Virus classification

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/virus-classification

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the ICTV hierarchical ranks?Realm, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
2. What is the baltimore classification basis?Mode of messenger RNA (mRNA) synthesis, resulting in seven groups
3. What is virus classification and why do scientists need it?Scientists group viruses like sorting toys by color and size. This helps them talk about viruses clearly and find ways to stop them from making people sick.
4. How does the ICTV classify viruses?The ICTV uses a step‑by‑step system from realm to species, just like for animals and plants. It looks at a virus’s shape, its DNA or RNA, how it copies itself, and which animals or plants it infects.

Phenotypic Characteristics: Observable traits of a virus, such as its shape and genetic material.
Messenger RNA (mRNA): A molecule that carries genetic instructions from DNA to ribosomes for protein synthesis.
Binomial Nomenclature: A formal system of naming species with two parts: the genus and the species name.