One way of grouping animals is to classify them as vertebrates or invertebrates, A vertebrate is an animal which has a vertebral column or spine. The spine, or backbone, is not one bone - it is made up of several smaller bones called vertebrae, separated by flexible material. This allows the spine to bend, which it could not do if it were made up of one bone. Vertebrates have a nervous system built around the vertebral column, with a brain concentrated in the head. Vertebrates include fish and the tetrapods (animals with a four-limbed body plan) - birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. All vertebrates share similar features because they evolved from a common ancestor about half a billion years ago.
Animals which are not vertebrates can be classified as invertebrates. Because invertebrates are classified by what they are not, rather than by what they are, it contains many different types of animal which are not closely related to each other. Insects, arachnids, molluscs and worms can be classified as invertebrates. It has been estimated that invertebrates make up 97% of all animal species. Activity Cut out the pictures below and place them into two groups - vertebrates and invertebrates. Sort the vertebrates into fish, bird, mammal, amphibian and reptile groups. Sort the invertebrates into insect, spider, snail and worm groups. Use the table below to help you.
Vertebrates
Fish Gills, lay eggs, wet
scales Insects 6 legs, 3-part body
Birds Feathers, beaks, lay
eggs Arachnids 8 legs, 2-part body
Mammals Give birth to live young, fur, milk
Molluscs Soft body,
hydroskeleton, shell
Amphibians Moist skin, lay eggs Worms Soft, segmented
body, hydroskeleton
Reptiles Dry scaly skin, lay
eggs
Invertebrates
The penguin, like all birds, is a vertebrate because it has a backbone.
Learning Objective I can classify animals as vertebrates and invertebrates.
National Curriculum Statutory Requirements
6A1 - describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to common observable characteristics and
based on similarities and differences, including micro-organisms, plants and animals; 6A2 - give reasons for classifying
plants and animals based on specific characteristics
Vertebrates and invertebrates
Teacher: Me:
Outstanding Science Year 6 - Living things and their habitats - OS6A004
© Minerva Education 2016 | OS6A004 - Vertebrates and invertebrates p1 | www.outstandingscience.co.uk
Bee Cichlid Fish
Earthworm
Toad Pigeon
Slug
Pig Tortoise Snail Scorpion
Frog Spider
Lionfish
Red Wiggler
Fox
Snake Chicken
Ant
© Minerva Education 2016 | OS6A004 - Vertebrates and invertebrates p2 | www.outstandingscience.co.uk
Fish Birds Mammals Amphibians Reptiles
Insects Arachnids Molluscs Worms
Vertebrates (animals with a spine)
Invertebrates (animals without a spine)
© Minerva Education 2016 | OS6A004 - Vertebrates and invertebrates p3 | www.outstandingscience.co.uk