Download Six Kingdoms Poster Activity: Eubacteria

Work Hard. Get Smart.
Main Course
Biologist’s Name: _________________________________ Class: 8__ Date: ______________
Mrs. Bouchard– 8th Grade Science
Six Kingdoms Poster Activity: Eubacteria
Directions: Read the purpose questions below, then begin to read the text. You should focus
your reading on finding the answers to those questions. Then, follow the directions to continue
the activity.
Answer
Purpose Question
Is this kingdom made of prokaryotes (simple cells with no nucleus) or
eukaryotes (complex cells with a nucleus)?
Is this kingdom made of unicellular organisms (one-celled bodies) or
multicellular organisms (many-celled bodies)?
Is this kingdom made of autotrophs (organisms that make their own
food) or heterotrophs (organisms that must eat to live).
What is a key fact everyone should know about this kingdom?
(If you find more than one, that is fine.)
BE CAREFUL: Is the answer to your question true of all, most or some of the kingdom?
You should then turn to the organizer on Page 3 and write that information. If you have
already answered your purpose question, you should then read for the general question,
“What makes this kingdom unique?”
Bacteria
Although you may not know it, members of the Bacteria kingdom are all around you. You can
find them in the yogurt you eat, on every surface you touch, and inside your body, both when
you are healthy and sick.
All members of the Bacteria kingdom are prokaryotes. That means their cells are very simple,
and do not contain nuclei (the plural of “nucleus”). Bacteria are some of the oldest creatures on
the planet, so they’ve been around way before the nucleus started appearing in plant and animal
cells. Since bacterial cells do not have nuclei, their DNA – the blueprints for their bodies – just
floats around inside the cell. In fact, bacteria lack many of the parts commonly found in other,
more complicated cells. For example, they don’t have a golgi body, or an endoplasmic reticulum.
In addition, any good biologist needs to know that all bacteria are unicellular. That means their
bodies are made of just one cell. This also means that you can’t see bacteria with just your eyes.
You’d need to use a microscope to see a bacterial cell. Anton van Leeuwenhoek (lay vun hook), a
Dutch merchant, was the first to see bacteria by using early microscopes in the late 1600s.
While all bacteria are unicellular, those single cells can be very different. Bacteria come in many
different shapes; the three most common bacterial shapes are rods, spheres and spirals. Also,
bacteria come in many different sizes. The largest known bacteria is about the size of the period
at the end of this sentence. Most bacteria are much smaller, about one millionth of one meter.
Bacteria do not get their food the same way. Some bacteria are autotrophs that use sunlight to
make their own food. Others, like humans, are heterotrophs that have to eat in order to survive.
No matter how they get their food, bacteria need food so they can make energy to survive. Even
though they’re much simpler than we are, this is one way bacteria and humans are alike!
One common example of bacteria is E. Coli; you can see a picture of it below. E. Coli is rodshaped – one of the three main shapes of bacteria. E. Coli lives in the intestines of humans and
actually helps us digest food. However, if you eat E. Coli, which can happen if you eat
undercooked food, you can get serious food poisoning.
When you hear the word “bacteria,” you may think about
getting sick. That’s understandable; strep throat, ear
infections and other diseases are caused by bacteria.
However, not all bacteria are pathogens, and many are helpful!
Bacteria help produce such foods as cheese and soy sauce.
Some bacteria help clean the environment by breaking down
oil spills. Others live in your body, where they help you
digest food and make vitamins.
E. Coli
Kingdoms Graphic Organizer
REMEMBER: Be clear about whether the information in each box is true of all, most or some of the
organisms within each kingdom. Write full sentences that make clear what the words mean.
Is this kingdom made of prokaryotes or
eukaryotes?
Are this kingdom’s organisms unicellular or
multicellular?
Kingdom Name:
Is this kingdom made of
autotrophs or heterotrophs?
What is a key fact everyone
should know about this kingdom?
Done? Great! Turn to the back of this page to continue.
Work Hard. Get Smart.
1. Time to make a poster!
You will need poster paper and markers or crayons.
2. There are three more elements your poster needs:
1) a drawing of an example organism, labeled with its name and a caption,
2) a title, and 3) the names and section (ex: 8C) of the team members.
3. Check that your poster has all of these things needed for full credit:
1. Whether your kingdom is made of prokaryotes or eukaryotes.
2. Whether your kingdom is made of unicellular or multicellular organisms.
3. Whether your kingdom is made of autotrophs or heterotrophs.
4. At least one key fact someone should know about your kingdom.
•
Numbers 1-4 must be in complete sentences,
and be clear about all, most or some.
5. A drawing of a sample organism, labeled with its name.
6. A title.
7. Your name and section (ex: 8C).
Woo-hoo! You’re done with your kingdom poster! If this
was your first one, then move on to the second.