A STUDENT SHOULD KNOW THAT:

A. DIVERSITY AMONG PLANTS AND ANIMALS EXISTS ON EARTH.

1. Animals
   1. Properties of animals and their parts vary from one kind to another and from one individual to another. For example,
      1. Birds and dogs differ in appearance.
      2. Different breeds of dogs differ in appearance.
      3. Although dogs of a given breed are similar, they vary somewhat in size, color, and shape from one individual to another.
2. Plants
   1. Properties of plants and their parts vary from one kind to another and from one individual to another. For example,
      1. Maple trees and pine trees differ in appearance.
      2. Although leaves on a maple tree are similar, they vary somewhat in size, shape and color from one leaf to another.

B. ORGANISMS CAN BE GROUPED BY USING CLASSIFICATION SCHEMES.

1. Organisms can be assigned to groups according to observable features. For example,
   1. Plants or animals
   2. Animals with appendages or animals without appendages
   3. Animals with feathers or animals without feathers

C. INDIVIDUALS VARY WITHIN A SPECIES

1. Animals
   1. Although dogs of a given breed are similar, they vary somewhat in size, color, and shape from one individual to another.
2. Plants
   1. Although leaves on the same kind of maple tree are similar, they vary somewhat in size, shape and color from one leaf to another.

A STUDENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

• Recognize through observations the vast diversity of plants and animals.
• Group living things according to their features.
• Use observations to recognize that individuals vary within a species.
• Make generalizations based on observations about the vast diversity of plants and animals.
• Compare and contrast similarities and differences within and between groups of living things.