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OXFORD BIG IDEAS SCIENCE 7: AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM 2 SORTING OUT BIODIVERSITY 44 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXDIVERSITY 45 Each unit within this chapter is 2.2 How do scientists organise life? introduced here using an engaging 1 Taurus is a Latin word meaning ‘bull’, which image and supported by text and <<BIG IDEAS>> Diversity would explain the researchers’ name for the questions. Discussions around the Our Earth is teeming with life. Approximately 1.8 million known types organism. image, text and/or questions should of organisms (living things) on the Earth have been described and 2 Two characteristics that make Tauroprimnoa named. scientists estimate 10–30 million other kinds of living things assist teachers to ascertain prior Sorting out austasensis seem to be plants are: that haven’t even been discovered yet. scientists use classifi cation knowledge and provide students with 2 to organise this diversity of life forms (biodiversity) in a logical fashion. a ey have branches. an idea of where the chapter is heading. biodiversity classifi cation is an example of a system that scientists have created, b ey lay roots into the sea bed. and continue to create, to help us better understand the world. This is designed to promote an inquiry 3 To divide a class the characteristic used could be: approach to learning and reduce the a Sex (male/female) b Ethnicity ‘why?’ questions. How do scientists 2.1 Why do scientists classify? 2.2 c Hair colour organise life? Curriculum guidance d Eye colour. Until the 1960s, any group of scientists could land on 1 Name three resolutions or rules that scientists In 2010, six new Antarctic organisms were discovered. 2.3 Where do I t in? Previous Year 7 the Antarctic continent to do research. Often, the groups might have to agree to before they can do Although these organisms look like plants, they are Big Idea curriculum curriculum research at the Antarctic. would be researching the same organism but call it by classifi ed as animals. The ‘sea whips’ or ‘sea fans’ 1 Qualities or features of animals may include: content content different names. Each would publish their results in 2 Find out which countries signed the Antarctic are similar to the corals found in the warm tropical • respiration their own language. The scientists needed an organised Treaty. ➔ Diversity and The growth There are waters of other oceans, which is why the scientists Fig 2.3 The orca is one of our closest living relatives. system to help them share the results of their efforts. 3 Do you think the Antarctic Treaty protects only • movement Evolution: a and survival differences were surprised to fi nd them in the icy waters of the These days, all visitors to the Antarctic work under a living things? Explain your answer. diverse range of living things within and Antarctic. Like the coral reefs, these tiny animal • cellular common treaty, working together to conserve every type of living things are affected between polyps form colonies surrounded by hard scales that 2.3 Where do I fi t in? of plant and animal on this very special continent. ➔ Fig 2.1 A naming system for living things helps scientists to share their research. stand upright, gradually fl attening and branching out • reproduce have evolved by the physical groups of like a fan. A colony can grow to a metre high and on Earth over conditions organisms; • respond to stimuli a metre across, but only a few centimetres thick. They hundreds of of their classi cation • grow may be brightly coloured, often red, purple or yellow. The orca or Orcunus orca is one of our closest millions of years environment helps organise living relatives in the Antarctic. Orcas are highly 1 Tauroprimnoa austasensis was named because the • excrete (Year 6) this diversity social animals, often travelling in large families, researcher thought it looked like a bull. can you fi nd • require nutrition. each family with their own range of sounds and a hint in the name? hunting techniques. Although Orcas have large 2 All characteristics of living things will link to 2 Name two characteristics that might make you think teeth (up to 4 centimetres long) they do not chew Big Ideas these organisms are plants instead of animals. humans as humans are considered to be animals. their food. Instead, they tend to swallow it whole. 3 If you had to divide your class into two groups, what Orcas are very protective of their young, nursing 3 Orca characteristics which are similar to human e idea of classi cation should be approached as a characteristic would you use to decide on the groups? them with milk from their mammary glands. As Try to fi nd four different characteristics. characteristics include: human construct that is attempting to bring order soon as the young are old enough, the adults teach them to hunt fi sh, seals and seabirds in the freezing • they are social and understanding to a complex world. erefore ➔ Fig 2.2 These plant- like organisms are ice-capped waters of the Antarctic. See Figure 2.2 • they communicate there are great opportunities for a large emphasis actually animals. at left. on the area of science as a human endeavour and 1 With a partner, brainstorm the characteristics you • they have teeth inquiry skills. It is important to emphasise that think of when you hear the word ‘animal’. • they are protective of their young 2 Which, if any, of the characteristics you brainstormed evidence for evolution was largely through the would you use to describe yourself? • they nurse their young with mammary glands idea of di erences ‘within and between species’. 3 Which of the orca’s characteristics could you use • the adults teach their young. to describe yourself? In what ways is the orca Orcas are di erent to humans in that: erefore there should be an emphasis on the different to you? di erences within species, rather than using this • they do not chew their food • they travel in large families chapter as a ‘methods of classi cation’ section. 44 CHAPTER 2 • SORTING OUT BIODIVERSITY CHAPTER 2 • SORTING OUT BIODIVERSITY 45 Opportunities linking to the work of Darwin • each family has their own range of sounds and other ‘early’ biologists exist here, as they will and hunting techniques • they live in di erent environments to enhance the link to the evolution aspect of the c Undertake an assessment of planned Answers humans. Big Idea in Year 10. is topic also allows speci c activities under the ‘scienti c research’ 2.1 Why do scientists classify? references to adaptations which may well have been umbrella of the treaty. introduced in Year 6, and also the idea that di erent 1 ree regulations or rules scientists might have 2 e treaty has been signed by 48 countries species or groups are found in di erent habitats. to agree to before undertaking research in the including: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, Summary Antarctic would include (students may suggest France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, other plausible options): South Africa, Russia, United Kingdom and the Di erences between living things can be observed SAMPLE a Abide by the treaty; use the Antarctic for United States of America. obook and this helps classify organisms at a range of peaceful purposes 3 e Antarctic Treaty protects every type of plant ID02.01 Weblink: Antarctic Treaty di erent levels. is diversity has arisen from b Share the results of their work; freedom and animal and therefore all resources these classroom resources evolution over time and classi cation can help to of scienti c investigation organisms need to survive. provide evidence for this evolution. OXFORD BIG IDEAS SCIENCE 7: AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM 2 SORTING OUT BIODIVERSITY 46 2.1 WHY DO SCIENTISTS CLASSIFY? 47 <<DISCOVERING IDEAS>> Early classi cation methods ICT Who am I? Early classification methods Early humans first classified plants by learning which A wide variety of examples of early ‘encyclopaedia’ is activity is designed to promote thinking Why do scientists classify? plants were edible and which were poisonous. A new illustrations are available to view on the Internet. about the various ways information can plant or animal discovered by humans was (and still is) 2.1 tested and put into a group. Some plants were found Students could search for the following titles to be communicated. e development of Every year, scientists are discovering plants and animals that have never been seen to help sick people and others were poisonous. Some expand their understanding of early classi cation: cameras and video has signi cantly improved before. What if you were to find a neworganism at your school? How would you animals could produce foods (e.g. milk and eggs). Each generation of scientists worked to improve how these • Al Jahiz – Kitāb al-Hayawān levels of accuracy in the communication know that no one else had discovered it before you? Could you describe it so that people on the other side of the world understood what it looked like and how it groups were classified. • Aristotle – Scala Naturae of classi cation-related data. Prior to behaved? How would you know if it was alive? The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 BCE) is photographs, illustrations were used. e considered by many to be the grandfather of • Carolus Linnaeus – Biblioteca Britannica classification. He found that each small township near • Andrea Caesalpino – De Plantis Libris XVI quality of the illustration varied greatly his home had its own list of favourite plants and animals, depending on the skills of the artist, and the described and ordered for its own purposes. He decided ➔ Fig 2.5 The mature pine tree looks very different from its sapling.