The Six Kingdoms
Today we are learning about the six kingdoms which is the six groups that all living things are organized in. They range from animals like tigers and humans to trees to mushrooms and even bacteria. The purpose of this is to organize or classify all living things making them easier for scientists to learn about them. One of the early Greek philosophers, Aristotle divided all living things in just two categories, animals and plants and classified them just by looks. For instance, he would probably put animals like dolphin and tuna in the same group because they look alike and live underwater. Today we know that dolphin are more like tigers than tuna. Eventually scientists began to group things with phylogeny, which is how things are organized based on evolution. From then on scientists have made six kingdoms. When microscopes were first invented, people learned about microorganisms. They made a bacteria kingdom which was later divided into three kingdoms.
The first kingdom or group we will learn about is the bacteria kingdom. Bacteria come in many different sizes and shapes. Most Bacteria aren't pathogens, the evil ones that make you sick. Bacteria can live anywhere, in the air, underwater and even inside other living things! In fact bacteria can be very good for you by helping break down food and keeping us healthy.
The next kingdom is the Archean kingdom.These are some of the world's oldest from of life, but we didn't know of them until 40 years ago. Archea can live in extreme environments like deep sea trenches. This kingdom was originally grouped with bacteria. Some Archea can live in boiling water.
On to the next kingdom, the Protist kingdom. Like other kingdoms the protist are single celled microorganisms. Unlike other microorganisms protists cells have a nucleus. Protists are divided up by how they get there food. Amoebas capture food to eat, while plankton use sunlight to make food like a plant. Some protist do both.
The fungi kingdom is next. They survive by sucking up nutrients from other organisms. They are often found on dead animals and plants breaking down remains which is why they are called decomposers. Most fungi attach themselves to their food using clumps of root-like thread called hyphae.
The plant kingdom is next. Plants and fungi were once grouped together before people learned fungi could not make their own food. Plants however can make there own food using photosynthesis which is the conversion of sunlight into food. Plant cells have rigid walls made of a substance called cellulose.
Last but not least and my favorite kingdom, the animal kingdom. The animal kingdom is huge and has different groups. In fact we are part of this kingdom. Animals are multi-celled organisms that have to find and eat food and water to survive. Animals move around and eat plants or other animals to survive.
The next kingdom is the Archean kingdom.These are some of the world's oldest from of life, but we didn't know of them until 40 years ago. Archea can live in extreme environments like deep sea trenches. This kingdom was originally grouped with bacteria. Some Archea can live in boiling water.
The fungi kingdom is next. They survive by sucking up nutrients from other organisms. They are often found on dead animals and plants breaking down remains which is why they are called decomposers. Most fungi attach themselves to their food using clumps of root-like thread called hyphae.
The plant kingdom is next. Plants and fungi were once grouped together before people learned fungi could not make their own food. Plants however can make there own food using photosynthesis which is the conversion of sunlight into food. Plant cells have rigid walls made of a substance called cellulose.
Last but not least and my favorite kingdom, the animal kingdom. The animal kingdom is huge and has different groups. In fact we are part of this kingdom. Animals are multi-celled organisms that have to find and eat food and water to survive. Animals move around and eat plants or other animals to survive.
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