The Evolution and interaction of Living Things
Life Science - Middle School
Six Kingdoms of Life
Multimedia Lesson
Classification
Presentation
Six Kingdoms Overview
Presentation
Plants
Presentation
Animals
Presentation
Classifying Organisms
Virtual Lab
Kingdom Identification
Interactive
The Evolution and interaction of Living Things
Study Guide
The Evolution and interaction of Living Things
Quiz
The Evolution and interaction of Living Things
Flash Cards
The Evolution and interaction of Living Things
Worksheet
The Evolution and interaction of Living Things
Game
The Evolution and interaction of Living Things
Vocabulary List
Physical Adaptations of Animals
Flip Chart
Behavioral Adaptations of Animals
Flip Chart
Study Guide The Evolution and interaction of Living Things
❮
1
/
6
❯
EVOLUTION AND INTERACTION History of Life on Earth Over 3.5 billion years ago, the Earth was much different than it is today. Scientists believe that early Earth’s atmosphere was made up of nitrogen, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane. All of these gases are still on Earth today, but in different quantities. Oxygen is also present in today’s atmosphere, which living organisms need to live. We would not have been able to live on Earth at that time because there was little to no oxygen in the atmosphere. But, scientists believe that early life began during this period of time on Earth. Lesson Checkpoint: Would humans have been able to live on Earth over 3.5 billion years ago? Early Life Forms Scientists believe that early life forms resembled bacteria. They hypothesized that the early life forms did not need oxygen, that they lived in the oceans, and that they were unicellular organisms. In 1953, Harold Urey and Stanley Miller conducted an experiment that simulated early Earth. They ran an electrical current through the mixture and noticed that subunits of proteins began to form, which are the building blocks of life. Today life cannot spontaneously appear, but the conditions on early Earth could support life arising from nonliving matter. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.
Other scientists experimented further with this simulation and ended up with chemicals that go together to form carbohydrates and nucleic acids. Scientists then hypothesized that chemicals formed gradually over millions of years in Earth’s oceans. Today, scientists dig up fossils of ancient organisms that lived on Earth long ago. Darwin’s Observations and Theory Charles Darwin was an English scientist who boarded a ship called the HMS Beagle and traveled around the world on a five year expedition. The voyage began in late 1831. His job was to study all of the different life forms that he saw during his voyage. Darwin saw an amazing number of life forms that he had never seen before. He drew a picture of each organism and observed it in its natural habitat. Darwin’s observations brought him to a theory that is still discussed today: The theory of evolution by natural selection. Darwin discovered an enormous number of species on his voyage. A species is a group of organisms that can produce fertile offspring. Four years into the trip, the HMS Beagle reached the Galapagos Islands off of the west coast of South America. It was here that Darwin witnessed the most diverse species. Darwin noticed that many of the plants and animals were similar to the species that he had seen in South America, but they had important differences as well. For example, iguanas on the mainland had short claws that allowed them to climb trees so that they could eat leaves, while iguanas on the © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.
Galapagos had long claws so that they could grasp onto the slippery rocks along the shore where they eat seaweed. Darwin hypothesized that a number of plant and animal species somehow made it to the Galapagos Islands from South America. Once those species reached the islands, they began to reproduce and eventually became different from their South American relatives. He also noticed that species differed from one another based on which island they were from. A tortoise’s shell on one island was shaped differently from the tortoise shells of the other islands. Lesson Checkpoint: Where did Darwin see the most diverse species? Adaptations of Organisms Darwin also noticed that the finch species were different on each island. The most noticeable of the differences was the size and shape of their beaks, which Darwin believed was because they ate different food from island to island. Darwin hypothesized that the finches on each of the islands had changed according to the types of food they eat. Darwin considered this to be an adaptation. An adaptation is a trait that helps the species to survive and reproduce in a particular environment. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.
After returning to England, Darwin continued his research on what he had seen on the Galapagos Islands. He reasoned that the different species that lived on the Galapagos Islands faced different environmental challenges than those that lived in South America. This lead him to the hypothesis that the different species slowly change through the generations to become better adapted to their particular environment. We know this as evolution, which is the slow change that a species undergoes over a period of time. Natural Selection In 1859, Charles Darwin published the book The Origin of Species that described his theories on the mechanisms behind evolution. He believed that evolution occurred through natural selection. Natural selection is a process that favors individuals that are better adapted to their environment and allows them to have a better chance of survival and to produce offspring than other individuals within the same species. Darwin described different factors that have an affect on natural selection: variations, overproduction, and competition. Variations: Genetic variation allows for diversity within a species. Variation is the difference between individuals of the same species. Certain traits are more effective in a particular environment than others. The beaks of the finches Darwin noted are an example of variation. Overproduction: The majority of species produce more offspring than could possibly survive given the available environmental resources (food, water, etc.). Competition: There is a limit on the amount of food that can be produced in a particular environment. Organisms are constantly competing to get those food resources to help them survive. Competition is the struggle between organisms to survive in the same environment with the same resources. This type of competition is not a direct fight to the end between two organisms; rather, it is competition for the available food sources. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.
There are many species of Paramecium, but two of these species were studied by a Russian ecologist. He tested the affect of placing the same amount of food in each Paramecium population. Both species grew rapidly. He then tried to breed both species together and he noticed that one species of Paramecium reproduced rapidly, while the other species died out completely. This is not to say that two species cannot coexist in the same habitat if they eat the same food source. Predation and Adaptation Predation is any interaction between two organisms where one hunts and kills an organism for food. The predator is the organism that hunts and kills the other organism. The prey is the organism that is hunted and killed. Over time, both the predators and the prey adapt to be more successful in their relationship to the other. Predator adaptations increase its survival and reproductive success by being better able to catch the prey that it feeds on. The Deep Sea Angler Fish adapted to lure prey close to it so that it could quickly catch the prey. There are many common adaptations that predators develop to improve the chances of retrieving food. Claws, stingers, sharp teeth, excellent eye sight, and tentacles are all examples of common predator adaptations. As their predators adapted, the prey responded by adapting to better avoid being caught by the predators. Camouflage, speed, sight, poison, and protective casing are all prey adaptations. Symbiosis Symbiosis is a relationship between two species in which each is dependent on the other. There are three different types of symbiotic relationships: commensalism, mutualism, and parasitism. Commensalism is when one species benefits and the other species is neither helped nor harmed by the relationship. A shark is followed by many smaller fish waiting for the shark to attack and kill its prey. The smaller fish will eat the scrap that the shark did not eat. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.
Mutualism is a relationship between two species where both species benefit from the relationship. A bee will visit as many flowers as possible to obtain food. The flower is benefiting because the bee is taking its pollen to the other flowers of its species and allowing the flower to reproduce. Parasitism is when one species lives on or within the other species and causes harm to the organism. A parasite is the organism that benefits from the relationship. The host is the organism that is harmed by the relationship. The relationship between us humans and a mosquito is an example of a parasitic relationship. The mosquito feeds on our blood and could potentially give the human a virus or disease, which harms the human. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.
Table Of Contents: Six Kingdoms of Life
1. Classification
2.1. Why Do Scientists Classify Organisms?
There are millions of types of organisms that live on Earth. A classification system helps scientists study, record and share information about organisms in a systematic and useful way.
2.2. How Are Organisms Classified?
The science of classification is called taxonomy. Organisms are classified according to shared characteristics such as cell structure, physical appearance, how they obtain food and method of reproduction.
2.3. DNA Technology and Classification
DNA technology is also playing a role in classification. The study of gene sequences and mutations has enabled scientists to understand the evolutionary relationships between different organisms.
2.4. Levels of Classification
There are seven levels of classification—kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species.
2.5. Scientific Name
Each organism is identified by its scientific name, which includes the genus and species. For example, humans are called Homo sapiens.
2. Six Kingdoms Overview
3.1. What Are the Six Kingdoms?
All organisms are classified into six different kingdoms—archaebacteria, eubacteria, protists, fungi, plants and animals.
3.2. Archaebacteria and Eubacteria
From an evolutionary perspective, archaebacteria and eubacteria are the simplest organisms, having evolved billions of years ago.
3.3. Protists
Protists are more complex organisms with a variety of characteristics. Scientists believe that protists evolved from bacteria.
3.4. Fungi, Plants and Animals
Fungi, plants and animals all evolved from different types of protists.
3. Archaebacteria and Eubacteria
4.1. Characteristics of Bacteria
Bacteria are simple unicellular organisms that can be found in nearly every environment on Earth. All bacteria are prokaryotic—they do not have a true nucleus or organelles with membranes.
4.2. Two Bacterial Groups
DNA studies suggest that there are two distinct groups of bacteria. Therefore bacteria are divided into two kingdoms—archaebacteria and eubacteria.
4.3. Where Are Archaebacteria Found?
Some archaebacteria are found in extreme environments, such as hot springs and salt lakes, while other species live in the ocean and soil.
4.4. Where Are Eubacteria Found?
Eubacteria are more common than archaebacteria and are found in soil, water and our bodies.
4.5. Beneficial and Harmful Bacteria
Archaebacteria and eubacteria are diverse kingdoms of organisms that contribute to oxygen production, food production, decomposition, medical applications and biotechnology. Some bacteria are harmful and cause disease.
4. Protists
5.1. Characteristics of Protists
Protists are eukaryotic organisms that have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. They typically live in or near water and can be unicellular or multicellular.
5.2. Variety of Protists
The protist kingdom includes organisms that are not classified as plants, animals or fungi. Protists are difficult to categorize because there is a wide variation of characteristics among species.
5.3. Protist Groups
Protists are often grouped according to whether they are animal-like, plant-like or fungus-like.
5.4. Protozoa
Animal-like protists are known as protozoa. They are single-celled organisms that move to find food. Amoeba and paramecium are classified as protozoa.
5.5. Algae
Plant-like protists, called algae, contain chloroplasts and make their own food by the process of photosynthesis. They are primarily found in fresh water. Examples include volvox, euglena and spirogyra.
5.6. Fungus-Like Protists
Fungus-like protists are heterotrophs that feed on decomposing matter. They reproduce using spores. Water molds, downy mildew and slime molds are fungus-like protists.
5. Pause and Interact
6.1. Review
Use the whiteboard text tool to complete the activity.
6. Fungi
7.1. Characteristics of Fungi
Fungi are heterotrophic eukaryotes that absorb nutrients from decomposing matter. Most are multicellular, but some, like yeast, are unicellular.
7.2. Parts of a Fungus
The bodies of most fungi are composed of filaments called hyphae. These hyphae grow into a large mass of cells called mycelium.
7.3. Fungus Reproduction
Most fungi reproduce using spores. Fungi are classified into three groups according to their sexual reproductive structures—zygote, sac and club fungi.
7.4. Beneficial Fungi
Many fungi are beneficial organisms, contributing to the recycling of nutrients, food production and medical advances.
7.5. Harmful Fungi
There are some fungi that are harmful and cause disease in animals and plants.
7. Plants
8.1. Plant Characteristics
Plants are multicellular eukaryotes that live primarily on land. They are autotrophic, obtaining energy through photosynthesis.
8.2. Cellulose and Chloroplasts
Plant cells are distinct because they have cell walls composed of cellulose. Chloroplasts inside the cells contain the pigment chlorophyll that is needed for photosynthesis.
8.3. How Are Plants Classified?
Plants are classified according to whether they have vascular systems, produce seeds and develop flowers.
8.4. Nonvascular Plants
Nonvascular plants absorb water and nutrients directly from their surroundings. They are seedless and are considered to be the most ancient land plants. Examples include liverworts, mosses and hornworts.
8.5. Seedless Vascular Plants
Ferns, club mosses and horsetails are seedless vascular plants that reproduce using spores. The vascular tissues, xylem and phloem, carry water and nutrients throughout the plant.
8.6. Gymnosperms
Gymnosperms are vascular plants that produce seeds, but do not have flowers. The seeds of most gymnosperms develop in the scales of cones.
8.7. Angiosperms
Angiosperms are flowering vascular plants that produce seeds inside a fruit.
8. Pause and Interact
9.1. Review
Use the whiteboard tools to complete the activity.
9. Animals
10.1. Animal Characteristics
All organisms in the animal kingdom are multicellular heterotrophs, and their cells lack cell walls. Most animals reproduce sexually, have some type of nervous system and are capable of movement.
10.2. Major Animal Groups
There are over 1.5 million known species of animals. This branching tree shows how major animal groups are possibly related.
10.3. Invertebrates
Invertebrates are animals without backbones. These animals live in water and on land. They account for over 95% of the known animal species.
10.4. Invertebrate Groups
Some of the major groups of invertebrates include sponges, worms, mollusks, echinoderms, cnidarians and arthropods.
10.5. Vertebrates
Vertebrates have a spinal cord encased by protective vertebrae. They also have an endoskeleton that is composed of cartilage or bone. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals are all vertebrates.
10. Pause and Interact
11.1. Kingdom Identification
Drag and drop each organism into the correct kingdom.
11. Vocabulary Review
12.1. Six Kingdoms of Life Vocabulary Matching
All organisms in the animal kingdom are multicellular heterotrophs, and their cells lack cell walls. Most animals reproduce sexually, have some type of nervous system and are capable of movement.
12. Virtual Investigation
13.1. Classifying Organisms
In this virtual investigation you will classify several organisms according to their distinguishing characteristics. Use the information provided and your knowledge of the six kingdoms to help identify each organism.
13. Assessment
14.1. Six Kingdoms of Life
NewPath Learning
About Us Our Team Awards & Endorsements Grants & Funding Product Suggestions Custom Publishing Collaborate Online Our BlogSolutions
Review & Reinforcement Intervention & Enrichment Test Prep After School/Summer School Parental Involvement Professional DevelopmentShop By Product
Curriculum Mastery Games Flip Charts Visual Learning Guides Curriculum Learning Modules E-Books/Workbooks Posters & Charts Study/Vocabulary Cards Digital Curriculum Online Learning Online Printable WorksheetsShop By Grade
Early Childhood First Grade Second Grade Third Grade Fourth Grade Fifth Grade Sixth Grade Seventh Grade Eighth Grade High School
© 2025 NewPath Learning all right reserved | Privacy Statements | Term of use | Website design WinMix Soft
