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Classification
Learn
all about classifying living things.
What
is Classification?
Classification is a tool for understanding relationships of
living things. With classification, you group similar things
together.
Why
is Classification Important?
Scientists use classification systems to help them make sense
of the world around them. They use classification to organize
information and objects. The world would be a REALLY crazy
place if we didn't have a way of organizing things. Imagine
trying to look for a book in the library. Here is a scenario:
Student:
"May I have a book on llamas, please."
Media
Specialist: "Of course, just go over there."
Student:
"Where?"
Media
Specialist: "To those shelves silly."
Student:
"There are a hundred shelves, which one?"
Media
Specialist: "I am not sure. But I know we have
one here somewhere."
It would
be chaos! Wouldn't it.
When things
are sorted into groups it makes them easier to understand
and it makes it easier to see the relationships between them.
Some
Examples
Examples of classification systems you use everyday include:
- breakfast
foods, lunch foods and dinner foods
- food
pyramid
- your
closet (shoes in one place, shirts in another)
- your
likes and dislikes
Can you
think of any?
How
to Classify
Classification is actually pretty simple. Here is the basic
process of classification:
Step
1: Choose something to classify.
Step
2: Determine the groups into which you will classify your
items. It would be helpful to spend some time looking over
what you are grouping to make these determinations.
Step
3: Place each item into a group based on how the item's
characteristics match the characteristics of the group.
The
Linnaeus Classification System
In the mid 1700's a Swedish scientist by the name of Carolus
Linnaeus created a naming system called Binomial Nomenclature,
in which each organism was given a two part name.
- Part
One: The first part of an organism's name is called
its GENUS. The genus is a classification grouping
that contains similar, closely related organisms. For example
pumas and housecats are both classified in the genus felis.
These organisms share the similar characteristic of sharp,
retractable claws and behavior of hunting.
- Part
Two:
The second part of an organism's name is called its SPECIES.
The species is a group that can mate and produce fertile
offspring. The species name sets one genus apart from another.
It is a further breaking down (subgroup) of the genus. The
species name often comes from a distinguishing feature of
the or where it lives. For example a housecat is a Felis
domesticus.
Levels
of Classification
Today we
use a classification system based on seven layers of organization.
These include from largest to smallest (with human classification
in parentheses:
- Kingdom
(Animalia)
- Phylum
(Chordata)
- Class
(Mammalia)
- Order
(Primates)
- Family
(Hominidae)
- Genus
(Homo)
- Species
(Sapiens)
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