No one is sure how many kinds of organisms exist in the world. Scientists have identified a million animal species and 250,000 plant species. Since many of these become extinct each year, scientists hope to keep samples of each of them so that they will never completely disappear.
Write a summary explaining how scientists preserve organisms. You can use the article on pages 44–45 of your textbook. You also will go online to research how scientists collect and classify things. Here are some questions to guide your research:
How does classifying help scientists find information?
What system do scientists use to classify organisms?
Why do scientists study extinct animals?
What steps do scientists follow to collect, classify, and store samples?
Are you ready? Begin by visiting the Web sites listed in Step 2. Look for answers to the questions above, and write down what you learn in the note-taking boxes.
With teacher supervision, you may use search engines to research other Web sites. You also can research the variety of organisms at the library. When you have finished, follow Steps 3 and 4 to write your summary.
Step 2. Research
Research answers to the questions you were asked in Step 1. Visit these Web sites. Take notes about them on this page, too!
Toolbox Tip: Click here to learn how to use search engines.
