How are organisms classified?
Scientists organize organisms by sorting,
or classifying them into
groups according to
shared characteristics.
Classification has been called
the science of finding
patterns.
The broadest category an organism can be
classified into is a kingdom. Kingdoms are very
LARGE groups. Scientists use 6 subgroups to
classify within kingdoms.
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
An easy way to help you remember is to use the following:
Katy Perry Comes Over For Great Sushi!
The smallest group an organism
can be classified
into is a species. A species only
contains organisms
that are very closely related.
Please answer the following question
In your notebook:
Why do scientists only use the genus
and species names to identify an
organism and not all the classification
groups?
What are animals?
• Animals are multicellular
• Animals do not make their own food
• Animals do not have a cell wall
• Animals are able to move from place
to place
Plant Kingdom
All plants are multicellular and make
their own food. Plants are organized
into two major groups:
1. Vascular- Contains tubes or vessels
2. Nonvascular- No tubes or vessels
Nonvascular plants remain small and close to the
ground, where they soak up water directly.
Animal Kingdom
Vertebrates
(Animals with a backbone)
1.  Fish
2.  Amphibians
3.  Reptiles
4.  Birds
5.  Mammals
Invertebrates
(Animals without a backbone)
1.  Mollusks (shelled animals)
2.  Echinoderms (sea stars)
3.  Arthropods (insects)
Please answer the following question
in your notebook:
An organism looks like an animal but it
does not move. How could you
determine whether it was an animal?
What are plants and fungi?
Organisms from only two kingdoms,
plants and fungi have cell walls.
Fungus Kingdom
Most fungi get energy by breaking down dead
or decaying plants and animals. Many fungi
are used by humans. Yeast is a fungus that
makes bread. Fungi are the original source of
medicines called antibiotics.
Please answer the following
question in your notebook:
How are fungi different from plants?
What would happen to a forest
without fungi?
Archaebacteria Kingdom
Complex, one-celled organisms, they are found
in extreme conditions, such as areas with no
oxygen.
Eubacteria Kingdom
Complex, one-celled organisms. Most bacteria
are found in this kingdom. They are classified
in their own kingdom because their chemical
makeup is different. Some produce vitamins
and food like yogurt.
Protist Kingdom
Protists are multicellular or unicellular organisms
that either make their own food or eat other
organisms.