Kingdoms of Life Project
For the next few weeks, you will be creating a book about the kingdoms of life. Your book should
be detailed, well thought-out, and colorful. You should design it to be read by middle school students.
Your book will have sections showing the following kingdoms of life: viruses, bacteria (archaebacteria &
eubacteria), protists (animal-like & plant-like), fungi, plants and animals. Your book will have a cover,
illustrations, diagrams and easy to read information on each kingdom. Each section, or kingdom, will
describe what the organisms are like in each kingdom and what makes them unique, how those organisms
reproduce and other special information. What is required for each section is listed below.
You will have until ______________ to complete your book. This book will be your own design
so feel free to arrange the pages anyway you like. However, each page must contain specific information
to be counted for full credit. Below is a list of requirements for each page or section.
To keep you on track and to ensure that you finish on time, the following sections of your book
will be due on the following dates.
-Viruses, bacteria, protists, and fungi………………………Due_________________
-Plants and animals (general information) ………………...Due _________________
-Simple animals, arthropods, amphibians and reptiles……..Due _________________
-The Completed book ……………….……………………..Due _________________
Cover Page
 Title (Six Kingdoms, Kingdoms of Life, Six Kingdoms of Life or something similar)
 Author (By: Your Name)
 A picture that shows organisms from the kingdoms of life.
Chapter 1 – Viruses
 A diagram of a virus
 The shapes and names of viruses
 A description of what a virus is
 A description of how viruses reproduce
 Terms: Host
 Examples of diseases caused by viruses
Chapter 2 – Bacteria
 A diagram or picture of bacteria
 A description of what bacteria is and the two types of bacteria (archaebacteria and eubacteria)
 The shapes of bacteria and a description of each
 A description of how bacteria reproduce
 Examples of diseases caused by bacteria
 Terms: Binary fission, Endospore, Cyanobacteria, Bioremediation, Antibiotics, Pathogenic
bacteria
Chapter 3 – Protists
 A diagram of a protist (it can be plant-like or animal-like)
 A description of what a protist is and explain the difference between plaint-like and animal-like
protists
 A description about how protists move (include three types of movement)
 A description of how protists get food
 A description of how protists reproduce
 Terms: Heterotroph, Parasite, Host, Protist, Algae, Phytoplankton, Pseudopod, Cilia
Chapter 4 – Fungi
 A drawing or diagram of different fungi
 An explanation of what fungi are and how they grow
 Descriptions of different types of fungi (molds, mushrooms, lichens)
 A description of how fungi reproduce
 Describe how fungi get their food
 Terms: fungus, hypha, mycelium, spore, mold, lichen
Chapter 5 – Plants (general information)
 Diagrams of different plant parts (leaf, root, stem)
 A basic description of a plant (what makes a plant a plant)
 A description of non-vascular plants
 A description of vascular plants
 An explanation of why plants are important to our biosphere (food, oxygen, etc.)
 Terms: Nonvascular plant, vascular plant, gymnosperm, angiosperm
Chapter 6 – Plants (reproduction)
 A description of how non-seed plants reproduce (spores)
 A description of how conifers reproduce
 A description of how flowering plants reproduce
 Labeled diagram showing the structure of a flower
 Explain the difference between monocots and dicots using a chart with pictures
 Explanation of how fruit helps plants reproduce and spread their offspring
 Terms: Pollen, Pollination, Monocot, Dicot, Gymnosperms, Angiosperms, Xylem, Phloem,
Stamen, Pistil, Ovary
Chapter 7 – Animals (general information)
 A diagram of an animal cell
 A description of what an animal is (how are animals different from other forms of life)
 Difference between vertebrates and invertebrates. Include several examples.
 An explanation of how animals get their food
 Describe how animals reproduce
 Describe some types of animal behavior
 Terms: Embryo, Consumer, Innate Behavior, Learned Behavior, Territory, Hibernation
Chapter 8 – Simple Animals (sponges, jellyfish, mollusks)
 Drawings/pictures of different simple animals
 Descriptions of the different types of simple animals (sponges, jellyfish, mollusks)
 A description of how each of the above gets its food
 Description of how they reproduce
 Description and examples of different body symmetry
 Terms: Invertebrate, Coelom, Gut
Chapter 9 – Arthropods (insects, spiders, and shellfish)
 Drawings/pictures of different arthropods
 Descriptions of the different types of simple arthropods (insects, spiders, shellfish)
 Explanation of why these organisms are all classified as arthropods
 A description of how each of the above gets its food
 Describe the adaptations that allow arthropods to survive in their environments
 Description of how they reproduce
 Terms: Exoskeleton, Compound eye, Antenna, Metamorphosis
Chapter 10 – Amphibians and Reptiles
 Drawings/pictures of different amphibians and reptiles
 A description of amphibians (How are amphibians different from other animals?)
 A description of reptiles (How are reptiles different from other animals?)
 A description of how each of the above gets its food
 Describe how each reproduces (difference between amphibian egg and reptile egg)
 Describe the adaptations of some amphibians and reptiles that allow them to live in their
environment
 Terms: Lung, Tadpole, Metamorphosis, Amniotic egg
Chapter 11 – Fish
 Drawings/pictures of different fish
 A description of what a fish is (How are fish different from other animals?)
 Describe the three main types of fish living today with an example of each
 Describe the adaptations that fish have to allow them to live in water
 A description of how fish get their food
 Describe how fish reproduce
 Terms: Endotherm, Ectotherm, Lateral line, Gill, Swim bladder
Chapter 12 – Birds
 Drawings/pictures of different birds
 A description of what a bird is (How are birds different from other animals?)
 Describe the adaptations that allow for flight
 A description of how birds get food
 Describe how birds reproduce and the type of egg produced
 Describe the adaptations that various birds have that allow them to survive within their
environment
 Terms: Preening, Molting, Down feather, Brooding
Chapter 13 – Mammals
 Drawings/pictures of different mammals
 A description of what a mammal is (How are mammals different from other animals?)
 An explanation of the difference between carnivores, omnivores and herbivores.
 Description of several mammals and the adaptations that allow them to survive within their
environment
 Terms: Mammary gland, Diaphragm, Placental mammal, Gestation period, Monotreme,
Marsupial