GED Lesson Plan
Week/Day: [Week 1, Day 3]
Subject: [Science]
Topic: [Classification of Species]
Introduction (Explanation of topic):
Biologists classify both extinct and living species of all known organisms. The most specific level of
classification that identifies a single type of organism is a SPECIES. Species that are closely related to
one another are classified together in larger groupings than species. For example, although human beings
and chimpanzees are different species, they are both classified as primates. The classification system is
based on similarities in PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.
Objectives:
Reading Skills:
 The student will identify the critical
 Summarize
reading skills needed to answer questions
on the GED test.
 The student will be introduced to the
concept of how the world’s species can be
classified (grouped)
Your packet contains the following material:

Background
Material
Classification of Species (handout)

Integrated
Technology
(videos,
webquests, virtual
field trips etc)
Greatest Discoveries

Fill in the blanks
for building
vocabulary
Page 6 (handout)

GED practice
questions
Page 49 (handout)
Green GED Book page 306-308

Writing
Assignment (for
student portfolio)
Writing Assignment (handout)
http://science.discovery.com/tv-shows/greatest-discoveries/videos/100greatest-discoveries-classification-of-species.htm
Learn Biology: Classification- The Taxonomic Hierarchy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwOlAqQoLk&feature=endscreen&NR=1
Learn Biology: Classification- Domains
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_693003&feature=iv
&src_vid=kKwOlAqQoLk&v=gSuRoDGpKWw
Classification of Species
A species is a group of organisms, or a class of objects that have common attributes. In biological terms a
species is also capable of interbreeding to produce offspring (babies). In order for this to happen, species must
reproduce together. For example, we know a frog when we see one, but even it belongs to a certain subspecies
of frogs such as bull frogs or tree frogs. Therefore, a bull frog cannot reproduce with a tree frog.
Bull frog
Tree frog
These happy face spiders look different, but since they can interbreed,
they are considered the same species: Theridion grallator.
Scientists estimate that there may be between 3 and 30 million species of animals on our planet. There are so
many living organisms on Earth. How is it possible to know each and every one of them? If you're just
starting to learn about animals and wildlife, it would be an overwhelming task to try and memorize species, one
by one. Instead, an understanding of the main groups of animals provides a good foundation for further
learning.
Scientists track this information by a system of classification. When you classify, you put in an order.
Suppose you go to a grocery store to purchase sugar. Right when you walk in, you can immediately skip past
the other items and head to the isle where you know sugar will be found. In the same way, scientists have to
classify different species.
Before the discovery of DNA in 1953, species were classified according to their shape. But since then, we have
come to know that scientists classify species in different ways, such as according to their genetic make-up.
“Genetic make-up” basically refers to the characteristics something has inherited from its parents. Sometimes
these characteristics are things you can see and other times they are things you cannot see without special
scientific testing. – Scientists who classify species by their genetic make-up say that living things that have
certain inherited genetic qualities in common are part of the same species.
Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), the Swedish botanist, naturalist and explorer proposed a method of classification
known as the binomial system. Binomial means "two-named." The names are mostly in Latin and are
designed so that biologists and zoologists and botanists worldwide can be positive they are in reference to the
same animal.
Watch Video:
Greatest Discoveries http://science.discovery.com/tv-shows/greatest-discoveries/videos/100-greatestdiscoveries-classification-of-species.htm
Taxonomy is the process of naming, describing, and classifying organisms into different categories on the basis
of evolutionary relationships. This wasn’t the first time an attempt was made to classify species. These
attempts have continuously improved over a period of thousands of years.
Brief history of classification
384-322 B.C.
1500's-1700's
Aristotle (Greek Philosopher)
-Created first written classification scheme
-TWO Groups - Plants & Animals
 Animal group - anything that lived on land, in the water or in the air.
 Plant group - based this on their different stems
Many different classification systems created, but were really complicated with long
scientific definitions
Carl Linnaeus created a simple and flexible system for naming organisms. Approximately
2.5 million kinds of organisms identified
1700s
Modern Day Levels of Classification
A fun way to remember these groups is:
Dead Kings Play Cards on Fat Green Stools OR Dumb King Phillip Came Over from German Soil
There are three domains:
 Bacteria
 Archaeabacteria
 Eukarya
There are five kingdoms:
 Monera
 Protista
 Fungi
 Plantae
 Anamalia
The five kingdoms evolved from Aristotle’s two kingdoms
The Binomial "two-named” classification refers to Genus and Species. Humans are classified as Homo
Sapians
Genus – Homo
Species - Sapians
It is hard to imagine that all species of organisms, living and extinct, are believed to be descended from a
single ancestral species that lived more than 3 billion years ago!
Watch Videos:
Learn Biology: Classification- The Taxonomic Hierarchy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwOlAqQoLk&feature=endscreen&NR=1
Learn Biology: Classification- Domains
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_693003&feature=iv&src_vid=kKwOlAqQoL
k&v=gSuRoDGpKWw
Practice Questions
 Answer questions on page 49
 Answer questions from GED book (green cover) pages 306-308
Reading Skills:

Summarizing Ideas
Writing Assignment
Write a reflection on what you learned in class today. Do not worry about grammar or spelling.
From today’s lesson, what were some of reading skills you learned about:
From today’s lesson, what was some of new background information you learned about. This can include
new information, new vocabulary, a story, or new idea:
From today’s class, which material do you feel you are still struggling with and need to work on: