Learning about classification and how living things are grouped is a fundamental part of science for young learners. It helps them make sense of the natural world around them and develops observation and critical thinking skills. For example, by knowing the features of an animal group, they could look at an unfamiliar creature and make assumptions about it based on what they can see.
In this post, we are going to look particularly at the 5 vertebrate (animals with a backbone) groups – mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. For each, there is a list of basic features, many of which children can observe either by looking at pictures/photos, or by with real animals.
What are the features of each vertebrate group?
Let’s look at the features of each vertebrate group (mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians) that you might want to explore with children. There is also a list of some examples for each group.
Mammals
• Body covered in fur or hair
• 4 limbs
• A tail
• Give birth to live young
• Feed young with milk
• Warm-blooded
• Generally have external parts to their ears
• Use lungs to breathe
Examples: dog, cat, rabbit, mouse, lion, horse, cow
Birds
• A beak
• Two legs
• Body covered with feathers
• Warm-blooded
• Lay eggs with a hard shell
• Use lungs to breathe
Examples: parrot, pigeon, duck, chicken, flamingo, robin
Fish
• Live in water and use fins and a tail to swim
• Body covered in scales
• Breathe using gills
• Lay soft eggs
• Cold-blooded
Examples: Goldfish, clownfish, salmon, shark
Reptiles
• Body covered in scales
• Can have 4 limbs or none
• Lay eggs on land that have a soft, leathery shell
• Cold-blooded
• Breathe using lungs
Examples: Turtle, snake, lizard, tortoise
Amphibians
• Soft, wet skin (no scales)
• Lay eggs in water
• Life cycle starts in water but they undergo metamorphosis which enables them to go on land
• 4 limbs (in adult form)
• Cold-blooded
Examples: Frog, toad, newt, salamander
Tricky animals
Some animals might require some extra discussion to classify them. For example, seahorses have a body shape that looks different from most other fish, and having ‘horse’ in their name might confuse children. Dolphins might also puzzle children as they live in water and look a lot like fish! However, dolphins don’t have scales (they are born with hairs which they lose soon after birth). They also give birth to live young and are warm-blooded so are classified as mammals.
Exceptions to the rules
Depending on your location, and the animals children are familiar with, you might come across some exceptions to the rules. Australian mammals have some different ways of reproducing. For example, the platypus is a mammal that has a beak and lays eggs! Echidnas are another egg-laying mammal. Both platypuses and echidnas are classified as monotremes – mammals that reproduce by laying eggs. Australia is also home to a large group of mammals called marsupials. This group includes kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, and wombats. Marsupials give birth to an underdeveloped baby that they care for in a pouch on their body.
Tips for teaching classification
Being a natural history educator in museums and wildlife settings means I have taught the basics of animal classification to a lot of kids. Here are some tips based on my experience:
- Before teaching animal classification, get children to practice grouping things based on appearance. This could include toys, blocks, art supplies, or other familiar objects.
- When you move onto scientific classification, start with familiar animals that children will recognize either from real life or from books. Farm animals, pets, and local wildlife or zoo animals work well.
- Get children to classify themselves! It’s always fun to get children to think about which group we as humans belong to and why. They might not have yet made the connection that humans are even animals so looking at our features and realizing we are mammals can help them see that we are part of the Animal Kingdom.
- Encourage curiosity! Children may have questions about other animal groups that you’ve not planned to cover in your lesson. Encourage them to conduct their own research and report back to you.
0 comments