Discuss how fanned phylogentic diagrams differ from cladograms when learning about the diversity of the six kingdoms. Phylogentic diagrams depict the evolutionary descent lines from common ancestors of organisms, genes or various species. Researchers use phylogentic diagrams to organize and visualize evolution. Discuss timelines, such as when specific plant groups evolved. Create charts including animal groups that have the fewest species or draw pictures on the diagram of a representative of each kingdom. The six kingdoms include plants, animals, eubacteria, archaebacteria, protists and fungi.
Instruct students to create a collage focusing on one of the six kingdoms. They should include pictures related to their assigned kingdom, as well as fun facts and other interesting information. Collages are a great way to reuse magazine and newspaper pictures and to promote creativity. Divide students into six groups, with each group taking one of the kingdoms. Each group could do a presentation to the class regarding their poster, and when the presentations are finished they can hang their poster on the classroom wall. This incorporates teamwork into the activity and allows the class to learn about all six kingdoms through their own work, as well as that of their classmates.
Classify living organisms interactively on the Internet at PBS.org and learn about taxonomy. After launching the interactive, select from one of the three organisms offered and classify it in the correct kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species. A perfect score for the game is 21 points. The classification system used in this interactive game is based on the five kingdoms model, first developed by Robert Whitaker, according to PBS.org.
Cladograms allow students to compare anatomical structures and relationships of organisms based on traits. Provide a cladogram worksheet listing organism traits including, placenta, amniotic sac, paired legs, mammary glands and dorsal nerve cord. Provide students with a specific set of organisms to compare. Instruct them to analyze the data and draw a Venn diagram using the organisms and the information from the worksheet. After the Venn diagram is drawn, instruct students to draw a cladogram using the information from the worksheet.