Year 6 - Science
Discovering and naming new species
Why we group and classify living things
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit covers the classification of living things, including micro-organisms, plants, and animals, based on observable characteristics. It explores reasons for classification and focuses on planning scientific enquiries, recording data, presenting findings, and evaluating scientific evidence.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe how scientists group, identify and name new species of living things.
Key Notes
- Taxonomists describe thousands and thousands of new living species every year.
- New species must be described in detail, including which features make it similar and different to close relatives.
- Species are always identified by both a generic name and a species name.
- Species names are written in Latin, but many species names are based on words from other languages, and are Latinized.
Vocabulary To Learn
- taxonomist: A taxonomist is a type of scientist who identifies, classifies and describes living things.
- classify: To classify things is to sort them into groups.
- identify: To identify something is to be able to name it correctly.
- species: A species is a group of animals or plants that are similar and can have babies together.
- Latin: Latin is a language that comes from the ancient Roman empire and is still commonly used by scientists and other academics.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may think that organisms have, and always have had, their own names, rather than them being named by scientists and others.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Taxonomists describe thousands and thousands of new living species every year. New species must be described in detail, including which features make it similar and different to close relatives.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'taxonomist'
A taxonomist is a type of scientist who identifies, classifies and describes living things. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may think that organisms have, and always have had, their own names, rather than them being named by scientists and others. Correction: Use the lesson resources to explain the naming process for living things used by taxonomists and other scientists.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Carl Linnaeus and classification Study Guide
- Comparing characteristics of living things Study Guide
- Grouping micro-organisms Study Guide
- Growing yeast: do and review (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Growing yeast: plan (non-statutory) Study Guide
- How and why we group animals Study Guide
- How and why we group plants Study Guide
- Micro-organisms are living things Study Guide
- Micro-organisms living on food: plan and do (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Micro-organisms living on food: review (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Microorganisms that help us (non-statutory) Study Guide
- The 5 Rs (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability) Study Guide
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