Taxonomy is the part of science that focuses on naming and classifying or grouping organisms.

A
Swedish naturalist named Carolus Linnaeus is considered the 'Father of Taxonomy' because, in the
1700s, he developed a way to name and organize species that we still use today. His two most important
contributions to taxonomy were:

A hierarchical classification system

The system of binomial nomenclature (a 2-part naming method)

Carolus Linnaeus lived from 1707 to 1778.

Carolus Linnaeus

Linnaeus's Classification System

In Systema Naturae, Linnaeus classified nature into a hierarchy. He proposed that there were three
broad groups, called kingdoms, into which the whole of nature could fit. These kingdoms were animals,
plants, and minerals. He divided each of these kingdoms into classes. Classes were divided into orders.
These were further divided into genera (genus is singular) and then species. We still use this system
today, but we have made some changes.

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Binomial Nomenclature

Before Linnaeus came up with a standardized system of naming, there were often many names for a
single species, and these names tended to be long and confusing. Linnaeus decided that all species
names should be in Latin and should have two parts. Remember, this 2-part system is called binomial
nomenclature. It is still used today and gives every species one unique 2-part scientific name.

Carolus Linnaeus is the father of taxonomy, which is the system of classifying and naming organisms.
One of his contributions was the development of a hierarchical system of classification of nature. Today,
this system includes eight taxa: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.
Linnaeus also provided us with a consistent way to name species called binomial nomenclature. He
named around 12,000 plant and animal species in this way.
Direction

For this activity, study the scrambled letters and try to unscramble or rearrange the letters to form a
word or phrase that fits the given clues. To do this, you must right-click and print this page. With a pencil
and an eraser, neatly write your answers in the blank space provided.

SCRAMBLED WORDS

MGDKOIN

YKEAAUR

RRCAEYHHI

LNESGI PEIESCS

NAGEER

EIFCIPSC PEITEHT

PATDZLECIIA

OHTURA

TMSSYAE ATARNUE

EODMNHIAI

CLUES

Phylum is a rank in the classification of organisms which is below _____ and above class.

_____ constitutes the domain of organisms whose cells have a nucleus enclosed within membranes.

Linnaeus classified organisms through a ranking system or _____.

Binomial nomenclature is a formal system of naming __________ by giving each a name composed of
two parts.

_____ is a rank in the classification of organisms which is below family and above species.

The second element in the Latin binomial name of a species that follows the generic name is referred to
as __________.

In using binomial names, the genus name is always written first and should be _____.
The originator or publisher of a binomial name for a species is often referred to as the _____.

__________ is one of the major works of Carolus Linnaeus and introduced the Linnaean taxonomy.

Humans belong in the kingdom of Animalia and in the family of _____.

ANSWER KEY

KINGDOM

EUKARYA

HIERARCHY

SINGLE SPECIES

GENERA

SPECIFIC EPITHET

CAPITALIZED

AUTHOR

SYSTEMA NATURAE

HOMINIDAE