Introduction
All living things can be classified into groups. Carolus Linnaeus created a system that classified organisms by their characteristics. Modern science has improved his work and now classify organisms using eight categories; Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. Domain and Kingdom are the most broad divisions, while Species is the most specific. Most scientists say there are five or six main Kingdoms; Bacteria (also called Monera, and can be split into two Kingdoms, ancient bacteria and true bacteria), Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. In this web quest we will study these Kingdoms as well as studying animals (Phylum Chordata, SubPhylum Vertebrata (vertebrates)) that are broken down into the following classes; fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
The Fourth Grade Team urgently needs your
help as biologists in training to help classify unknown living things from
a newly discovered uninhabited island in the Gulf of Mexico before any of
the living organisms are lost due to humans invading their environment.
The Task
Your task is to assist the Fourth Grade Teachers by becoming a team of 6 biologists in training, each member specializing in different
areas.
Your job is to research living things
and assist your teammates to classify various living organisms on the island
so you can present your findings in a report for your teacher to review.
You will create a new living thing that will then be classified.
The Process
First you will be assigned to a team of 6 biologists in training each with a separate specialization. The specializations
are: Plant and Fungi, Monera and Protista, Amphibian and Reptile,
Fish and Birds and lastly Mammals and Animal Specialist.
1. Each biologist in training will write down characteristics of their assigned organisms.
2. Research your assigned organisms by clicking on the links below.
3. When all five of your team mates have completed
their research and filled out their data sheets you are ready to begin
your mission.
4. Listed below are links to a picture and data
on seven living things you find on the island. Classify these living things
using the data your group collected and report how you came to the final
classification answer. Please write at least 3 reasons why you came to your decision.
5.Once your group has classified the seven living
things it is your turn to create a living thing that nobody has ever seen
before based on the characteristics of one of the kingdoms or the kingdom
and class. Make a poster of your new living thing with a picture and a descriptive paragraph of your creature.
Evaluation
Your teacher will grade your new animal, your classification worksheet, and your final classification of Living Things 1 - 7.
Conclusion
The Fourth Grade Team is so glad you were
able to help him out with classifying the living things he found on the
island paradise. He hopes that now that you have become experts on classifying
living things he can ask for your help again.
