Biological Classification

Celestine Miller Jeffreys      Beethoven Academic Center
                               25 West 47th Street
                               Chicago IL 60609
                               312-535-1480

Objectives:

This lesson is designed for students in the seventh grade and above.  The 
students will learn the levels of biological classification and methods by which 
scientists group organisms into this system. 

Materials Needed:

You will need to have 4 or 5 "kingdoms" (see explanation below) consisting of a 
wide variety of items.  For instance, if you chose the "kingdom" of shells, you 
should have clam shells, scallops, conches, mollusks, oysters, fresh water 
shells, salt water shells, cold water and warm water shells.  Here are some 
other suggestions:  food (both human and animal), pictures of clothing (men's, 
women's, children's, shoes, etc.), pictures of structures (warehouses, office 
buildings, homes), "hard things" (rocks and metallic items), small plastic 
animals, toys, postcards of art, or jewelry. 


Strategy:

1. Prepare a handout with definitions of the levels of classifications.  

Kingdom:
The highest category into which organisms are classified.

Phylum:
A category used in the classification that consists of one or several similar or 
closely related classes.  You may also use DIVISION. 

Class:
One or several similar or closely related orders.  Similar classes are grouped 
into PHYLUM.

Order:
One or several similar or closely related families.  Similar orders form a 
CLASS.

Family:
One or several similar or closely related genera.  Similar families are grouped 
into an ORDER.  The names are usually determined from a type genus (Cactus, 
Equus) that is characteristic of the whole family.

Genus (pl. genera):
A number of similar or closely related species.  The common name of an organism 
is sometimes identical to the genus, e.g. Lilium = lily.  Similar genera are 
grouped into a FAMILY.

Species:
A group of similar individuals that can breed and produce fertile offspring.  
Similar and related species are grouped into a GENUS.  Within certain groups, 
species may not mate and will under different selection pressures develop 
different characteristics form the main population.  This is called a 
subspecies. 

2.  Explain that this classification system is arranged to resemble a "tree." 
You may illustrate this with houses, shoes, music--something that is 
immediately familiar to your students. 



This is how the classification is arranged:

                                 Kingdom
                        /-----------|-----------------------\
                 Phylum                                    Phylum
             /            \                             /          \
         Class             Class                    Class           Class
       /       \          /    \                  /       \         /       \
    Order     Order     Order   Order           Order   Order      Order  Order
    /  \      /  \      / \     /  \           /  \     /  \       /  \
  Fam. Fam.  Fam Fam  Fam Fam  Fam Fam       Fam  Fam  Fam Fam    Fam Fam.....

For example:
                                    Structures
                        /---------------|-------------------\
              Non-dwellings                               Dwellings
             /            \                             /          \
     Offic Bldg         Terminals                 Multi-fam.      Single fam.
       /       \          /    \                  /     \         /       \
 skyscraper  lowrise     air   ground         apart     devel.  twnhse    house
    /  \      /  \      / \     /  \           /   \     /  \    /  \      /  \
brick  glass ......                          rent  condo .....
  
3.  Instruct students to work in their groups to arrange the items they've 
selected into a classification system.  After 20 minutes (times may vary) 
instruct your students to switch objects and make a classification for the 
second set.

Performance Assessment:

Exceeds
Student can name all seven classification levels in correct order. Student can 
divide her objects into at least 4 levels and can classify almost all of the 
objects.  The classification system the student develops is sensible and 
consistent.  Student can name some flaws in creating a classification system 
such as:  the problem with newly discovered objects; the problem with objects 
that don't seem to fit into the classification scheme; or the best way to make a 
classification system (use versus description). 

Meets
Student can name 4 to 6 classification levels in the correct order.  Student can 
divide his objects into at least 3 levels and can classify some of the objects.  
The classification system the student develops is somewhat sensible and not 
always consistent. 

Does Not Meet
Student can name three classification levels in the correct order.  Student can 
divide her objects into one or two levels and can classify some of the objects.  
The classification system the student develops is fairly sensible and 
infrequently consistent.