Taxonomy Project:
Step 1: Use this article (click here) to answer the questions.
1. What is scientific classification?
2. What is an example of classification?
3. What are the 7 major levels of classification from least specific to most specific?
4. What is each level of classification for humans?
5. What is a fun way to remember the different levels of classification in order?
Step 2: There is a classification level that is even less specific than the kingdom level and wasn't mentioned in the article you read in Part A. This level is called Domain! Research online to determine the three categories of Domain and what characteristic qualifies an organism to fall in each type. Hint: I provided the answer to one of the domains in your performance task to get you started on the remaining two.
Step 3: Research the name of each taxonomy level for both a blue whale and bull shark. Fill in response in performance task. Afterward, determine what characteristic(s) the organism has that make it fall into the taxonomy category. I completed a table on Humans versus Chimpanzees (see picture below) to give you an idea of what I'm looking for in each part of the table. For instance, humans fall into the Eukaryota domain because their cells are eukaryotic (has organelles).
Step 4: The next two organisms are a bit more challenging. We are going to look at two photosynthetic organisms found in the sea and determine the same information as you did in Step 3. I provided some websites (see below) to help you get started. You will have to do additional research to find all the information. My suggestion is that you click on the name of each level to see what characteristics determine that category. For this step, you do not need to write the characteristics for Genus and Species because it may be too complicated to find online.
Seagrass Link
Giant Kelp Link
Step 5: Answer the questions below in your performance task.
1. What taxonomy levels do the bull shark and blue whale share?
2. What taxonomy levels are different between the bull shark and blue whale?
3. What taxonomy levels do the giant kelp and seagrass share?
4. What taxonomy levels are different between giant kelp and seagrass?
5. What two organisms from the four we studied (i.e. bull shark, blue whale, giant kelp and seagrass) are the most closely related?
Step 6: Each organism has both a scientific and common name(s). For instance, the common name for humans is humans. The scientific name for humans is Homo sapiens. Notice that scientists use the Genus and Species taxonomy levels to determine the scientific name. Scientists also write it in a specific format with the first letter in the Genus capitalized (e.g. Homo) and the first letter in the species (e.g. sapiens) lowercase. Using this information, what are the common and scientific names for a blue whale, bull shark, giant kelp, and seagrass. Be sure to use the correct format when writing the scientific name in your performance task. Also keep in mind that some organisms have more than one common name so do additional online research on the organism to find out!