Scientific Classification: Kingdom Lesson Plans

Teachers, please review the following information with your students, and then perform the activity listed below.

In the most widely used system of scientific classification, there are six groups of classification with the Kingdom group being the largest and least specific. Using this same system, the Kingdom group itself has six Kingdoms. The Kingdoms are listed below along with some of the common criteria for identifying Kingdom placement.

Kingdom placement is decided by three factors; Cell Structure, Cellular Organization and Trophic Function. Kingdoms below list their criteria for being in that Kingdom

• Animalia: eukaryotic cells, heterotrophic and multicellular
• Plantae: eukaryotic cells, autotrophic, multicellular
• Protista: eukaryotic cells, heterotrophic and/or autotrophic, unicellular
• Fungi: eukaryotic cells, heterotrophic, unicellular or multicellular
• Eubacteria: prokaryotic, heterotrophic or autotrophic, unicellular
• Archae: prokaryotic, autotrophic and unicellular

Ask students to create the chart described below, then identify one living thing per Kingdom that meets the criteria for fitting in the Kingdom.

To create the chart do the following.

• Draw a large rectangle with the longest sides parallel to the top and bottom of your paper.
• Create four evenly spaced rows in the rectangle.
• Create six evenly spaced columns in the rectangle.
• In the top row write each of the following words in order in the spaces provided; Protocells, Autotrophic chemosynthetic, Autotrophic photosynthetic, Heterotrophic mobile, Heterotrophic Sessile and leave the last one blank.
• In the next row, write the following words in order in each of the empty space; Prokaryotic, Kingdom Archae, Kingdom Eubacteria, Kingdom Eubacteria, Kingdom Eubacteria, Unicellular.
• In the third row, write the following words in order in each of the spaces; Eurkaryotic (large and complex), None on Earth, Kingdom Protista, Kingdom Protista, Kingdom Protista/Kingdom Fungi, Unicellular.
• In the fourth row, write the following words in order in each of the spaces; Eukaryotic (organized as tissues to organs), None on earth, Kingdom Plantae, Kingdom Animalia, Kingdom Fungi, Multicellular.

All living things can be classified into Kingdoms using this chart. Students can keep this chart for use in future science lesson plans in order to assist them in the process of classification. Practice using this chart by looking up various living things and the Kingdoms they are classified in. Compare the classification of the living thing with the information on the chart to better understand how living things are classified into particular Kingdoms.