life Science)
Genus (pl. Genera)

Contains closely __________________________ organisms.

The genus is used as the ___________________ word in an organism’s scientific name.
Species


Consists of all the organisms of the same type which are able to ________________ and produce young of the
same kind.
The species is used as the ____________________ word in an organism’s scientific name.
Scientific name

The scientific name of an organism is made up of its ____________________and ____________________.

It is written in italics (Genus species) with the ____________________ capitalized.

For example, Canis lupus is the scientific name for the wolf; Pinus taeda is the scientific name for a loblolly pine.
Questions to consider:

What does “taxonomy” mean?

What is the order for the levels of classification of organisms?

As organisms have more levels in common, what happens to their characteristics?

What are the two phyla/divisions for plants? … the two phyla for animals?

What is the largest level of classification with the greatest number of organisms?

As the level of classification becomes more specific, what happens to the number of organisms at that level?
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STUDENT REVIEW: Characteristics of Organisms & Classification
6-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of …
organisms. (Life Science)

At which level of classification must the organisms be in order to breed with each other?

Which two classification levels are parts of an organism’s scientific name?

What are the classification levels in the scientific name Panthera leo?
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STUDENT REVIEW: Characteristics of Organisms & Classification
6-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of …
organisms. (Life Science)
TEACHER KEY: 6-2.2
To study all of the organisms on Earth, biologists have devised ways of naming and classifying them according to their
similarities in structures.

The study of how scientists classify organisms is known as ___ taxonomy ___.

The modern classification system uses a series of levels to __ group / classify __ organisms.

An organism is placed first into a ___ broad ___ group and is then placed into more ____ specific ___ groups
based its structures.

The levels of classification, from broadest to most specific, include:_______ Kingdom _________,
______Phylum _______, ______ Class _______, _____ Order _______, ______ Family _____,
______Genus ________, and ______Species_________.

The more classification levels an organism shares with another, the more _____ characteristics _____ they
have in common.
Kingdom

While scientists currently disagree as to how many kingdoms there are, most support a ___ five __ kingdom
(Plants, Animals, Fungi, Protists, Monerans) system.

Organisms are placed into kingdoms based on their ability to ____ make food _____ and the number of
____ cells _____ in their body.
Phylum (pl. phyla)

In the Plant Kingdom, phyla are sometimes referred to as____ divisions ___________.

Plants are normally divided into two groups: _____vascular________ and ______nonvascular_________.

In the Animal Kingdom, there are many different phyla. These phyla can be divided into two groups:
______vertebrates__________ and _______invertebrates___________.
Class, Order, Family

These levels become even more specific and will include fewer _____ organisms ________that have more in
common with each other as they move down the levels.
Genus (pl. Genera)

Contains closely _____related_________ organisms.

The genus is used as the ____first_________ word in an organism’s scientific name.
Species


Consists of all the organisms of the same type which are able to ______breed _____ and produce young of the
same kind.
The species is used as the _____second_______ word in an organism’s scientific name.
Scientific name

The scientific name of an organism is made up of its _____genus________and _____species________.

It is written in italics (Genus species) with the _____genus________ capitalized.

For example, Canis lupus is the scientific name for the wolf; Pinus taeda is the scientific name for a loblolly pine.
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