A scientist is a person who learns about science and carries out enquiries.

Taxonomy is the science of naming, describing and grouping all living things.

To classify things is to sort them into groups.

Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist and taxonomist who created a scientific naming system for living things.

Carl Linnaeus and classification

Science

In this Why we group and classify living things unit, pupils learn about why we classify plants and animals based on specific characteristics. In the Species and classification unit, they will build on this knowledge to learn more about the identification and classification of organisms, including at the cellular level.

In the Living things and the environment unit, pupils learnt to recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways. In this Why we group and classify living things unit, pupils will build on this knowledge to give reasons for classifying plants and animals based on specific characteristics

This unit covers the classification of living things, including micro-organisms, plants, and animals, based on observable characteristics. It explores reasons for classification and focuses on planning scientific enquiries, recording data, presenting findings, and evaluating scientific evidence.

Why we group and classify living things

they didn’t think they had the characteristics of living things

they didn’t know they existed because there was no way to see them

they didn’t understand what a living thing was and what it did

Why didn’t scientists working centuries ago, like Aristotle, identify micro-organisms as living things?

The science of naming, describing and grouping all living things is called {{}}.

developing systems for classifying and naming organisms

developing systems for looking after living things

What is Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus famous for?

Carl Linnaeus created the binomial system for living things that we still use today. What is the binomial system used for?

Which of these names for this organism uses the binomial system?

The language usually used to give organisms names according to Linnaeus’ binomial system is called {{}}.

Scientists sort living things into groups based on similarities and {{}} between their observable characteristics.

Match the living things to the correct group.

Animals that do not have a backbone or interior skeleton are called {{}}.

What do these living things all have in common?

Starter Quiz