Vertebrates
HAVE BACKBONES AND
SKULL BONES
B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
 Animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and
mammals have backbones
B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
Scientist
classify
vertebrates
into several
main
groups:
Fish:
• Jawless Fish
• Cartilage Fish
• Bony Fish
B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
Amphibians
Reptiles
Birds
Mammals
Fish
 Three groups:
1. jawless fish
2. cartilage fish
3. bony fish
 A fish has:
scaly skin, gills, heart with two chambers
 Most fish have fins.
 All fish live in water and are cold-blooded animals.
cold-blooded: changes with the temperature of its environment
scales: thin, overlapping pieces of bonelike material that covers the bodies
of most fish. Forms a protective covering.
B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
Amphibians
 Cold-blooded vertebrates
 Have a heart with three chambers
 Live part of their lives in water and part on land
 Lay eggs in water or in moist places
 Examples: Frogs, toads, newts and salamanders
Young frogs are called tadpoles
 The change into adult frogs through different stages is
metamorphosis.
 They eat large quantities of flies, mosquitoes and other insects

B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
Reptiles
 Group of vertebrates that are more






complex than amphibians
Cold-blooded vertebrate
Has dry, scaly skin
Most have two pairs of legs with five toes on each leg
Can run, crawl, climb, or paddle
Breath with well developed lungs
Most reproduce by laying eggs on land
B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
Reptiles continued…
 4 Main groups:
 Turtles
Special shell covering for protection and movement
 Live on land, fresh water, ocean


Lizards
Live in many places
 cold regions, rainy regions, dry deserts
 The skin color of many lizards changes with surrounding
conditions – camouflage

B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
Reptiles continued…

Alligators and Crocodiles:
largest kind of reptile
 Strong jaws and sharp teeth
 Live in warm, swampy areas along streams, rivers, or lakes


Snakes
Some live on land, some in water
 No legs
 Body covered with dry scales
 Move by catching their scales on the ground
and pushing forward with their muscles
 Do not tear or chew food, but swallow it whole

B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
Birds
 Warm-blooded animal
 Have hearts with 4 chambers
 Have wings, which are used for flying
 Feathers are an important body covering
 Protects body of the bird
 Aids in balancing and flying
 Also helps to control a bird’s body temperature
 Many birds build nests in which they lay their hard-
shelled eggs

After the eggs hatch, the adult birds feed and protect the young
B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
Birds continued…
 Birds live in different environments
 Penguins: cold, snowy areas
 Parrots: warm areas with much rain
 Ducks, geese, robins: change with season,
when the weather turns cold and snowy, many migrate to
warmer areas.
 Birds are an important food source for people
B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
Mammals
 Most complex group of animals
 Examples: bats, moles, bears,
horses, rats, cows, monkeys, kangaroos, rabbits,
seals whales and humans
 A mammal is a vertebrate with a body covering of fur
or hair, and special female organs that produce milk
to feed its young.
 They care fore their young until they are able to care
for themselves
 Live in nearly all kinds of habitats
B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
Mammals continued…
 Mammals have more complex
brains than other animals
 Humans are able to become skilled in the use of tools
 Other mammals produce eggs that develop in
different ways
 A marsupial is a mammal that has a special pouch
for carrying the undeveloped young
B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan
Comparison Chart
Mammals
Fish
Constant
warm body
temperature
Coverings of
hair
Cold body
temperatures
Coverings of
scales
Breath
through
lungs
Carry their
unborn
young in
their bodies
Breath
through gills
Lay eggs
B. Cole EDUC 730: Lesson Plan