Animal Classification Scavenger Hunt
Ø Five groups of life forms live on our planet, divided into what scientists call "kingdoms." They are: protists, bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals.
Ø According to scientists, up to 99% of all animal species are Invertebrates, which means they lack a backbone. These include worms, jellies, anemones, snails, crabs, insects, and spiders.
Ø Animals are the most abundant living things on Earth. Scientists estimate there are about 9 or 10 million species.
Look for examples of the following five animal groups as you tour the museum. Write any observations you have in the box below each group.
MAMMALS / BIRDS / REPTILES / AMPHIBIANS / FISH· have fur or hair
· feed their young milk
· are warm-blooded
· usually give birth to live young / · have feathers
· lay eggs
· *have wings and most can fly
· have beaks. / · have dry, scaly skin
· are cold-blooded
· usually lay eggs, but some bear live young
· have claws or nails–if they have legs / · have moist or slimy skin
· are cold-blooded
· lay their eggs in water
· Babies do not look like adults / · aquatic
· typically ectothermic
· covered with scales
· equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins
Things you might want to think about while looking at animal characteristics:
What are their body coverings?
How or what do they eat?
How do they move: run, fly, swim, or jump?
How do they grow?
Do they hatch from an egg?
How many legs do they have?