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