The Animal Kingdom: Invertebrate-Vertebrate

Age
6-9.

Materials

 * 10 pictures of invertebrate animals
 * 10 pictures of vertebrate animals
 * Labels: Vertebrate Invertebrate

Presentation

 * 1) Imagine how you would look if you didn't have a backbone.
 * 2) We are all sitting here because of a support system in our bodies called a skeletal system.
 * 3) Put your fingers on the back of your head and run your fingers down the back of your neck and as far as you can.
 * 4) Continue on down to the bottom of your back.
 * 5) That is your backbone!
 * 6) Your backbone is one of the most important parts of your body. It is bone that is covering your central nervous system.This is a network that sends signals from your brain to every part of your body.
 * 7) Most animals have a central nervous system, but not all of them have a backbone.
 * 8) If animals have backbones, they are called a Vertebrate.
 * 9) If they do not have a backbone, they are called an Invertebrate.
 * 10) We are going to learn to look at an animal and tell if they are a vertebrate or an invertebrate.
 * 11) To make things very simple, these animals are always invertebrates:

Sponges

Jellyfish, corals and their relatives.

Worms

Snails, slugs, animals with inner or outer shells.

Animals with jointed feet.; insects, lobsters, spiders, etc.,

Spiny skinned animals like starfish and sea urchins.

12.  Animals with a backbone are the Fishes, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals.

13.  Lay out the labels: Invertebrate and Vertebrate.

14.  Ask children to place the pictures under the label and check each other's work. As many pictures can be added as they want to do.