Dear Reader,
It’s a new school year! Is that a hurrah or a whimper I hear? Let’s focus on the good, and tell me, what are you looking forward to this year? Let me know by hitting reply, and I’ll share some of your answers next week.
See ya on the Net,
Barbara J. Feldman
“Surfing the Net with Kids”
https://www.surfnetkids.com
Scientific Classification
https://www.surfnetkids.com/resources/scientific-classification/
Scientific Classification Printable(** for Premium Members only)
https://www.surfnetkids.com/printables/files/printables-club/scientific-classification.pdf
Scientific classification is a system of organizing living things into categories, from most inclusive (the biggest one) to least inclusive (the smallest one.) This kind of hierarchical classification is also known as a taxonomy. There are seven main divisions in the system of living things: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. But scientists also use super-divisions and sub-divisions. A human, for example, is classified as: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Subphylum: Vertebrata; Class: Mammalia; Subclass: Theria; Infraclass: Eutheria; Order: Primates; Suborder: Anthropoidea; Superfamily: Hominoidea; Family: Hominidae; Genus: Homo; Species: sapiens. Scientific names (such as Homo sapiens for humans) are created by combing the genus and species.
Annenberg Learner: Classifying Living Things
“Species are the basic unit of classification. While there are different views on what defines a species, in sexually reproducing organisms, a species has traditionally been defined by the ability of its members to reproduce together to form fertile offspring.” This unit on scientific classification is just one of eight sessions that comprise this online Life Science course. It includes instructions for building a habitat in a large soda bottle.
BBC: Bitesize: Science Classification
“The first big division of living things in the classification system is to put them into one of five kingdoms. These are based on what an organism’s cells are like. ” These kingdoms are Protoctists, Prokaryotes, Fungi, Plants, and Animals. Visit this BBC mini-site for a 9-page introduction to biology classification, along with a video activity, and an online ten-question quiz.
Biology4Kids: Taxonomy
“Common names are the ones you might use when talking with your friends. You call your pet a dog or a cat (the common name). Scientists call those animals by a set of several names like Canis familiarus. That’s a dog.” This excellent lesson includes lots of illustrations, videos, and links to additional reference sites. For photos of species from different kingdoms, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Taxonomy Examples.
… Click to continue to Scientific Classification
Printables Club Members Also Get …
Surfnetkids Printables Club Members also get the following printables to use in the classroom, the computer lab, the school library, or to send home with students:
Scientific Classification Printable
Scientific Classification Wikipedia Printable
Human Evolution Printable
Genetics Printable
Biology Printable
Botany Printable
*** Are you curious? Get your own ten-day trial membership:
https://www.surfnetkids.com/printables-club.htm
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Quote of the Week
“You can know the name of a bird in all the languages of the world, but when you’re finished, you’ll know absolutely nothing whatever about the bird… So let’s look at the bird and see what it’s doing — that’s what counts. I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.” ~~ Richard Feynman ~~ (May 11, 1918 – February 15, 1988) American physicist. Click here to read more quotes from Richard Feynman.
Surfing the Calendar
Get Ready for Kindergarten Month August
Meriwether Lewis’ Birthday Aug 18, 1774
Nineteenth Amendment Ratified Aug 18, 1920
Paula Danziger’s Birthday Aug 18, 1945
Orville Wright’s Birthday Aug 19, 1871
National Aviation Day Aug 19, 2015
Monarch Butterfly Fall Migration Begins Aug 22, 2015
Astronomers Demote Pluto to Dwarf Planet Aug 24, 2006
National Park Service Established Aug 25, 1916
“Wizard of Oz” film Released Aug 25, 1939
First Landfall of Hurricane Katrina Aug 25, 2005
19th Amendment Signed into Law Aug 26, 1920
National Dog Day Aug 26, 2015
Women’s Equality Day Aug 26, 2015
Martin Luther King Gives “I Have a Dream” Speech Aug 28, 1963
Hurricane Katrina Devastates Gulf Coast Aug 29, 2005