Name: ___________________

Date: ____________________

Day One: Organizing Animal Safari

Today you will be organizing animals, also known as organisms, in groups. In part A. we will
organize them into vertebrates and invertebrates. Afterwards, in part B, you will organize the vertebrates
and invertebrates into what type of animals they are.
Below there will be charts for you to fill out along with notes you can read about these animals.
There will also be online resources listed for you to explore! Have fun and start grouping!

List of organisms:

Organisms Characteristics

Encrusting Sponge Have no backbone

GROUP: SPONGES Live in the sea
No head, eyes, tails, or mouths
Live most of their lives in one spot
Pump water through pores
Filter out food particles

Tiger Has a backbone

GROUP: MAMMAL Has fur or hair
Warm-Blooded
Produce milk
Live births
Has lungs

Parrot Has a backbone

GROUP: BIRD Has feathers
Has wings and two legs
Warm-blooded
Lays eggs
Has lungs
 Jellyfish Have no backbone
GROUP: JELLIES Have soft, hollow bodies called umbrellas
Live in water
Stinging cell

Python Has a backbone

GROUP: REPTILES Has scales, tough skin
Lays eggs
Cold-blooded
Has lungs
Live in multiple environments

Tapeworm Has no backbone

GROUP: WORMS No legs - has flat, round body
Live in water, wet soil, or inside other organisms
Skinniest animal

Stag Beetle Has no backbone

GROUP: INSECTS Hard shell to protect them
Have four legs per body segment
Have antennae to sense surroundings

Seabass Has a backbone

GROUP: FISH Most have scales
Lives in water
Cold-blooded
Lays eggs
Breathe through gills

Salamander Has a backbone

GROUP: AMPHIBIAN Has smooth skin
Lives in water and land
Cold-blooded
Gills to lungs
Tails to legs

SeaStar Have no backbone

GROUP: URCHINS Live in the sea
Have hard skin
Have spikes on their body
Internal skeleton

Slug Have no backbones

GROUP: MOLLUSKS Have soft muscular body
Have shell
Able to breathe and excrete

Further information can be found in NatGeo Kids and DK Find Out!

Now, let us group these organisms into vertebrates and invertebrates.
1. First, look at all the organisms on the chart and their characteristics. Write them in the
appropriate sections down below.. Remember, vertebrates have a backbone while
invertebrates do not!

Vertebrates Invertebrates

1. _______________________ 1. _______________________

2. _______________________ 2. _______________________

3. _______________________ 3. _______________________

4. _______________________ 4. _______________________

5. _______________________ 5. _______________________

6. _______________________

2. Next we’re going to do a matching game. You are first going to

match the vertebrates to their appropriate classifications. Each of
the words will be matched to one classification group.

TIGER REPTILE

PYTHON BIRD

SEABASS AMPHIBIAN

PARROT FISH

SALAMANDER MAMMAL

3. Now, we are going to do the same activity and match the

invertebrates with their classification group. Once again, the
words will only be matched once.

ENCRUSTING SPONGE URCHIN

JELLYFISH ARTHROPOD

TAPEWORM JELLY

STAG BEETLE SPONGE

SEA STAR MOLLUSK

SLUG WORM
Name: ___________________
Date: ____________________

Day Two: Planting the Garden

Alrighty kiddos! We have already mastered organizing and grouping organisms into
vertebrates and invertebrates, and then furthered that organization into categories of mammals,
fish, and so on. Now, we will work on plants! There are two categories of plants: those that make
seeds and those who do not.

(National Science Teachers Association, 2023).

Answer the following true or false questions by circling T for true or F for false. You may use
the chart to help you!

1. T or F A flowering plant can produce seeds.

2. T or F If a plant has no roots and no stems, it can make seeds.
3. T or F A fern can produce seeds.
4. T or F A conifer tree creates seeds BUT no flowers.
5. T or F Moss do not make seeds AND do not make flowers.
 Next we are going to label our own parts of the plant! Fill out this chart and label all the
parts of the plant. Afterwards, CIRCLE whether you think it is a plant that makes seeds or one
that does not AND EXPLAIN why you think so.

Word Bank
Roots Stem Leaves Flower Seeds

I think this plant is a that makes seeds/does not make seeds because
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________ .
Name: _______________________
Date: ________________________

Day Three: Ecologist Project

An ecologist is someone who studies and teaches about plants and animals in our
ecosystem. After our day researching animals and plants, it is time to take on your role as
an ecologist! You will create a poster of an animal or plant of your choice. You can
choose to make a poster about an invertebrate mollusk or a vertebrate tiger or you can
focus on plants and make a poster about how flowers make seeds or you can make a
poster about how moss does not make seeds.
You may work with a partner if you wish, but please let Ms.
Teachworth know as well as what your poster will be about. Ms.
Teachworth is a resource just as your notes and other worksheets
are. Please use your Chromebooks as well to find information on
your organism.

The choice is yours! Attached is an example of what your poster will

look like. I enjoy seeing your creations!

The Polar Bear

By Ms. Teachworth
A Polar Bear is one of the biggest predators on the planet. They live
primarily in cold environments like Antarctica. They are vertebrates
because they have backbones

Polar Bears are vertebrates which means they have backbones. But
they are NOT LIKE ALL vertebrates. They are mammal vertebrates
which have fur and are warm blooded. They have lungs and breathe
air despite the fact they swim in the cold water a lot..

They live young when they have babies and produce milk for the
babies to have as they grow.

Conifer Trees
By Ms. Teachworth
 Conifer trees are found in mountain ranges and in forests all
around the world and serve as a home for different organisms.

Conifer trees are plants that do produce seeds. The seeds

they make are normally pine cones. Pine cones fall from the
trees and will eventually take root to the soil and become a
new tree.

Even though these trees have seeds, there are no

flowers that bloom from them! The only thing they
create are their leaves and their seeds.