8

Science
Quarter 4 - Module 5
Hierarchical Taxonomic System of
Classification
Science — Grade 8
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 4 — Module 5: Hierarchical Taxonomic System of Classification
First Edition, 2020

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 Science 8
Quarter 4 - Module 5
Hierarchical Taxonomic System of
Classification
This page is intentionally blank
 Table of Contents

What This Module is About........................................................................................................................i

What I Need to Know...................................................................................................................................i
How to Learn from this Module.................................................................................................................ii
Icons of this Module....................................................................................................................................ii
What I Know..................................................................................................................................................iii

Lesson 1:
Classifying Organisms Using the Hierarchical Taxonomic System ………. 1
What I Need to Know .……......................................................................................1
What’s New.............................................................................................................1
Activity 1: Is It a Yes or a No For Me?...................................................1
Activity 2: Rank Me...............................................................................2
What Is It …..…………………………………………………………………………….. 2
Activity 3: Characterize Me...................................................................5

What I Have Learned: ………………………………………………............................6

Activity 4: My 4 Significant Learnings....................................................6
What I Can Do: ………………………..…………………………...............................7
Activity 5: Classifying the Organisms Around Me.................................7

Lesson 2:
Advantage of High Biodiversity.................................................8
What I Need to Know …….......................................................................................8
What’s New: ………………………….………...........................................................
Activity 1: Let’s Think! .......................................................................... 8
What Is It……………………………………………………….……………………….... 9
What I Have Learned: ………………….………………………………...................... 10
Activity 2: Completing the K-W-L Chart................................................. 10
What I Can Do: ……………………….……………………………………….............. 10
Activity 3: Essay Writing........................................................................ 10
Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………. 11
Assessment: (Post-Test) ……………………………………………………………………… 11
Key to Answers......................................................................................................................... …12
References.................................................................................................................................. …15
This page is intentionally blank
What This Module is About

The previous modules defined that biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms that
exist on Earth. This embraces all the diverse animals, plants and microorganisms, their gene
composition, as well as the ecological divisions they formed.
With this enormous diversity of organisms, you might ask, how are they organized?
Which are related and which are not?
In this module, you will learn that biologists established a system of classifying these
life forms to avoid confusion, as well as, to better understand their similarities and
differences. However, this did not happen at once; several changes were done over the
years – from simply looking into organisms’ external similarities to considering molecular and
morphological data. The said classification takes several hierarchical categories and these
categories slowly move from being very broad groups of organisms to a specific single
species.
Moreover, as you go through this module, you will appreciate the existence of
biodiversity of our planet for this is one of the factors that brings stability of the ecosystem
and the Earth as a whole.

What I Need to Know

After going through this module, you should be able to:

1. classify organisms using the hierarchical taxonomic system (S8LT-IVh-20);
2. explain the advantage of high biodiversity in maintaining the stability of an ecosystem
(S8LT-IV21).

How to Learn from this Module

To achieve the objectives cited above, you are to do the following:

• Take your time reading the lessons carefully.
• Follow the directions and/or instructions in the activities and exercises diligently.
• Answer all the given tests and exercises.
 i
Icons of this Module
What I Need to This part contains learning objectives that
Know are set for you to learn as you go along the
module.

What I know This is an assessment as to your level of

knowledge to the subject matter at hand,
meant specifically to gauge prior related
Knowledge
What’s In This part connects previous lesson with that
of the current one.

What’s New An introduction of the new lesson through

various activities, before it will be presented
to you

What is It These are discussions of the activities as a

way to deepen your discovery and under-
standing of the concept.

What’s More These are follow-up activities that are in-

tended for you to practice further in order to
master the competencies.

What I Have Activities designed to process what you

Learned have learned from the lesson

What I can do These are tasks that are designed to show-

case your skills and knowledge gained, and
applied into real-life concerns and situations.

ii
 What I Know

I. MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Directions: Carefully read the questions. Write the letter of the correct answer on the space
provided.

1. Which branch of Science that deals with the classification of living things into groups that
show phylogenetic relationships?
a. Ecology b. Botany c. Zoology d. Taxonomy

2. What is the basic unit of classification among organisms?

a. bacteria b. plantae c. phylum d. species

3. Which is the highest category of classification?

a. class b. domain c. family d. kingdom

4. Which of these taxonomic levels is the broadest?

a. order b. genus c. family d. class

5. Which of the following arrangements correctly shows the correct taxonomic rank of
organisms from the broadest to the most specific?
a. species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, domain
b. species, genus, family, order, phylum, class, kingdom, domain
c. domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, order, genus, species
d. domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species

6. Which is NOT a level of classification?

a. family b. genus c. prokaryotes d. species

7. Which domain do protists and fungi belong?

a. archaea b. bacteria c. eukarya d. prokaryotes

8. Which of the following statements about eukaryotes is correct?

a. They are tiny and unicellular in nature.
b. They are also referred as microorganisms.
c. They are larger in size because of the greater number of cells their bodies hold .
d. They have no discrete nucleus with a membrane and other specified organelles.

9. Which of the following contributes to high biodiversity?

a. proper usage of resources c. overhunting
b. invasion of species d. pollution

10. Which supports high biodiversity?

a. Kaingin system b. dynamite fishing c. pollution d. none of the above

iii
 Classifying Organisms Using the Hierarchical
Lesson Taxonomic System

1
What I Need to Know

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

1. recognize the three domains of life
2. classify organisms using the hierarchical taxonomic system

What’s New
Activity 1: Is It a Yes or a No for Me?
Directions: Below are statements about the three domains of life. Determine
whether the statements correctly describe the specified domain or not by placing a
check (/) on the appropriate YES/NO column.

THE DOMAINS OF LIFE

Bacteria YES NO Archaea YES NO Eukarya YES NO
1. They can 1. They are the 1. This is
live on most primitive a separate
extreme bacteria. domain for
conditions. the plants
and
animals
only.
2. They have 2. They have a 2. They
no nuclear nuclear have cell
membrane. membrane. organelles
and a
distinct
nuclear
membrane
.
3. Their cell 3. Similar with 3. Cell
wall contains Eubacteria, wall
peptidoglycan. their cell wall containing
also contains cellulose
peptidoglycan. is only
present
among
plants.
 1
Activity 2: Rank Me!
Directions: Below is a box containing the different hierarchical levels. Use them to
complete the pyramid showing the Taxonomic Hierarchy.

_____________
PHYLUM GENUS
_____________

DOMAIN _____________

_____________
CLASS ORDER
_____________
FAMILY _____________

KINGDOM SPECIES _____________

_____________

What Is It
As mentioned earlier, diverse life forms thrive on Earth, about 5 million to 50
million species of organisms that exist. With this variety, classifying them correctly
is very essential.

Taxonomy is a branch of Science that deals with the process of classifying

different living species. In here, from the largest to the smallest groups, the
different groups are ranked. The large groups comprise many organisms with little
similarities, while the small groups comprise few organisms having many
similarities. This categorization would tell that organisms having more similarities
would be closely related than those organisms having less similarities. The
hierarchical classifications consist of the domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order,
family, genus and species.

The largest category is the domain. Kingdom category follows which is

subdivided into various phyla (sing. phylum). A phylum comprises of different
classes where each class has several orders, and an order consists of different
families. Then, several genera (sing. genus) comprise the families and each
genus contain the smallest group of various species.
 2

Below is the hierarchical taxonomic system of classification of a dog.

Source: rb.gy/za4gv1

Now, what can you say about the classification? As shown, as you move over
the taxonomic categories, the organisms’ characteristics become more specific, and
in effect, the group becomes smaller.

At present, scientists follow the three-domain system of classification unlike

before where there were only two groupings of organisms - the prokaryotes and
eukaryotes. The prokaryotes which were commonly known as microorganisms (tiny
and unicellular) have been divided into two domains due to molecular differences.
These are Archaea and Bacteria, making Eukarya (eukaryotes) the third domain. The
table below shows the comparison of the three domains.
 3

THE THREE DOMAINS OF LIFE

Criteria for Archaea Bacteria Eukarya
Comparison
Cell size: linear About 1 About 1 µm About 10 µm
dimension micrometer (µm)
Cellular Absent Absent Present
organelles
Nuclear Absent Absent Present
Membrane
Cell Wall Contains no Presence of No cell wall in animals,
peptidoglycan peptidoglycan cell wall made up of
chitin in fungi and cell
wall of cellulose in
plants
Source: Discover Science 8 K to 12 Edition Textbook, Diwa Learning Systems, INC

Another table is presented below to show the relationship of the Three-

Domain and Six-Domain Systems of Classifications.

Source: rb.gy/9ut7eh

What else do you know about the three domains and their respective
kingdoms?
 4

Activity 3: Characterize Me!

Directions: Describe the 6 kingdoms by completing the graphic organizers below.

Type and Number of Cells

_________________________
Where do they live?
_____________________
Is cell wall present?
Animalia Give at least 3 examples.
______________________
______________________
______________________
Autotroph or heterotoph?
_______________________

Type and Number of Cells

_________________________
Where do they live?
_____________________
Is cell wall present?
Plantae Give at least 3 examples.
______________________
______________________
______________________
Autotroph or heterotoph?
_______________________

Type and Number of Cells

_________________________
Where do they live?
_____________________
Is cell wall present?
Fungi Give at least 3 examples.
______________________
______________________
______________________
Autotroph or heterotoph?
_______________________

5
 Type and Number of Cells
_________________________
Where do they live?
_____________________
Is cell wall present?
Archaebacteria Give at least 3 examples. ______________________
______________________
______________________
Autotroph or heterotoph?
_______________________

Type and Number of Cells

_________________________
Where do they live?
_____________________
Is cell wall present?
Protista Give at least 3 examples.
______________________
______________________
______________________
Autotroph or heterotoph?
_______________________

Type and Number of Cells

_________________________
Where do they live?
_____________________
Is cell wall present?
Eubacteria Give at least 3 examples. ______________________
______________________
______________________
Autotroph or heterotoph?
_______________________

What I Have Learned?

Activity 4: My 4 Significant Learnings
Directions: Complete the graphic organizer below to show your four significant
learnings on the Taxonomic Levels of Classification.

1. 2.

My 4 Significant
Learnings

3. 4.

6
What I Can Do?
Activity 5: Classifying the Organisms around Me
Directions:
1. Try to look into your own surroundings. Choose ten organisms (be it 10
plants or 10 animals) to be observed.
2. Complete the Data Chart by identifying the physical similarities and
differences of these organisms.

DATA CHART
List of Organisms Similar Features Different Features

Other observations:

3. Then, using the information in your data chart, group these organisms. Use
the graphic organizer provided to show your groupings.

Group 1 Group 2

List the names here. List the names here.

_____________ _____________
_____________ _____________
_____________ _____________
_____________ _____________
Reasons of your Reasons of your
groupings groupings
_________ _________
_________ _________
_________ _________
Follow-up questions:
1. How do you find the activity? Was it easy to classify the organisms in the
surroundings?
_______________________________________________________________

7
 2. How is this activity different from the system of classification discussed
earlier in this module?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

3. How important ‘system’ and ‘order’ are in the field of Science?

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Lesson Advantage of High Biodiversity

2
What I Need to Know
Objectives. After doing all the activities, you be able to:
1. differentiate low biodiversity and high biodiversity; and
2. explain the significance of high biodiversity in maintaining the stability of an
ecosystem.

What’s New
Activity 1: Let’s Think!
Directions: Compare and contrast high biodiversity from low biodiversity
through Venn diagram.

High Biodiversity
Low Biodiversity

Both

8
 What Is It
There are numerous ecosystems acknowledged on the different parts of the
Earth. Among these ecosystems, the rainforest is considered as one which has the
highest biodiversity. What do you mean by this?

From the term itself, high biodiversity means that an area supports a wide
variety of species. In other words, a great quantity of species is living in it. In
contrast, low biodiversity, denotes that an area supports only a few. The question
is, why is there high biodiversity in some areas while but low in others? This
difference can be attributed to several factors, both natural and man-made. Let’s
mention some of them.

Unique Climates and Conditions. One of the contributory factor on

differences in biodiversity across the world is differences in climate. There are
areas where climates are not suitable to many types of life just like the deserts and
mountain tops. On the other hand, areas which has favorable climatic conditions
like the Amazon rainforest sustains some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the
world.

Environmental Devastation and Pollution. This man-made contributory factor

affects the richness of biodiversity. The loss of a single species can affect a food
web, and lead organisms that depend on heavily on that species as a food source
also die. In the process, numerous species may die or even go extinct, which
significantly reduces biodiversity.

Invasive Species. This can be both natural and man-made. The presence of
invasive species reduces biodiversity for it can usually result to a disruptive change
in food webs. Many organisms will die and may lead to extinction.

Overuse and Overhunting of Organisms. Similar to invasion of species and

pollution, over use and overhunting disrupt food chains and food webs which
eventually affect the capacity of many organisms to survive.

Now, why is high biodiversity favorable over a low biodiversity?

The biodiversity of certain ecosystem contributes to the sustainability of that

ecosystem. The higher the biodiversity of an ecosystem, the more sustainable it is
and this means lower biodiversity equals less sustainability. Consider in the midst of
external stress, if there is high biodiversity, the ecosystem is better able to carry out
natural processes like the biogeochemical cycles, population dynamics, evolution,
succession, and others. Therefore, more sustainable an ecosystem the better it is for
the environment and for people. Thus, we need ecosystem for survival - we need
nutrients, food, medicine and money to survive and ecosystems provide us with all of
these things.

9
 What I Have Learned?
Activity 2: Completing the KWL Chart
Directions: This time, complete the “What I Learned” Column of the KWL
Chart below.

K-W-L CHART
Topic: Advantages of High Biodiversity
What I Know What I Want to Know What I Learned

What I Can Do?

Activity 3: Essay Writing
Directions: Using 60 to 90 words, explain the advantage of high biodiversity in
maintaining the stability of an ecosystem and discuss the things you can do
as a student in keeping the richness of biodiversity. Be guided by the
prepared rubrics.
3 2 1
Idea/Content There is a clear theme and Key concepts are clear The theme and main
the main concepts are well but are not well ideas are not clear.
supported by supported by detailed
comprehensive and correct information.
information.

Organization Information given supports The information The structure is not

the theme and presented presented is limited clear and not presented
in a very logical order. however, follows a in a logical manner.
logical order.

Grammar & Spelling, punctuation, Few spelling, Many spelling,

capitalization and grammar punctuation, punctuation,
Mechanics
are correct. capitalization and capitalization and
grammatical errors grammatical errors
(1-5) (6 and more)

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
10
Summary

In this module we have learned that:

There is a branch of science known as Taxonomy that deals with the classification of
living organisms into groups that present phylogenetic relations.
Scientists organized organisms in hierarchical taxonomic levels. The broadest
category of classification is the domain, followed by kingdom, phylum, class, order, family,
genus and species.
There are three domains of life, namely; Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya.
The Six-Kingdom Classification includes Animalia, Plantae, Eubacteria,
Archaebacteria, Protista, and Fungi.
High Biodiversity is advantageous over low biodiversity.
High biodiversity contributes in sustaining the stability of an ecosystem.

Assessment: (Post-Test)
Multiple Choice
Directions: Read carefully statements below. Write
A if the first statement is correct and the second statement is false.
B if the first statement is false and the second statement is true.
C if both statements are true.
D if both statements are false.
1. A. Single-celled organisms include eukayotes.
B. Bacteria, fungi and Animalia are the three domains of life.

2. A. Organisms which belong to Kingdom Plantae have cell walls.

B. Members of Kingdom Animalia have cell walls too.

3. A. Organisms under Kingdom bacteria are the only ones which are uni-cellular.
B. Only kingdoms Animalia and Plantae are considered multicellular.

4. A. The species is the basic unit of classification.

B. The broadest category of classification is the kingdom.

5. A. Organisms under Kingdom bacteria have true nucleus unlike the organisms under
archaea.
B. Protists and fungi belong to eukarya.

6. A. Protists are part of the kingdom bacteria.

B. Order is more specific compared to family.

7. A. Kaingin system do not contribute to high biodiversity.

B. High biodiversity means more number of species living in a particular ecosystem.

8. A. Invasion of new species are sometimes a natural occurrence, hence, do not affect high
biodiversity.
B. Low biodiversity do not hamper the ecosystem’s stability.

9. A. If one group of organism is lost in a food web, it does affect the existence of other
organisms.
B. Medical and food supplies are dependent to high biodiversity.

10. A. Human activities contribute a big impact on the whole system, positive or negative.
B. Urbanization do not interfere with the complexity of food chains therefore, do not
contribute to low biodiversity.
11
 Key to Answer

Lesson 1: Classifying Organisms Using the Hierarchical System

Pre – Test Posttest
13 1. D 6. C 1. D 2.A
2. D 7. C 3. D 4.A
3. B 8. C 5. Band Number of6.D
Type Cells
4. D 9. A 7. C 8.D
Eukaryote/Multicellular
Where do they live?
5. D 10. D 9. C 10.A
Everywhere where there is
sun Is cell wall present?
14 Plantae
Activity 1: Is it a Yes or a No For Me?
Yes, with cellulose
Give
THE atDOMAINS
least 3 examples.
OF LIFE Type and Number of Cells
Answers will vary. prokaryote/unicellular
Bacteria YES NO Archaea YES NO Eukarya YES NO
Where do they live? Autotroph or heterotoph?
1. They can live 1. They are Everywhere 1. This is Autotroph
a separate
on extreme / the most / domain Is cell
for wall present?
the plants /
conditions. Eubacteria primitive
Give at least 3 examples. and animals only.
yes, with peptidoglycan
bacteria.
Answers will vary.
2. They have no 2. They have a 2. They have cell
(Ex.cyanobacteria,Proteob Autotroph
Type and Numberor heterotoph?
nuclear / nuclear / organelles and of Cells
a /
membrane. membrane. acteria, Bacillus, distinct autotroph and
nuclear
Streptococcus) Eukaryote/mostly unicellular
membrane. heterotroph
Where do they live?
3. Their cell wall 3. Similar with
Water and moist 3. Cell wall
contains / Eubacteria, / containing cellulose /
Is cell wall present?
Protista
peptidoglycan. their cell wall
also contains
is only
Someplants.
among
present
with cellulose
Answers will vary.
peptidoglycan.
Lesson 2: Advantage of High Biodiversity
Activity 2. Rank Me (Ex. algae, amoebas, euglena,
plasmodium, slime molds) Autotroph or heterotoph?
Activity 1: Let’s Think Autotroph and heterotoph
domain

kingdom

phylum
Type and Number of Cells
class
 lesser
prokaryote/unicellular
number of
Where do they order
live?
 great variety  Both deal on organisms
Harsh/extreme
of genes and the existence
family
found in that
environments
species in that Is cell wall present?
Archaebacteria
ecosystem
of organisms
Give atBoth
genus

least 3give
examples.
species
certain
yes. without peptidoglycan
ecosystem
 the higher it is, methanogens,
impact onhalophiles,  the less it is,
the more thermoacidophiles the or
less
the stability Autotroph heterotoph?
sustainable is sustainable
the ecosystem of an Autotroph and heterotroph
ecosystem is the
Activity 3: Characterize Me! ecosystem
Type and Number
Type andofNumber
Cells of Cells
High biodiversity
Both Low Biodiversity
Eukaryote/multicellular
Eukarote/ multicellular but not
Where do they live? yeast
Where do they live?
Everywhere
Is cell wall present?
Animalia Areas which shady and moist
No cellIswalls
cell wall present?
Fungi Give at least 3 examples.
Yes, with chitin
Answers
Give atwill vary.
least 3 examples.
Autotroph or heterotoph?
Answers will vary.
heterotroph
(yeasts, rusts, smuts, mildews, Autotroph or heterotoph?
molds, mushrooms)
heterotoph

12
References
Allas, Ian Mark, Allen Espinosa, Aloysius Lorenzo and Bonifacio Navarette. Discover
Science 8 K to 12 Edition. 1229 Makati City, Philippines. 2013

Bailey, Regina. "Guide to the Six Kingdoms of Life." ThoughtCo.

https://www.thoughtco.com/six-kingdoms-of-life-373414 (accessed July 26, 2020).

Bailey, Regina. "Three Domain System." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/three-

domain-system-373413 (accessed July 26, 2020).

“Biology for Majors I”. Lumen.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-biology1/chapter/reading-the-taxonomic-
classification-system/ (accessed July 19, 2020).

Campo, Pia, May Chavez, Maria Helen Catalan, Leticia Catris, Marlene Ferido, Ian Kendrich
Fontanilla, Jacqueline Rose Gutierrez, Shirley Jusayan, Michael Anthony Mantala,
Cerilina Maramag, et. al. Science - Grade 8 Learner’s Module. Reprint Edition.
Department of Education, Pasig City Philippines. 2016

Evangelista, Eden Vela, Gloria Lajara Follosco, Adora Soriano-Pili and Rosario Laurel -
Sotto. Science in Today’s World 8. 2nd Edition. Quezon Avenue, Quezon City: Sibs
Publishing House, 2018

Gillespie, Mark. Characteristics of the Six Kingdoms of Organisms last modified July 26,
2020. https://sciencing.com/characteristics-six-kingdoms-organisms-8242194.html

More, Hemant. “Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, and Eukarya: The three domains of life”. The
Fact Factor. https://thefactfactor.com/facts/pure_science/biology/generalbiology/
archaebacteria/5510/.” (accessed July 16, 2020)

Socratic Q&A. “What is the importance of biodiversity in an ecosystem?: Socratic.”

Socratic.org. https://socratic.org/questions/what-is-the-importance-of-biodiversity-in-
an-ecosystem (accessed July 19, 2020).

“Taxonomic Hierarchy In Biological Classification.” BYJUS.

https://byjus.com/biology/taxonomic-hierarchy/ (accessed July 17, 2020).

Wandrei, Kevin. “Why Is Biodiversity High in Some Places But Low in Others?” Education.
https://education.seattlepi.com/biodiversity-high-places-but-low-others-4475.html
(accessed July 19, 2020).

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