Science.7.14.B

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The student is expected to describe the characteristics of the recognized kingdoms and their importance in ecosystems such as bacteria aiding digestion or fungi decomposing organic matter.
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Knowledge and Skills Statement

Organisms and environments. The student knows how the taxonomic system is used to describe relationships between organisms.

The further explanation is designed to be a resource for educators that helps them better understand the topic their students are learning. Further explanations may be written at a more complex level than would be expected for students at the grade level.

Taxonomy is a scientific model with limitations. Not all life fits neatly within that model. For example, all bacteria and archaea are prokaryotic. All plants, animals, fungi, and protists are eukaryotic. All bacteria and archaea are unicellular, and most protists are unicellular. All plants and animals are multicellular, and most fungi are multicellular. Autotrophs include all plants and some bacteria, archaea, and protists. Heterotrophs include all animals and fungi, as well as some protists, archaea, and bacteria.  Sexual reproduction occurs in plants, animals, and fungi, but asexual reproduction does, too.  Bacteria and archaea reproduce asexually.   

Glossary terms and definitions are consistent across kindergarten through high school in the TEKS Guide. The definitions are intended to give educators a common understanding of the terms regardless of what grade level they teach. Glossary definitions are not intended for use with students.

a kingdom of prokaryotic, single-celled organisms that live in every environment on Earth

the process by which insects, worms, bacteria, and fungi cycle organic substances through the ecosystem by breaking down dead organisms and their products

the process of breaking down food into its components to be used for energy or nutrients in the organism

the biotic and abiotic resources provided to support specific populations in a community

a kingdom of eukaryotic, single- or multicellular organisms that have cell walls made of chitin and are heterotrophic decomposers

material that is made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorous; material that is, was, or was produced by a living organism

an individual form of life, such as a plant, animal, bacterium, protist, or fungus; a body made up of organs, organelles, or other parts that work together to carry on the various processes of life

an international system used to classify organisms into increasingly more inclusive groupings; from broadest to most specific: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species

Research

Harris, Cornelia, Alan Berkowitz, Jennifer  Jennifer, Doherty, and Laura Hartley. "Exploring Biodiversity's Big Ideas in Your School Yard." Science Scope 36, no. 8 (2013): 20–27. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43184758

Summary: The article " Exploring Biodiversity's Big Ideas in Your School Yard" uses a common schoolyard as an ecosystem. Various organisms are identified within their kingdom, and their contribution to the ecosystem is emphasized.