Classifying Animals into Major Groups

Introduction

The Animal Kingdom is seperated into two main groups. Vertebrates, animals with a backbone and invertebrates animals without a backbone.

Animals with backbones are divided into five more groups: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.

Task

SC.3.L.15.1 Classify animals into major groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, arthropods, vertebrates, and invertebrates, those having live births and those which lay eggs) according to their physical characteristics and behaviors.

Students will be able to classify different animals.

Students will understand what animals are considered vertrebrates.

Process

Mammals - give birth to live young, feed their babies their own milk, have fur or hair, and are warm - blooded. A cow is an example of a mammal.

Birds - have feathers, lay eggs, and are warm - blooded.

Reptiles - have dry skin with scales, lay eggs, and are cold - blooded.

Amphibians - able to live on land as well as water, have smooth moist skin, lay eggs, and are cold-blooded.

Fish - have moist skin with scales, breather through gills, lay eggs (some give birth to live young) and are cold-blooded.

Lets practice: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/animal…

Evaluation

Lets review; Click the link below for an interactive page: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/classificati…

Now, classify the following animals; bat, elephant, duck, squrriel, lion, frog, snake, deer, dolphin, clown-fish, owl, andturtle.

What type of vertebrate is your animal?

Which of the following does the Animal have? fur, hair, scales, dry skin, moist skin, deathers, wings, beak, lays eggs, live birth, makes milk, gills, lungs, land animal, marine animal, warm blooded, cold blooded, exoskeleton.

Does this animal have any kind of body coverings?

How many legs does this animal have?

Does this animal have segmented body?

Is this animal nocturnal?

Name this animal?

Conclusion

Fish are aquatic animals that have gills, fins, and scales.

Mammals are either aquatic or land animals that have hair or fur, lungs, and produce milk.

Reptiles are animals that have dry skin, scales, and lay eggs.

Birds have a beak, wings, and feathers.

Amphibians are animals that have moist skin, gills when it is young and then develops lungs when it gets older and these animals are cold-blooded.

Credits