Classifying Animals
Objective: SWBAT: Classify animals into major groups
vertebrates or invertebrates and their subgroups according to
their physical characteristics.
Big Idea:
Animals are classified into two major groups
vertebrate and invertebrate and then further
sorted into subgroups based on physical
characteristics
Essential Question:
How are animals
classified?
Content Based Vocabulary Words
organism living things / plants or animals
animals organisms that can be made of many
parts and cannot make their own food
vertebrates animals with backbones
invertebrates animals without backbones
Notes From The Lesson
Lesson Focus:
Classifying Animals
Essential Question:
How are animals classified?
Animals
Animals are
classified into two
major groups
vertebrate and
invertebrate based
on their physical
characteristics
Vertebrates
Animals with
backbones
Invertebrates
Animals
without
backbones
Vertebrate Animals
• Animals with backbones.
• Other physical characteristics
– a protective skin covering
– an inside skeleton
– blood that circulates through blood vessels
– lungs or gills for breathing.
Vertebrates are divided into five groups
based on physical characteristics.
Vertebrates
Fish
Amphibians
Reptiles
Birds
Mammals
FISH
* body temperature changes with its environment
* breathes with gills
* (most) have scales
and fins
* most lay eggs
AMPHIBIANS
– young lives in water and breathes with gills
– adults breath with lungs on land
– have smooth, moist skin
– most lay eggs
– body temperature changes with its environment
REPTILES
* breath with lungs
* have scales or plates
* most lay eggs
* its body temperature
changes with its environment
BIRDS
* breathes with lungs
* have feathers, a beak,
two wings, and two feet
* lay eggs
* constant body temperature
MAMMALS
* nurse their young with milk
* give birth to live offspring
* constant body temperature
* breathes with lungs
* have fur or hair
Invertebrate Animals
• Animals without backbones.
• Some have outer covering or shell (insects, crabs, or
clams)
• Others don’t have a hard covering or shell (jellyfish
or worms)
• Examples of invertebrates: spiders, shrimp, crayfish,
sponges, sea stars, or snails.
worms
crabs
insects
spiders
crayfish
jellyfish
shrimp
sponges
clams
sea stars
snails
Turn and Talk
• Turn and Talk to a buddy to discuss what
you learned about classifying animals
Guided Practice
Classifying Animals Interactive Game
Vertebrate or Invertebrate
Group Work
• This is a silent thinking game
• Choose a card and hold it up in front of you
• Find a classmate that holds a animal card that is in the
same classification group and subgroup as your animal
• Think about what characteristics your animal has that
makes it a fit in your group
• Turn and Talk with your group to discuss your reasoning
as to why the animals they are grouped together. A
team representatives will share their group conclusions
with the class.
Independent Practice
• Cut animal cards and order them according the
clues given by the teacher guide sheet.
Content Writing From Lesson
Pretend you are a vertebrate animal.
• What animal would you be? Why?
• How are you different than an invertebrate animal?
• Describe your physical characteristics.
• What other category (fish, amphibian, reptile, bird, or
mammal) would you be classified as?
Quick Assessment Guide
Classifying Animals Quiz
Choose and complete any 2 activities below.
•
What is an animal? Write an explanation and draw an
example.
•
Use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast vertebrate and
invertebrate animals.
•
Create a chart showing the physical characteristics for each
classification of animals (vertebrate & invertebrate).
•
Give examples of some invertebrate animals. Draw one and
label its physical features. Explain why it is an invertebrate.