based on Indiana's Academic Standards, Science,
as adopted by the Indiana State Board of Education, Nov 2000.

numbers refer to the age-appropriate grade-level for the content.

Kingdom definitions

grade 8: to college:

• Five Kingdom System.
  • Animal
  • Plant
  • Fungi
  • Protists
  • Monera [bacteria]

Species definition

grade K: to 3:

Encourage students to select two clearly dissimilar types (species) of animals

such as cat, dog, parrot, goldfish...

• recognize how examples of each type are similar
• recognize how types are different

grade 3: to 6:

Recognize that litters are more like parents than like different types (species)

• cats have litters of kittens, not puppies
• dogs have litters of puppies, not kittens
• robins have clutches of baby robins, not bluejays

grade 6: to 8:

Different types of animals (and plants) are classified as different species

• species breed true
• different species do not cross-breed

grade secondary: to college:

The species is defined as all populations of

• similar organisms
• potentially interbreeding organisms

Population definition

grade 4: to 5:

In nature, there will be more than one individual of each type in a given area

grade 6: to 8:

Wild animals occur as groups (populations) of individuals within a given area

• these groups tend to remain separate from other groups in different areas
• there may be some migration between areas

grade secondary: to college:

The population is defined as all individuals of

• similar organisms occupying given geographic area
• interacting and potentially interbreeding organisms, sharing same gene pool

The Individual and the Cell

grades 8: to college:

• Individual = the smallest unit with all the characteristics of a species
  [except reproduction]
• Cell = the smallest unit with all the characteristics of life.

Classification

grades 6: to college:

taxa (singular: taxon), or classification units from smallest to largest are

• species (singular and plural)
• Genus (plural: genera)
• Family
• Order
• Class
• Phylum (in plants: Division)
• Kingdom

grades secondary: to college:

classification

• systematics
  • systematic collection of information on similarities/differences
  • organization of taxa to reflect similarities/differences
• phylogenetic trees
  • intent is to describe evolutionary relationships among taxa
• cladistic
  • attempt to quantify the degree of similarity among taxa

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