Notes: Scientific Names
Copy these notes for EQ’s 1, 2, and 3 onto page 40 of your notebook
Georgia Performance Standard
 S7L1
o Students will investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared scientifically
 S7L1a
o Demonstrate the process for development of a dichotomous key.
Essential Questions
1. What is binomial nomenclature?
2. How are scientific names written?
3. Why do scientists use scientific names?
4. What is a field guide?
5. What is a dichotomous key?
6. How do scientists use dichotomous keys to identify organisms?
Classification Chart
EQ#1 - What is binomial nomenclature?
(Textbook reference page 24)
1. Binomial nomenclature is the two-word naming system used by scientists around the world to name various
species of organisms.
2. The first word of the two-word name identifies the genus of an organism.
a. A genus is a group of similar species.
3. The second word of the two-word name is the species.
a. The species name gives you specific information about the organisms – what it looks like, where it is
found, and who discovered it.
EQ#2 - How are scientific names written?
(Textbook reference page 24)
1. The genus name is written first and it always begins with a Capital letter.
2. The species name is written second and it always begins with a lowercase letter.
3. Both names are written in italics.
4. For example…
a. The scientific two-word name for a red maple tree is Acer rubrum.
b. The genus name for a maple tree is Acer.
c. The leaves of the red maple are red. The Latin word for red is rubrum. As a result, the species name for
the red maple tree is rubrum.
EQ#3 - Why do scientists use scientific names?
(Textbook reference page 25)
There are four reasons why scientific two-word names are used. Scientific names are used to…
1. Help avoid mistakes.
2. Allow organisms with similar evolutionary history to be classified together.
3. Give descriptive information about the species.
4. Allow information about the organisms to be organized easily and efficiently.
Homework
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On your flip chart under How are scientific names written:
Choose a genus or organisms.
Choose three species from that genus.
Write the tow-word scientific name for the three species you chose from that genus.
Sketch a picture of each organism.