Characteristics and Classification
of Living Things
MAED – Science Education
Spiral Approach Presentation
Learning Objectives
• Describe the characteristics of living organisms (MRS GREN).
• Classify organisms based on shared features.
• Define species and explain the binomial naming system.
• Differentiate the main features of the five kingdoms of life.
• Recognize the unique features of viruses.
What Makes Something Alive?
• Starter question: Is fire alive?
• Fire 'grows' and 'uses oxygen' but cannot reproduce.
• Helps distinguish living vs non-living.
MRS GREN – Characteristics of Life
Respiration Sensitivity
• Movement – Carabao walking; Sunflower bends toward light.
• Respiration – Humans use oxygen;
Movement Life Yeast releases
GrowthCO₂ in bread.
• Sensitivity – Venus flytrap closes on insects.
• Growth – A child growing taller.
• Reproduction – Rice plant produces seeds.
• Excretion – Humans sweat to remove salt. Reproduction
• Nutrition – Mango tree photosynthesizes.
Nutrition Excretion
Why Classification?
Organisms
• Earth has millions of species.
• Classification organizes biodiversity.
• FacilitatesAnimals Plants
scientific communication. Fungi Protists Monera
• Shows evolutionary relationships.
• Example: 'Rice' known locally, but globally *Oryza sativa*.
Features of Organisms
• Cell structure: unicellular vs multicellular.
• Nucleus: prokaryote vs eukaryote.
• Nutrition: autotroph vs heterotroph.
• Examples: Amoeba (unicellular), Carabao (multicellular).
• Bacteria (prokaryote), Humans (eukaryote).
• Plants (autotroph), Animals (heterotroph).
Species Defined
• Horse
Species = organisms Donkey
that interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
• Horse + Donkey = Mule (sterile).
• Dog breeds interbreed to produce fertile puppies.
• Importance: defines clear classification boundaries.
Mule
(Sterile)
Binomial System of Nomenclature
• Developed by Carl Linnaeus.
• Universal format: Genus (capitalized) + species (lowercase).
• Always italicized.
• Examples: *Homo sapiens* (human), *Mangifera indica* (mango), *Canis
lupus familiaris* (dog).
The Five Kingdoms of Life
• Animalia – Carabao.
• Plantae – Narra tree.
• Fungi
Animalia
– Mushroom.
Plantae Fungi Protista Monera
• Protista – Amoeba.
• Monera – E. coli bacteria.
Features of Viruses
D
N
• Not classified in kingdoms. A
• Non-living outside host. /
Protein Coat
R
• Made of protein coat + DNA/RNA.
N
• Reproduce only in host cells. A
• Examples: HIV, Influenza, SARS-CoV-2.
Spiral Recap
• Step 1: MRS GREN – What makes life.
• Step 2: Classification – Organizing organisms.
• Step 3: Species
MRS GREN
– Fertile
Classification
[Link]
Species Kingdoms Viruses
• Step 4: Binomial system – Universal naming.
• Step 5: Kingdoms – Major divisions of life.
• Step 6: Viruses – Exceptions.
Reflection / Activity
• Classify a local organism (e.g., Tilapia, Narra, Carabao).
• Identify its kingdom and scientific name.
• Reflection: Why is a universal naming system important?
Closing
• Life is defined by MRS GREN.
• Classification organizes biodiversity.
• Binomial system ensures clarity.
• Five kingdoms classify life.
• Viruses challenge definition of life.
