Classification WebQuest
Objective:
Classification is the process of organizing things into groups. Classification systems
are all around us and are used to help us make sense of the world and to bring order.
In this WebQuest, we are going to explore the ANIMAL KINGDOM. Along the way, you
will see some unusual creatures. Be sure to keep watch for them ☺ By the end of this
WebQuest, you should be able to:
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identify different ways to classify living things
compare the characteristics of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish
distinguish between an arthropod, invertebrate and vertebrate
identify a microorganism and describe how it meets its basic needs
Directions:
Read the information for all three sections below. Use the links provided to conduct
your research. Answer questions and record data on separate lab sheets provided.
PART I:
In 1736, a man named Carl Linnaeus created the system by which we classify living
things. This classification system is called the 'Kingdoms of Living Things' or the 'Linnaean
Classification System' and it is the basis of what scientists use today. Of course, the
classifying of living things is constantly revised as scientists gather new knowledge. To
date, over a million different kinds of animals have been classified and scientists think that
there may be another million species of animals that haven't been discovered yet. Below
you will find the four kingdoms of the Domain Eukarya.
PROTISTA
FUNGI
PLANTAE
ANIMALIA
Explore Link #1 and Link #2 below. Fill in the chart on Activity Sheet #1 using the
information found on these two links.
Link #1: http://biology.about.com/od/evolution/a/aa091004a.htm
Link #2: http://www.factmonster.com/science/biology/six-kingdoms.html
PART II:
Step 1 The Kingdom Animalia can be divided into groups or phyla. We will focus on two phyla: the
Vertebrates, or Chordata Phylum, and the Invertebrates which can be grouped into many
phyla. The lists of animals below are sorted into Vertebrates and Invertebrates. Look at
the two lists and see if you can figure out why each set of animals is grouped together.
VERTEBRATES
INVERTEBRATES
Anteater
Beetle
Walrus
Pig
Starfish
Spider
Wolf
Human
Crab
Butterfly
Robin
Goldfish
Bear
Snail
Jellyfish
Worm
Beaver
Piranha
Cricket
Oyster
Rabbit
Squirrel
Octopus
Lobster
Vulture
Frog
Clams
Sea Urchin
At the top of Activity Sheet #2, record what the organisms within these two groups have in
common.
Step 2 Vertebrates can be subdivided into classes like mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and
amphibians. Using the table above, group the Vertebrates in the correct class in Part B on
Activity Sheet #2.
Step 3 Ninety-five percent of the animals living today are invertebrates. They can be found in
most environments all over the world. Scientists divide invertebrates into many different
phyla or groups depending on characteristics or properties of the animals' bodies. The
phyla listed below are three of the more common groupings used by scientists to categorize
invertebrates.
INVERTEBRATES
PHYLA
ARTHROPODS
MOLLUSKS
PROPERTIES
jointed legs
soft-bodied creatures which mostly have shells
WORMS
no legs, soft bodies
Take another look at the list of invertebrates in the table with the vertebrate and
invertebrate groupings. Group the Invertebrates in the correct class in Part C on Activity
Sheet #2.
Step 4 Arthropods make up the majority of the invertebrates. Scientists categorize arthropods
into four distinct classes that include insects, spiders (which are not insects), crustaceans
(creatures with jointed legs and a hard outer shell) and centipedes/millipedes.
Observe the arthropods in the pictures below and sort them according to whether they are
insects, spiders, crustaceans or part of the 'pede' class, remembering the characteristics
or properties listed for each group. Record your groupings on the top of Activity Sheet #3
in Part A.
CENTIPEDE
ANT
CRAB
TARANTULA
LADYBUG
BUTTERFLY
TICK
LOBSTER
SHRIMP
GRASSHOPPER
SCORPION
MILLIPEDE
CheckPoint! You have learned a considerable amount about how scientists classify living
things. You now know that the Animal Kingdom is divided into many phyla and that these
groupings are broken down again and again into smaller and smaller groups. In the most
specific group, scientists divide things up until they are dealing with species, the smallest
group. **A species is a population of animals that can breed with one another and the young
grow up to look like the parents.**
>> At this point, show your teacher your first THREE Activity Sheets. <<
PART 3:
Step 1 Microbes are everywhere. They are in the air we breathe, in the food we eat, inside
our bodies, on our hands, on the park bench you sit on, and everywhere else on Earth that
you can imagine. Microbes are invisible to the human eye and can only be seen with a
microscope. In this section, you will explore bacteria, fungi and protists, which are all
different types of microbes. You will learn about helpful and harmful microbes and about
where microbes live.
Organisms in the Domains Archaea and Bacteria, as well as organisms in the Kingdom
Protista, are single-celled organisms that may live in colonies. Navigate to Link #3 and Link
#4 below and use your research from these websites to answer the questions about
microbes on Activity Sheet #4.
Link #3: http://www.microbeworld.org/what-is-a-microbe
Link #4: http://microbes.org/
Step 2 The Fungi group members are multi-cellular organisms that are somewhat plant-like,
but they produce no chlorophyll. Actually, scientists used to include fungi in the plant
kingdom before they realized that fungi did not produce their own food through
photosynthesis. Fun facts about fungi can be found using Link #6. This site includes
pictures of various types of fungi, as well as, puzzles and games, including a mushroom hunt.
Your job is to draw pictures of the following types of fungi: a fairy ring, a giant puffball, an
earth star and a slime mold. Draw these pictures in the boxes provided on Activity Sheet
#5. Be sure to draw them in the correct boxes. Then, draw a spore (which can be seen by
going through the slime mold information and clicking on 'spores') and given an explanation
of what a spore is and does in the space beneath the table on Activity Sheet #5.
Link #5: http://www.herbarium.usu.edu/fungi/funfacts/factindx.htm