KINGDOMS OF LIFE PROJECT
All organisms are classified in one of the six Kingdoms of life. These Kingdoms are Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.
Organisms are placed into these categories based on common characteristics and shared genetics. Some of the characteristics that are used to determine an organisms placement are cell type, metabolism, and type of reproduction.
For this project you will be assigned one of the following Kingdoms of living things and a general category to focus your study. In addition to the 6 Kingdoms of organisms we will also explore viruses, our constant companions in the form of non-living psuedo-life.
Viruses Human Pathogens
Archaebacteria Chemosynthetic Bacteria
Eubacteria Cyanobacteria
Human Pathogens
Protista Protoazoans
Human parasites
Fungi Mushrooms Molds and Rusts
Human Pathogens
Plants Cycads
Conifers
Flowering Plants
Animals From Sponges to Mammals
The Project:
Each Group will be required to create an iMovie. Each group will be required to use material garnered from internet resources.You should have a least 25 high quality images. You should have facts pertainingto your kingdom and its constituents included as text on the slides. Generallly speaking less is more. Do not have big lists of information on your slides. You should have music as a background which ideally will compliment the images and content.Students willpresent the iMovie to the class outlining there findings. Students must include a simple handout that includes the major features of he Kingdom and 5 questions students can answer from the information in the iMovie.
Some Organizing themes to consider in making your presentation:
Common Body plan with distinguishing features
Evolutionary History/ Phylogeny
Life cycle
Distribution and Niche
Human Connections
Below is a relatively simple list of the major constitiuents of the 6 Kingdoms of Life. Feel free to use this as a point of departure in your work
I. Archaebacteria
Organisms: Methanogens, Halophiles, Thermophiles, Psychrophiles
Cell Type: Prokaryotic
Metabolism: Depending on species - oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, sulfur, sulfide may be needed for metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Depending on species - nutrition intake may by absorption, non-photosynthetic photophosphorylation, or chemosynthesis.
Reproduction: Asexual reproduction by binary fission, budding, or fragmentation.
II. Eubacteria
Organisms: Bacteria, Cyanobacteria(blue-green algae), Actinobacteria
Cell Type: Prokaryotic
Metabolism: Depending on species - oxygen may be toxic, tolerated, or needed for metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Depending on species - nutrition intake may by absorption, photosynthesis, or chemosynthesis.
Reproduction: Asexual reproduction
III. Protista
Organisms: Amoebae, green algae, brown algae, diatoms, euglena, slime molds
Cell Type: Eukaryotic
Metabolism: Oxygen is needed for metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Depending on species - nutrition intake may be by absorption, photosynthesis, or ingestion.
Reproduction: Mostly asexual reproduction. Meiosisoccurs in some species.
IV. Fungi
Organisms: Mushrooms, yeast, molds
Cell Type: Eukaryotic
Metabolism: Oxygen is needed for metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Absorption
Reproduction: Asexual or sexual reproduction occur.
V. Plantae
Organisms: Mosses, angiosperms(flowering plants), gymnosperms, liverworts, ferns
Cell Type: Eukaryotic
Metabolism: Oxygen is needed for metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Photosynthesis
Reproduction: Some species reproduce asexually by mitosis. Other species exhibit sexual reproduction.
VI. Animalia
Organisms: Mammals, amphibians, sponges, insects, worms
Cell Type: Eukaryotic
Metabolism: Oxygen is needed for metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Ingestion
Reproduction: Sexual reproduction