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Ignition Learning — Activity Sheet

Classification of living things

Science · Year 7

Name: ______________________Date: ____________

Scientists group living things by shared characteristics to make sense of the huge variety of life on Earth. At the broadest level, living things are sorted into kingdoms — animals, plants, fungi, and others. Within the animal kingdom, a key split is vertebrates (animals with a backbone, like fish, birds, mammals) versus invertebrates (animals without one, like insects and worms).

Example

A dog is classified as: animal kingdom, vertebrate (has a backbone), mammal (has fur and feeds young milk). A garden ant is: animal kingdom, invertebrate (no backbone), insect (6 legs, 3 body parts).

Key terms

Classification:: Grouping living things by shared characteristics.
Vertebrate:: An animal with a backbone.
Invertebrate:: An animal without a backbone.

Questions

1. A dog is an example of a:
- Vertebrate
- Invertebrate
- Plant
- Fungus
2. An ant is an example of a:
- Vertebrate
- Invertebrate
- Mammal
- Fish
3. A vertebrate is an animal with a:
- Shell
- Backbone
- Wing
- Fin only
4. An invertebrate is an animal:
- With a backbone
- Without a backbone
- That can fly only
- That lives in water only
5. Which of these is a vertebrate?
- Spider
- Snail
- Bird
- Worm
6. Which of these is an invertebrate?
- Fish
- Frog
- Snake
- Butterfly
7. Classification means:
- Grouping living things by shared traits
- Feeding animals
- Naming a pet
- Drawing a picture
8. Mammals are known for:
- Having fur and feeding young milk
- Having gills only
- Being invertebrates
- Having no bones
9. Which group has the most species: vertebrates or invertebrates?
- Vertebrates
- Invertebrates
- Equal
- Neither has species
10. A shark is classified as a:
- Mammal
- Fish (a vertebrate)
- Invertebrate
- Plant
11. Insects typically have how many legs?
- 4
- 6
- 8
- 10
12. A spider (8 legs) is grouped differently from an insect (6 legs) because they belong to different:
- Kingdoms
- Sub-groups within invertebrates
- Colours
- Countries
13. Which is true of all vertebrates?
- They all fly
- They all have a backbone
- They are all mammals
- They all live in water
14. A frog can live both in water and on land — this group is called:
- Mammals
- Amphibians
- Reptiles
- Insects
15. Reptiles like snakes and lizards are classified as:
- Vertebrates
- Invertebrates
- Plants
- Fungi
16. Which classification level groups together all animals, separate from plants and fungi?
- Species
- Kingdom
- Colour group
- Habitat
17. A whale lives in water like a fish, but is classified as a mammal because it:
- Has gills
- Breathes air and feeds young milk
- Has scales
- Lays eggs
18. Which of these animals is the odd one out by classification?
- Dog
- Cat
- Shark (fish, not mammal)
- Cow
19. Birds are vertebrates because they have a backbone, and are further grouped by having:
- Fur and 4 legs
- Feathers and lay eggs
- Gills
- No skeleton
20. Why do scientists classify living things into groups?
- To make studying and comparing them easier
- Because all animals look the same
- To reduce the number of species
- It has no real purpose
21. A jellyfish has no backbone and no legs. It would be classified as a/an:
- Vertebrate
- Invertebrate
- Mammal
- Reptile

Answer key (parent copy)

1. Vertebrate
2. Invertebrate
3. Backbone
4. Without a backbone
5. Bird
6. Butterfly
7. Grouping living things by shared traits
8. Having fur and feeding young milk
9. Invertebrates
10. Fish (a vertebrate)
11. 6
12. Sub-groups within invertebrates
13. They all have a backbone
14. Amphibians
15. Vertebrates
16. Kingdom
17. Breathes air and feeds young milk
18. Shark (fish, not mammal)
19. Feathers and lay eggs
20. To make studying and comparing them easier
21. Invertebrate