Protista Kingdom

     Protista Kingdom

Description: Protista is the third kingdom in the classification of living things. Organisms that belong in this taxonomic kingdom are called Protists. Protists are primarily, unicellular, (Eukaryote) microorganisms. Astoundingly, not all Protists are microscopical. Some Protists can range from two millimeters to 60.  In order to be in the Protista classification,all organisms need some kind of water-based environment. Most Protists transport themselves by using cilia, flagella or pseudopodia. Whether they swim, whip or pull themselves along, Protists are very good at moving. Symmetry wise, Protists are most commonly radial. nutrition include photosynthesis, absorption, and ingestion. Some species exhibit both autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition.
The level of structural organization that Protists use is cells. Protists may have animal-like cell membranes and plant-like cell walls. Cell division in Protists is asexual binary fission. Meaning, the body of a single Protist is split into two parts, replacing the "Parental" body with a pair of daughter nuclei.
 The ecological importance of Protists is that as well as being food for small creatures, Protists consume bacteria and break down dead plants and animals to restore nutrients back to the environment.
           Organisms

1. Amoeba (Proteus Animalcule): An amoeba is a single-celled, eating organism. This microorganism is found in anything that has water, (oceans, ponds, lakes,animals and people). Amoebas move themselves by forming pseudopods (temporary foot-like structures). Here is a video of what a Amoeba looks like when it is moving-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pR7TNzJ_pA. 
There are many different types of amoebas, but there is one that is very harmful to humans. Naegleria fowleri is a amoeba that eats brains. This amoeba is a warm, fresh-water dweller. You can inhabit this amoeba by getting water in the nose by that pond or lake.
Here is a video on this dangerous amoeba- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEPAS7pB7Y8. 

2. Euglena (Euglena Gracilis): An euglena is an organism that can make their own food and eat other organisms. This organism is bright green because it eats algae, it moves using their flagellum. Euglena effects humans by keeping the ponds and other bodies of water clean by consuming the bacteria. The health of humans is unharmed. Here is a video showing euglena-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHZZKwrYm4g and a website that has lots of info on euglena- http://euglenaprotist.wordpress.com/tag/euglena/ 

3. Giardia (Giardia lamblia): Giardia is a common parasite that infects the digestive tract of humans and animals worldwide. Is is caused by consuming or having contact with feces. The condition caused by giardia infection is called giardiasis and includes such symptoms as nausea, vomiting and bloating. Here is a web site and a video that explain how you get Giardiasis and what it is-

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/giardia/gen_info/faqs.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGMor71WkFc

4. Paramecium ( paramecium pentaurelia): Paramecium is single celled organism that can move, digest food and reproduce. This organism is not harmful to humans in any way, it just eats bacteria. Paramecium moves by using the cilia on the wall of the cell. This organism is fed on by other protists and animals.
Video of a paramecium moving-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9pCcfGiaB0
Video of a paramecium close-up-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApjDSGZWHsw

5. Spirogyra (no scientific name): Spirogyra is a genus of green algae, found only in fresh water. The cell wall of this organism is straight and parallel-sided. It has unbranched filaments and with chloroplasts forming a spiral ribbon just under the cell surface. Spirogyra is harmful because it can spread disease. 
Game involving different protists-http://www.windows2universe.org/games/games.html
Presentation on spirogyra-http://prezi.com/rx_vxqjvvn49/diatoms-spirogyra-and-volvox/