Unit 1.4 - Different Skeletons - Grade 4 - Week 6

Unit 1.4 - Different kinds of skeletons

Pages 15 - 21

​Exoskeleton: A hard covering on the outside of the body

Identification key: A tool used to identify an unknown object

Invertebrate: An animal without a backbone

Vertebrate: An animal with a backbone

Science Vocabulary

The animals in the pictures all have bones. They have a skeleton with a backbone inside of their bodies. Animals with a backbone are called vertebrates.

We can sort vertebrates into five groups. These groups are mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Can you name an animal that is classified as a vertebrate and explain why?

Animal with bones

​They are vertebrates that live in water. Their bodies are covered in scales.

Fish

They are vertebrates that live in water and on land. Their bodies are smooth, wet skin. An example is a frog.

​​Amphibians

​They are vertebrates that live mostly on land. Their body is covered in dry scales. Examples include snakes, lizards and crocodiles.

Reptiles

They are vertebrates that are covered with feathers. Birds have wings. Most birds can fly. Some birds, like an ostrich, cannot fly.

Birds

​They are vertebrates that are covered in hair or fur. Most mammals live on land. Some animals live in the sea, for example whales and dolphins. People are mammals.

Mammals

Multiple Choice

Which bone does an animal need to have to be called a vertebrate?

• Backbone

• Skull

• Hip

• Leg

Multiple Choice

An animal with a backbone is called a?

• Vertebrate

• Invertebrate

• Mammal

• Insect

Drag and Drop

A) ​

Placeholder

are vertebrates that live in water and are covered in scales and lay eggs.

B) ​

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are vertebrates that are covered in hair or fur. Most mammals live on land.

C) ​ ​

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are vertebrates that are covered in feathers. Most can fly and they lay eggs.

D) ​

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are vertebrates that live in water and on land. Frog is an example.

E) ​

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are vertebrates that live mostly on land and are covered with dry scales.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

invertebrates

Fish

Mammals

Birds

Amphibians

Reptiles

Match

Match the following vertebrate to its description.

• Fish

• Mammal

• Amphibian

• Reptile

• Bird

Lives in water and covered in scales.

Covered with hair or fur.

Live on land and in water.

Covered in dry scales.

Covered in feathers and can mostly fly.

• Lives in water and covered in scales.

• Covered with hair or fur.

• Live on land and in water.

• Covered in dry scales.

• Covered in feathers and can mostly fly.

Some animals have no bones. These animals are called invertebrates. Invertebrate means 'without backbone'

​

​Animals without bones

Some invertebrates have a hard covering on the outside of their bodies. This layer is called an exoskeleton. The exoskeleton protects the animal's body. Insects, such as locusts and beetles have an exoskeleton.

Exoskeleton

Some invertebrates do not have an exoskeleton. Worms and jellyfish have soft bodies. These animals do not have an exoskeleton.

​

No exoskeleton...

Open Ended

What is the difference between a vertebrates and an invertebrates?

Multiple Select

Which of the following animals are vertebrates?

• Tiger

• Shark

• Worm

Multiple Select

Which of the following animals are invertebrates?

• Tiger

• Beetle

• Worm

Multiple Select

Which of the following animals are invertebrates have an exoskeleton?

• Grasshopper

• Beetle

• Worm

​Some scientists use identification keys to help them sort and identify living things. They are based on questions that can be answered 'yes' or 'no'. By answering the questions we can identify and name animals.

​Identification keys

Key concept games

Click on the links to play additional games.

https://www.ecosystemforkids.com/games/2nd-grade/vertebrates-and-invertebrates/activity.html

https://wordwall.net/resource/60411818/vertebrate-or-invertebrate

https://wordwall.net/create/editcontent?guid=9aa86109e5b645908934b90716a7a182