5th Grade Science: Classifying Animals

Vertebrate or Invertebrate?

100

If an animal has a backbone, is it a vertebrate or invertebrate?

Vertebrate

 

200

Animals like worms and insects belong to this group because they do not have a backbone.

Invertebrates

300

This body structure helps scientists sort animals into vertebrates or invertebrates.

Backbone or spine

400

An octopus is sorted as an invertebrate because it lacks this feature.

A backbone

500

Provide 3 examples of invertebrates.

Invertebrates are animals without backbones, making up over 90% of animals, and include familiar creatures like insects (ants, butterflies), arachnids (spiders, scorpions), crustaceans (crabs, lobsters), mollusks (snails, octopuses, clams), worms (earthworms, leeches), and marine life like jellyfish, corals, sea stars, and sponges. 

Classifying Vertebrates

100

Pigeons lay hard eggs on land, are warm-blooded, and  have feathers. To which group of animals do pigeons belong?

Birds

200

What type of vertebrate lives on land but reproduces by laying jelly-like eggs in water? They use both gills and lungs and are cold-blooded. 

Amphibians

300

This vertebrate is cold-blooded, breathes through lungs, lays leathery eggs on land, and has scales. 

Reptiles

400

This vertebrate has fur or hair, is warm-blooded, and produces milk to feed their young. 

Mammals

500

This vertebrate has scales, gills for breathing, and most are cold blooded. 

Fish

Reading a Chart

100

Read the chart below and use it to answer questions in this category. What is letter "W"?

W has fins and scales, it is a fish. 

200

Read the chart below and use it to answer questions in this category. What is letter "X"?

X has legs and scales, it is a reptile. 

300

Read the chart below and use it to answer questions in this category. What is letter "Y"?

Y has legs but no hair, no fins, and no scales. Y is a bird. 

400

Read the chart below and use it to answer questions in this category. What is letter "Z"?

Z has legs and hair, Z is a mammal. 

500

What other category could be added  to this chart to help classify vertebrates?

Any category below:

Warm-blooded or cold-blooded

Gills or Lungs

Produces Milk