ORGANISM CLASSIFICATION NOTES:

- Essential Question:

= How do scientists classify organisms?

1.) What is an organism?
 An organism is a living thing.
2.) What are the characteristics of organisms?
 All organisms are made of cells, reproduce, use
energy, respond to surroundings, contain specific
chemicals and grow & develop.
3.) What are organisms made of?

Organisms are made out of cells.

Unicellular = made of only 1 cell.

Multicellular = made of 2 or more cells. (Many cells)

Prokaryote = A cell without a nucleus. (No nucleus)

Eukaryote = A cell with a nucleus. (Has a nucleus)
4.) Do organisms respond to their surroundings?

= Organisms respond to their stimuli in their surroundings.

- Stimulus = Anything that causes a reaction or change in an organism.

- Response = the reaction of an organism to change in its environment.
5.) How do organisms reproduce?

= Organisms can either reproduce sexually or asexually.

- Sexual Reproduction = A sperm & egg cell unite to produce offspring similar to both parents. (2 Parents)

- Asexual Reproduction = An organism splits itself in half or grows a bud which later separates itself. Offspring is identical to parent. (Only 1 Parent)
6.) What chemicals are found in all organisms?

- Water = (H2O) required for all chemical reactions.

- Lipids = Fats & Oils

- Adenosine triphosphate = (ATP) Usable Energy

- Nucleic Acids = Carry direction for how to mkae protiens. (Ex: DNA)

- Proteins = Building Blocks of cells & cell parts.

- Carbohydrates = Provide & store energy.
7.) How do organisms use energy?  All organisms use energy.
Autotrophs = Use photosynthesis.
(Capture the sun's light energy to make food inside
themselves.)
Heterotrophs = Don't use photosynthesis.
(Go get food & eat or absorb it.)
8.) How do organisms develop & grow?

Development = Organism's Life Cycle Changes.
Growth = Organism's height, width,length or
weight.
9.) What is classification?

Classification is the process of grouping things based
on their similarities.
 10.) What is taxonomy?

Taxonomy is the scientific study of how living things
are classified.

11.) What is an organism's Common Name?
 What people call an organism within a given
language.
12.) What is an organism's Scientific Name?
 What most scientists call an organism, regardless of
their own language. (Based on Latin.)
13.) What is Binomial Nomenclature?
 Two-part naming system used to determine the
Scientific Name of Organisms.
1st Name = Genus Last Name = Species
14.) What is meant by Genus?
 Genus is a classification grouping that contains
similar organisms.
2nd smallest level of classification.
Determines the 1st Name of Organism's
Scientific Name.
15.) What is meant by Species?
 A Species is a classification grouping that contains
similar organisms that can mate & produce fertile
offspring.
The smallest level of classification.
Determines the Last Name of Organism's Scientific
Name.

* Once students have completed their notes, they need to go back through the notes & underline key words.