Animal Classification: Vertebrates and Invertebrates
Sorting animals by whether they have a backbone
Animal Classification: Vertebrates and Invertebrates
Sorting animals by whether they have a backbone
Biology - Grade 4-5
- 1
A dog has a skeleton inside its body and a backbone. Is a dog a vertebrate or an invertebrate?
Vertebrates have backbones.
A dog is a vertebrate because it has a backbone and an internal skeleton. - 2
A jellyfish has no backbone. Is it a vertebrate or an invertebrate?
A jellyfish is an invertebrate because it does not have a backbone. - 3
Write one important difference between vertebrates and invertebrates.
Think about the body structure scientists look for first.
One important difference is that vertebrates have a backbone, while invertebrates do not have a backbone. - 4
A robin is a bird. Birds have backbones. Should a robin be classified as a vertebrate or an invertebrate?
A robin should be classified as a vertebrate because birds have backbones. - 5
Classify these animals into two groups: frog, spider, fish, worm, cat, ant.
Make one group for animals with backbones and one group for animals without backbones.
The vertebrates are frog, fish, and cat because they have backbones. The invertebrates are spider, worm, and ant because they do not have backbones. - 6
A student says, "All animals with shells are vertebrates." Is this statement correct? Explain.
This statement is not correct. Some animals with shells, such as snails, are invertebrates because they do not have backbones. - 7
An octopus has soft arms and no bones in its body. Is it a vertebrate or an invertebrate?
Do not look for legs or arms. Look for a backbone.
An octopus is an invertebrate because it does not have a backbone. - 8
Name one vertebrate animal and describe one trait that helps classify it as a vertebrate.
One example is a horse. A horse is a vertebrate because it has a backbone. - 9
Name one invertebrate animal and describe one trait that helps classify it as an invertebrate.
Choose an animal without a backbone.
One example is a butterfly. A butterfly is an invertebrate because it does not have a backbone. - 10
A turtle has a shell, legs, and a backbone. Is it a vertebrate or an invertebrate? Explain.
A turtle is a vertebrate because it has a backbone, even though it also has a shell. - 11
Why do scientists sort animals into groups such as vertebrates and invertebrates?
Think about how grouping helps people study many animals.
Scientists sort animals into groups to compare their traits, study them more easily, and understand how different animals are alike and different. - 12
A crab has a hard outer covering called an exoskeleton, but it does not have a backbone. Is it a vertebrate or an invertebrate?
A crab is an invertebrate because it has no backbone, even though it has a hard outer covering.