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Animal Classification A Writing Across Curriculum Activity. Grade 4. The learner will be able to classify animals by type according to their characteristics. Students will categorize the 5 groups of animals. (Mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, & amphibians). At the end of this activity you will:.
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Grade 4 • The learner will be able to classify animals by type according to their characteristics. • Students will categorize the 5 groups of animals. (Mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, & amphibians).
At the end of this activity you will: • Write a report on one classification of animal and include facts from this presentation.
What is an animal? • Animals are living organisms. This means they breathe, they eat, they grow and they reproduce (make more like themselves). Plants are living organisms, too. • So, what is the difference between a plant and an animal? • Plants do not move, whereas most animals do. • The true difference, though, is that plants produce their own food, whereas animals feed off other things.
Classification? • Animals are separated into groups or categories so that they are more easily studied and discussed by scientists and others.
Animal Classification Did you group the animals based on • Color • Size • Shape • Eating habits • Living habits
We are going to learn how animals are grouped or classified by learning about these groups: • Mammals • Fish • Birds • Reptiles • Amphibians
Mammals Characteristics: • Have teeth • Have hair • Are warm blooded • Have a single jaw bone • Have inner ear bones • Produce milk for their young
Mammals • Mammals have larger brains and seem to be the most capable learners. • All mammalian mothers nourish their babies with milk.
Fish Characteristics: • Are cold-blooded vertebrate (backbone) • Live in water • Usually have paired fins, gills, and scales
Fish • Most fish lay large numbers of eggs, but some have live birth. • Most fish breathe by drawing water over four or five pairs of gills.
Amphibians Characteristics: • Are cold-blooded vertebrate (backbone) • Lay their eggs in water • Lack any skin coverings such as fur, scales or feathers
Amphibians • Young amphibians tend to resemble small fish. • Amphibian means "two lives," a reference to the change that frogs go through as they move from egg to tadpole to frog. • Even as adults, most frogs and other amphibians must stay close to water.
Birds Characteristics: • Have feathers • Lay eggs • Have bodies specially adapted for flight • Have a beak rather than teeth
Birds • Their nearly hollow bones provide lightweight strength. • Birds now live almost everywhere on Earth.
Reptiles Characteristics: • Have scales • Lay leathery eggs on land • Are often called cold-blooded because they can't regulate their own body temperature
Reptiles • Reptiles do not use energy to fuel internal "furnaces" • Although reptiles breathe through lungs, some reptiles can also absorb oxygen in water through their mouth.
Writing Activity • Write a report on one animal classification (mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles) and include 4 facts from this presentation.
Resources • Quia Classification Quiz • Charts: Animal classification, Fish, Bird, Amphibian, Animals, • The Animal Kingdom