Chapter 1 - Classifying Living Things

Article What's the Big Idea About Biodiversity? It's the differences in this world that make all the difference! Find out why biodiversity is so important to our planet—and... Educator Materials What Do You Know About Biodiversity? Invasive species, endangered species, the Endangered Species Act—when it comes to biodiversity, is your knowledge thriving or... Article Who Are the Plants? There are 10 divisions in the plant kingdom. The largest order, flowering plants, has 235,000 species. The smallest, gingkoes... Diagram Leaf Shape More than likely with a good guess you could detect a heart-shaped leaf from one that's oval or narrow. But do you know how t... Article Saguaro Cactus: From Life to Death 2003 Young Naturalist Award-winning essay - Journey to the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona with this seventh-grader for an... Educator Materials Science Explorations A series of online investigations featuring scientific discoveries from Museum’s experts. Science Explorations is a collabora... Educator Materials Arthropod Identification What makes a beetle a beetle? How does a beetle behave? And what on Earth does a beetle have in common with a lobster? These... Article Let's Talk with Ian Harrison about How Marine Animals Breathe When in comes to breathing under water, marine organisms breathe in different ways. Some absorb oxygen through their skin, so... Educator Materials Slowing the Flow All mammals—dogs, sea lions, and even you—have an adaptation for surviving in cold water. Take the plunge, and learn why the... Article Bats: Twilight Zone (Science World) Did you know that there are more than 1,100 different bat species? Or that scientists have not yet figured out how all these... Article Darwin: Voyage of Discovery (SuperScience) Introduce younger students to Darwin's voyage on the HMS Beagle with this interview Niles Eldredge. Then challenge their abil... Article Scaly Surprises (Science World) Did you know that a snake's skin includes see-through scales that cover its eyes. Or that chameleons have sticky tongues to p... Educator Materials Crazy Camouflage Unlike humans, some animals can instantly change the color or pattern of their skin. Take a hands-on look at how the masters... Educator Materials Create a Polar Creature Ice floes, katabatic winds, and subzero temperatures—welcome to life in Antarctica. What features would your ideal creature h... Article Antarctic Adaptations Unlike human visitors, Antarctica's plants and animals don't require high-tech gear. How have these organisms adapted to thri... Educator Materials Find the Deep Sea Vent   Interactive How Deep is Deep? Dive down, down, and down a whole lot more—until you've traveled 2,400 meters to the sea floor. Can you picture how deep that...