4.- CLASSSIFYING LIVING THINGS 1.- Groups of living things Living things are classified into groups. Living things which share some common characteristics are in the same group. There are 5 main groups of living things: animals, plants, algae, fungi and bacteria. A) Animals characteristics:
They feed on other living things. Most animals can move. Most of them can be seen with the naked eye.
Different groups of animals:
Vertebrate animals: mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians Invertebrate animals: sponges, cnidarians, worms, molluscs, echinoderms and arthropods.
B) Plants characteristics:
They make their own food. They cannot move. Most of them can be seen with the naked eye.
C) Algae characteristics
They make their own food. They live in water. Some algae are big and some others are small and you need a microscope to see them.
D) Fungi characteristics
They feed on other living things. They cannot move. Some fungi , like mushrooms, are big, and some others are small and you need a microscope to see them.
Groups of fungi:
Mushrooms are the visible part of a fungus. The invisible part is made up of tiny filaments that absorb food. The mushroom grows from these filaments when the fungus is going to reproduce. Many mushrooms have an umbrella shape. Yeasts are very small and you need a microscope to see them. They are used to make bread, wine or beer. Moulds grow on some types of decaying food, such as fruit, bread or cheese.
E) Bacteria characteristics
Bacteria are everywhere and are the smallest and simplest living things. You need a microscope to see them. Some bacteria feed on other living things and others make their own food. Some bacteria live inside other living things and are helpful. Others cause illnesses. Some bacteria are useful to make yoghurt, vinegar and medicines.