To Educators:

This lesson is geared towards a third grade audience.

As students continue learning about the animal kingdom, they may question how we decern these animals and group them into categories. In this, we will learn to recognize the six animal classifications, vertebrate vs. invertebrate, and practice sorting these animals accordingly.

Includes: review of each category, discussion questions, interactive videos, and a homework activity.

Student Learning Objectives:

1) Students will learn the difference between vertebrate versus invertebrate

2) Students will learn the six animal classification groups: fish, bird, reptile, amphibian, mammal, and insect

3) Students will practice sorting animals based on their classifications.

Invertebrates vs. Vertebrates 

Vertebrates – Animals WITH backbones

Invertebrates – Animals WITHOUT backbones

What is a Mammal?

• warm blooded
• female mammals produce milk
• young are birthed
• hair on body

What are reptiles ?

• cold blooded
• usually lay eggs (some females produce eggs and they hatch inside producing live young
• have scales

What are birds?

• warm blooded
• 2 wings, 2 feet, and a beak
• lay eggs
• have feathers

What are fish?

• cold blooded
• live in water
• have gills, fins, and scales

What are Amphibians ?

• smooth, moist skin
• cold blooded

What are insects?

• have an exoskeleton
• 3 part bodies (head, thorax, and abdomen)
• go through a series of changes in their lives

Discussion Questions

What is the difference between a vertebrate and invertebrate? Give one example of each.

What is an example of a mammal? What makes this animal a mammal?

What is the difference between a reptile and an amphibian? How do you know?

Homework / Activities

Lets Practice!!

We need:

• 2 labels “invertebrate” and “vertebrate”
• 6 additional labels “mammals, insects, amphibians, fish, birds, and reptiles”
• Pictures of various animals
• Descriptions of each of the 6 classifications

For this we will:

• Lay out 8 labels around the room
• Hand each table a variety of animals and the 6 descriptions
• Ask the kids to walk around the room sticking the descriptions and pictures under the correct labels