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Primary Science · Year 1Chapter 4 · Animal groups
Year 1 · Chapter 4

Year 1 Science Animal Groups: worked examples and questions with answers

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Name common animals and say which group each one is in
  • Know that fish live in water and have fins and scales
  • Know that amphibians have smooth, wet skin and many start life in water
  • Know that reptiles have dry, scaly skin
  • Know that birds have feathers and a beak
  • Know that mammals have fur or hair and feed their babies on milk
  • Compare animals and say what is the same and what is different

You should already know

  • Sorting things into groups (Chapter 1)
  • Parts of a plant (Chapter 3)
  • Tally marks for counting (Chapter 1)

Where this leads

  • What animals eat (Chapter 5)
  • My body and my senses (Chapter 6)

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 1 science, Year 1. Content: Identify and name common animals, Group animals as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, Use simple features: fins and scales, smooth wet skin, dry scaly skin, feathers and beaks, fur or hair, Compare animals and say what is the same and what is different.

Printable worksheets. Every lesson in this chapter has a free worksheet and an answer sheet to download and print.

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWhich part of a plant takes in water from the soil?
2
FA tally group has 4 upright lines and 1 line across them. How many is that?
3
FWhich of these is a tree: daisy, oak or rose?
4
FName one animal that you might see in a garden.
5
FWhich one is not an animal: a dog, a tree or a bird?
4.1

Fish: animals that live in water

Year 1
Identify and name common animals, Fish: fins and scales

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: Fish: animals that live in waterComing soon
Many animals live in the sea.

A fish lives in water. Fish swim with their fins. They breathe with gills. Gills help a fish to breathe in water. Most fish have scales. Scales are small, thin plates that cover the skin, like tiny roof tiles.

A goldfish is a fish. A shark is a fish too. Let’s look at a goldfish and find its fins, its gills and its scales.

back fintail fingillsscales
A goldfish. Find the fins, the gills and the scales.

Key ideas

  • A fish lives in water.
  • Fish swim with their fins.
  • Fish breathe with gills.
  • Most fish have scales.
Worked example 4.1.1
This goldfish lives in water. Which group is it in?

Key words. The five groups are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. A clue is a feature we can see, like fins or feathers.

Method. Look for the clues, then match the animal to one group.

  1. Look at where it lives. Some animals live in water.
    It lives in water.
  2. Look at its covering. Most fish have scales.
    It has scales.
  3. Look at its body parts. Fins help a fish swim. Gills help it breathe.
    It has fins and gills.
  4. Match the clues to a group. Compare the clues with the five groups.
    This goldfish = fish
  5. Write the answer.
    Fish

Check. The clues fit the fish group. ✓

Watch out. Many animals live in water. Look at the fins, the gills and the scales, not only where the animal lives.

Worked example 4.1.2
How many fins can you see on this goldfish?

Method. Count the fins one at a time.

  1. Look at the picture. Find every one, including the ones at the back.
    Find the back fin, the side fin and the tail fin.
  2. Count each one once. Say one number for each one, in order.
    1, 2, 3
  3. Write the answer.
    3

Check. Count again from the other side. You get 3 again. ✓

Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.

Worked example 4.1.3
Tom says a fish can breathe air just like we do. Is Tom right?

Method. Think about how a fish breathes, and how we breathe.

  1. Think about how we breathe. We breathe air into our lungs.
    We breathe air with lungs.
  2. Think about how a fish breathes. A fish takes oxygen from the water through its gills.
    A fish breathes with gills, in water.
  3. Decide if Tom is right. Gills and lungs are not the same, so a fish does not breathe like us.
    No, Tom is not right.

Check. A fish has gills, and we have lungs. ✓

Watch out. Fish do not breathe air with lungs. They use gills in the water.

Watch out

Watch out: many animals live in water, but that does not make them fish. A whale lives in the sea too, but it breathes air with lungs, so it is not a fish. Look at all the clues.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). Look at a goldfish in a tank, or at a fish in a picture book. Count its fins. Draw the fish and label its fins. Do not put your hands in the tank.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Where does a fish live? How does it move? How does it breathe?” Your child can answer with the words on this page.

Exercise 4A  Fish

1
FWhich letter is the fish? Look at the three animals.
ABC
2
FHow many fins does this goldfish have?
3
FDoes a fish live in water or on land? Write water or land.
4
FWhat does a fish breathe with: gills or lungs?
5
FWhat covers the body of most fish? Write scales or feathers.
6
FTrue or false? A fish has feathers.
7
FTrue or false? Most fish have scales.
8
PSWhich of these animals is a fish: a whale, a shark or a bat? Write the word.
whalesharkbat
9
PSA fish has gills. Explain why a fish needs water.
10
RWorking scientifically: What do you think a fish needs its fins for? How could we find out?
4.2

Amphibians: smooth, wet skin

Year 1
Amphibians: smooth, wet skin, Life in water and on land

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: Amphibians: smooth, wet skinComing soon
A park. Animals live in many places.

An amphibian can live in water and on land. The name means “both kinds of life”. A frog is an amphibian. A frog starts life as a tadpole in water. A tadpole has a tail and breathes with gills. Later, the tadpole grows legs and lungs, and it can live on land too.

An adult frog has smooth, wet skin, with no scales. Frogs lay their eggs in water. The clump of eggs is called frogspawn.

grows legstadpolefrog
A tadpole grows into a frog.

Key ideas

  • An amphibian can live in water and on land.
  • An adult frog has smooth, wet skin.
  • Frogs lay their eggs in water, as frogspawn.
  • A tadpole breathes with gills. An adult frog has lungs.
Worked example 4.2.1
Which group is this frog in?

Key words. The five groups are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. A clue is a feature we can see, like fins or feathers.

Method. Look for the clues, then match the animal to one group.

  1. Look at its skin. An adult frog has smooth, wet skin.
    The skin is smooth and wet.
  2. Look at where it lives. A frog lives in water and on land.
    It can live in water and on land.
  3. Look at its eggs. Frogs lay their eggs in water.
    Its eggs are laid in water.
  4. Match the clues to a group. Compare the clues with the five groups.
    This frog = amphibian
  5. Write the answer.
    Amphibian

Check. The clues fit the amphibian group. ✓

Watch out. A frog lives in water and on land, but it is not a fish. Check its skin: smooth and wet.

Worked example 4.2.2
How many legs does this frog have?

Method. Count the legs one at a time.

  1. Look at the picture. Find every one, including the ones at the back.
    Find each leg: two at the back and two at the front.
  2. Count each one once. Say one number for each one, in order.
    1, 2, 3, 4
  3. Write the answer.
    4

Check. Count again from the other side. You get 4 again. ✓

Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.

Worked example 4.2.3
A tadpole has no legs. Does it breathe with gills or lungs?

Method. Think about how a tadpole breathes, and what changes when it becomes a frog.

  1. Look at the tadpole. A tadpole lives in water and has a tail.
    It has no legs yet.
  2. Think about how it breathes. Tadpoles breathe with gills, like a fish.
    Gills
  3. Write the answer. Later, the frog grows lungs.
    Gills

Check. The tadpole lives in water, where gills work. ✓

Watch out. An adult frog breathes with lungs, not gills.

Watch out

Watch out: a frog is not a fish, even though it can live in water. Look at its skin. A fish has scales and fins. A frog has smooth, wet skin and legs.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). Look for frogspawn or tadpoles in a pond, from the edge only. Do not reach into the water or pick anything up. Draw what you see. Wash your hands afterwards.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. The word amphibian comes from two old Greek words that mean “both lives”. Talk about the tadpole growing into a frog, step by step. Only look at frogspawn and tadpoles from the edge of a pond.

Exercise 4B  Amphibians

1
FWhich group is a frog in: fish, amphibian, reptile, bird or mammal?
2
FWhat is the skin of an adult frog like: smooth and wet, or dry and scaly?
3
FDoes a tadpole live in water or on land?
4
FWhat is the name for the eggs that a frog lays in a pond?
5
FWhere do frogs lay their eggs: in water, or in a nest in a tree?
6
FMatch each feature to a group. Write fish, amphibian or bird.
(a)Smooth, wet skin with no scales
(b)Fins and scales
(c)Feathers and a beak
7
PSWhich does an adult frog have: gills or lungs?
8
RTom says a frog is a fish, because it lives in water. Is Tom right? Explain.
9
PSPut these in the order that they happen: frog, frogspawn, tadpole.
10
RWorking scientifically: Look at a picture of a frog and a picture of a fish. What did you notice? Name one thing that is the same and one thing that is different.
frogfish
4.3

Reptiles: dry, scaly skin

Year 1
Reptiles: dry, scaly skin, Snakes and crocodiles

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: Reptiles: dry, scaly skinComing soon
A woodland. Many animals live here.

A reptile has dry, scaly skin. Its scales are hard and dry, not wet and smooth. Snakes, lizards, crocodiles and tortoises are reptiles. Reptiles breathe air with lungs. Many reptiles lay their eggs on land.

A snake has no legs. It slides along the ground. A crocodile has four legs and a long tail.

snakecrocodile
A snake and a crocodile.

Key ideas

  • A reptile has dry, scaly skin.
  • Reptiles breathe air with lungs.
  • Snakes, lizards, crocodiles and tortoises are reptiles.
  • A snake has no legs. A crocodile has four legs.
Worked example 4.3.1
Which group is this snake in?

Key words. The five groups are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. A clue is a feature we can see, like fins or feathers.

Method. Look for the clues, then match the animal to one group.

  1. Look at its skin. A reptile has dry, scaly skin.
    The skin is dry and scaly.
  2. Look at its legs. Snakes have no legs.
    It has no legs.
  3. Look at its fins. Fish have fins. A reptile does not.
    It has no fins.
  4. Match the clues to a group. Compare the clues with the five groups.
    This snake = reptile
  5. Write the answer.
    Reptile

Check. The clues fit the reptile group. ✓

Watch out. Scales are not only on fish. Check if the skin is dry and scaly, and check the legs.

Worked example 4.3.2
How many legs does this crocodile have?

Method. Count the legs one at a time.

  1. Look at the picture. Find every one, including the ones at the back.
    Find each leg: two at the front and two at the back.
  2. Count each one once. Say one number for each one, in order.
    1, 2, 3, 4
  3. Write the answer.
    4

Check. Count again from the other side. You get 4 again. ✓

Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.

Worked example 4.3.3
Sam says a snake is a fish, because it has scales. Is Sam right?

Method. Check Sam’s idea against the features of a fish.

  1. Read what Sam says. He says a snake is a fish, because it has scales.
    Snake = fish?
  2. Check the fish clues. A fish has fins and gills and lives in water.
    A snake has no fins and no gills.
  3. Decide who is right. A snake has dry scales and breathes air with lungs, so it is a reptile.
    No, Sam is not right.

Check. Scales are not enough. Look at all the clues. ✓

Watch out. A fish and a reptile can both have scales. Check the other clues.

Watch out

Watch out: a fish and a reptile can both have scales. Do not stop at one clue. A fish has fins and gills. A reptile has dry, scaly skin and breathes air with lungs.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). Make a scaly snake from playdough. Roll a long snake shape, then press small circles on it so they overlap, like scales. Talk about how the scales look dry and hard. Wash your hands afterwards.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Snakes and lizards are wild animals. Look at them in pictures or books, and never touch a wild snake or lizard. Let your child feel their own dry hands, then a wet one, to talk about dry and wet skin.

Exercise 4C  Reptiles

1
FWhich group is this snake in?
2
FWhat is a reptile’s skin like: dry and scaly, or smooth and wet?
3
FHow many legs does this snake have?
4
FHow many legs does this crocodile have?
5
FDo reptiles breathe with gills or lungs?
6
FTrue or false? A lizard is a reptile.
7
PSWhich picture shows a reptile? Write A, B or C.
ABC
8
RLily says a crocodile is an amphibian, because it can be in the water. Is Lily right? Explain using its skin.
9
PSSort these animals. Write the names of the reptiles: snake, frog, crocodile, dog.
snakefrogcrocodiledog
10
RWorking scientifically: Look at a snake and a frog in a book. What did you notice about their skin? What do you think the scales help a snake to do?
snakefrog
4.4

Birds: feathers and beaks

Year 1
Birds: feathers and beaks, Two legs and two wings

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: Birds: feathers and beaksComing soon
A garden, with birds and other animals.

A bird has feathers on its body. It has a beak instead of teeth. Birds have two wings and two legs. Birds lay eggs with hard shells.

A robin is a bird. A penguin is a bird too, even though it cannot fly. It has feathers and a beak, and it lays eggs.

feathersbeakwingtwo legs
A robin. Find the feathers, the beak, the wing and the legs.

Key ideas

  • Birds have feathers.
  • Birds have a beak, not teeth.
  • Birds have two wings and two legs.
  • Birds lay eggs with hard shells.
Worked example 4.4.1
Which group is this robin in?

Key words. The five groups are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. A clue is a feature we can see, like fins or feathers.

Method. Look for the clues, then match the animal to one group.

  1. Look at its body. Birds have feathers.
    It has feathers.
  2. Look at its mouth. Birds have a beak instead of teeth.
    It has a beak.
  3. Look at its legs. Birds have two legs.
    It has two legs.
  4. Match the clues to a group. Compare the clues with the five groups.
    This robin = bird
  5. Write the answer.
    Bird

Check. The clues fit the bird group. ✓

Watch out. A bird does not have to fly. Look for the feathers and the beak.

Worked example 4.4.2
How many legs does this penguin have?

Method. Count the legs one at a time.

  1. Look at the picture. Find every one, including the ones at the back.
    Find each leg: there are two.
  2. Count each one once. Say one number for each one, in order.
    1, 2
  3. Write the answer.
    2

Check. Count again from the other side. You get 2 again. ✓

Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.

Worked example 4.4.3
Sam says a penguin is not a bird, because it cannot fly. Is Sam right?

Method. Check Sam’s idea against the clues for birds.

  1. Read what Sam says. He says a penguin is not a bird, because it cannot fly.
    Penguin = not bird?
  2. Check the bird clues. A bird has feathers and a beak. A penguin has both.
    Feathers and a beak
  3. Decide who is right. Being able to fly is not one of the clues for birds.
    No, Sam is not right. A penguin is a bird.

Check. A penguin has feathers and a beak, so it is a bird. ✓

Watch out. A bird does not have to fly. Look at the feathers and the beak.

Watch out

Watch out: a bat can fly too, but it is not a bird. A bat has fur, not feathers, and it is a mammal. Look at the covering on the body, not only at flying.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). Sit by a window with a grown-up. Watch the birds in the garden or the park for five minutes. Make one tally mark for each bird you see. Count the tally marks afterwards.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Talk about the beaks you see. A robin has a thin beak. A duck has a flat beak. Ask: “What does this beak help the bird to do?” Let your child check a tally by counting it again.

Exercise 4D  Birds

1
FWhich group is a robin in: fish, amphibian, reptile, bird or mammal?
2
FWhat covers a bird’s body?
3
FWhat does a bird have instead of teeth?
4
FHow many legs does this robin have?
5
FDo birds lay eggs with hard shells: yes or no?
6
FTrue or false? A penguin is a bird.
7
PSWhich two of these animals are birds? A penguin, B bat, C robin, D snake. Write the two letters.
ABCD
8
PSLook at the picture. Which bird can fly? Write A or B.
AB
9
PSWhy is a bat not a bird, even though it can fly? Use the word fur.
10
RWorking scientifically: Count the birds you see from a window for five minutes. Which bird did you see most? What did you notice?
4.5

Mammals: fur, hair and milk

Year 1
Mammals: fur or hair, Mammals feed their babies on milk

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: Mammals: fur, hair and milkComing soon
A farm. Many farm animals are mammals.

A mammal has fur or hair on its body. A mother mammal feeds her babies on milk. Mammals breathe air with lungs. You are a mammal! So are dogs, cats, horses and humans.

Some mammals live in water, such as whales and dolphins. A whale has very little hair. It breathes air through a blowhole on its head and feeds its babies on milk. So a whale is a mammal, not a fish. A bat is a mammal too. It has fur, and its wings are made of skin, not feathers.

dogwhaledolphinbat
Mammals: a dog, a whale, a dolphin and a bat.

Key ideas

  • Mammals have fur or hair.
  • Mammals feed their babies on milk.
  • Mammals breathe air with lungs.
  • Whales, dolphins and bats are mammals.
Worked example 4.5.1
Which group is this dog in?

Key words. The five groups are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. A clue is a feature we can see, like fins or feathers.

Method. Look for the clues, then match the animal to one group.

  1. Look at its body. Mammals have fur or hair.
    It has fur.
  2. Think about its babies. Mammals feed their babies on milk.
    A mother dog feeds her puppies milk.
  3. Look at its legs. A dog has four legs.
    It has four legs.
  4. Match the clues to a group. Compare the clues with the five groups.
    This dog = mammal
  5. Write the answer.
    Mammal

Check. The clues fit the mammal group. ✓

Watch out. A whale and a dolphin live in water, but they are mammals. Check how they breathe and feed their babies.

Worked example 4.5.2
Is a whale a fish? Explain.

Method. Check the clues for a whale, the same as for a fish.

  1. Look at where it lives. A whale lives in the sea, like a fish.
    It lives in water.
  2. Look at how it breathes. A whale breathes air through a blowhole, with lungs. A fish breathes with gills.
    Air, with lungs
  3. Look at its babies. A whale feeds its babies on milk, so it is a mammal.
    Milk, so mammal
  4. Decide. Whales are mammals, not fish.
    No, a whale is not a fish. It is a mammal.

Check. A whale breathes air and feeds its babies on milk. ✓

Watch out. A whale lives in water, but it is a mammal.

Worked example 4.5.3
How many wings does this bat have?

Method. Count the wings one at a time.

  1. Look at the picture. Find every one, including the ones at the back.
    Find the two wings: one on each side of the body.
  2. Count each one once. Say one number for each one, in order.
    1, 2
  3. Write the answer.
    2

Check. Count again from the other side. You get 2 again. ✓

Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.

Watch out

Watch out: a whale and a dolphin live in the sea, like a fish, but they are mammals. Look at how they breathe and how they have babies, not only at where they live.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). Look at a pet with fur, such as a cat, a dog or a rabbit. Ask first. If it is friendly, stroke it gently with a grown-up. Wash your hands afterwards. Then look at a picture of a whale. What do you notice about its skin?

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Who fed you milk when you were a baby?” Talk about the mammals at home, and why we say that people are mammals too. Only stroke a pet if its owner says it is friendly.

Exercise 4E  Mammals

1
FWhich group is a dog in: fish, amphibian, reptile, bird or mammal?
2
FWhat covers a mammal’s body? Write fur or feathers.
3
FWhat do mother mammals feed their babies?
4
FDo mammals breathe with gills or lungs?
5
FTrue or false? A dolphin is a mammal.
6
FTrue or false? A dolphin is a fish.
7
PSWhich picture shows a mammal? Write A, B or C.
ABC
8
PSWhat group is each animal? Write fish or mammal.
whalebatshark
(a)A whale
(b)A bat
(c)A shark
9
RMeera says a bat is a bird, because it can fly. Is she right? Explain.
10
RWorking scientifically: A cat has fur. How could we find out whether a kitten drinks milk from its mother?
4.6

Comparing animals, and minibeasts

Year 1
Compare animals, Group animals by their features

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: Comparing animals, and minibeastsComing soon
Minibeasts live in woods and gardens too.

Scientists sort animals into groups. They look at the features of each animal: its skin or covering, its legs, and where it lives. Then they compare animals, to see what is the same and what is different.

GroupCoveringExample
Fishscales and finsgoldfish
Amphibiansmooth, wet skinfrog
Reptiledry, scaly skinsnake
Birdfeathers and a beakrobin
Mammalfur or hairdog

Some small creatures are not in the five groups. They are called minibeasts. Spiders and insects are minibeasts. A spider has eight legs. A ladybird is an insect and has six legs. A spider is not an insect.

ABCDEF
Six animals to sort. Each one has a letter.

Key ideas

  • Compare animals by their features.
  • Look at the covering, the legs and where the animal lives.
  • Spiders and insects are minibeasts, not one of the five groups.
  • A spider has eight legs. An insect has six legs.
Worked example 4.6.1
Which letter is the fish?
ABCDEF

Method. Look at each animal, and find the one with the clues.

  1. Look at the animals. Find the animal with these clues.
    It has fins and scales, and it lives in water.
  2. Find its letter. Each animal has a letter under it.
    The goldfish is A
  3. Write the answer.
    A

Check. The clues fit the fish group. ✓

Watch out. Many animals live in water. Look at the fins, the gills and the scales, not only where the animal lives.

Worked example 4.6.2
Which letter is the spider? How many legs does it have?
ABCDEF

Method. Find the spider, then count its legs.

  1. Find the spider. The spider has a round body and eight thin legs.
    The spider is letter F.
  2. Count the legs. Count each leg once.
    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
  3. Write the answer. A spider is a minibeast, not an insect.
    F, with 8 legs.

Check. Four pairs of legs make eight legs. ✓

Watch out. Spiders have eight legs. Insects have six.

Worked example 4.6.3
Compare the goldfish (A) with the frog (B). Write one thing that is the same and one that is different.
ABCDEF

Method. Find one thing that is the same, and one thing that is different.

  1. Look at the goldfish (A) and the frog (B). Both are animals with eyes.
    Both have eyes.
  2. Look at their skin. The goldfish has scales. The frog has smooth, wet skin.
    Different skin
  3. Look at their legs. A goldfish has fins and no legs. A frog has four legs.
    Different body parts
  4. Write the answer. Say one same and one different.
    Same: both have eyes. Different: the frog has smooth, wet skin and legs.

Check. Compare the features, not the colours. ✓

Watch out. Compare the same features in both animals, such as skin, legs and fins.

Watch out

Watch out: a spider has eight legs, but it is not an insect and it is not in the five groups. Insects have six legs. Do not put a spider in a group like a bird or a mammal.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). Sort toy animals, or animal pictures from a book, into the five groups. Make a tally mark for each animal in each group. Which group has the most? Wash your hands afterwards if you touched any soil.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “How is this animal the same as that one? How is it different?” Look for minibeasts together in the garden with a magnifying glass, but do not pick up spiders or touch anything you do not know.

Exercise 4F  Comparing and sorting

1
FWhich letter is the fish? Look at the picture.
ABCDEF
2
FWhich letter is the amphibian?
ABCDEF
3
FWhich letter is the reptile?
ABCDEF
4
FWhich letter is the bird?
ABCDEF
5
FWhich letter is the mammal?
ABCDEF
6
FWhich letter is the minibeast?
ABCDEF
7
FHow many legs does each animal have? Look at the picture.
ABCDEF
(a)Spider (F)
(b)Robin (D)
(c)Dog (E)
8
PSTrue or false? A spider is one of the five groups of animals.
9
PSSort these into two groups: minibeasts, and animals in the five groups. Write the names: ladybird, robin, spider, goldfish.
ladybirdrobinspidergoldfish
10
RWorking scientifically: A new animal is found in a garden. How could we find out which group it is in? Name two things you would check.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
FishLive in water. They have fins, gills and usually scales.
AmphibiansSmooth, wet skin. Many start life as tadpoles in water. Frogs lay eggs in water.
ReptilesDry, scaly skin. Snakes, lizards, crocodiles and tortoises.
BirdsFeathers, a beak, two wings and two legs. They lay eggs with hard shells.
MammalsFur or hair. They feed their babies on milk. They breathe air with lungs.
MinibeastsSpiders and insects. Not one of the five groups.
CompareLook at the covering, the legs and where the animal lives. Say what is the same and different.

Can you…?

  • I can name common animals and say which group each one is in
  • I know what a fish, an amphibian, a reptile, a bird and a mammal have in common
  • I can use the clues: fins and scales, smooth wet skin, dry scaly skin, feathers and a beak, fur or hair
  • I know that a whale, a dolphin and a bat are mammals
  • I know that spiders and insects are minibeasts, not one of the five groups
  • I can compare two animals and say what is the same and what is different

Key terms

fish
an animal that lives in water and usually has fins and scales
amphibian
an animal with smooth, wet skin that can live in water and on land
reptile
an animal with dry, scaly skin that breathes air with lungs
bird
an animal with feathers and a beak
mammal
an animal with fur or hair that feeds its babies on milk
minibeast
a small creature, such as a spider or an insect, that is not in the five groups
fin
a flat part that a fish uses to swim
gills
the parts a fish uses to breathe in water
scales
small, thin plates that cover the skin of many fish and reptiles
tadpole
a young frog that lives in water and breathes with gills
frogspawn
the clump of eggs that a frog lays in water
blowhole
the hole on top of a whale or dolphin that it breathes through

Exercise 4Z  Check-up

1
Which group is this animal in?
2
Which group is this animal in?
3
Which group is this animal in?
4
Which group is this animal in?
5
Which group is this animal in?
6
How many legs does this dog have?
7
What covers most fish?
8
Where does a tadpole live?
9
Write one feature that all mammals have.
10
Is a spider one of the five groups? Write yes or no.

Total 14 marks. Allow about 14 minutes.

Exercise 4X  End-of-chapter quiz

1
FWhich group does a bat belong to?[1 mark]
2
FHow many legs does this crocodile have?[1 mark]
3
FWhat do birds have instead of teeth?[1 mark]
4
PSSort these animals into the groups. Write the group for each: shark, robin, frog, snake.[2 marks]
sharkrobinfrogsnake
5
FWhere do frogs lay their eggs?[1 mark]
6
RExplain two reasons why a whale is a mammal and not a fish.[2 marks]
7
FWhich animal has dry, scaly skin: a frog or a snake?[1 mark]
8
RTom says a penguin is not a bird, because it cannot fly. Explain why he is wrong.[2 marks]
9
FThe picture shows animals A to F. Which letter is a spider?[1 mark]
ABCDEF
10
RWorking scientifically: How could we find out which group a new animal is in? Name two things you would check.[2 marks]
← Chapter 3: Parts of a plantChapter 5: What animals eat →

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