Year 6 - Science
How and why we group animals
Why we group and classify living things
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit covers the classification of living things, including micro-organisms, plants, and animals, based on observable characteristics. It explores reasons for classification and focuses on planning scientific enquiries, recording data, presenting findings, and evaluating scientific evidence.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how animals can be grouped using observable characteristics.
Key Notes
- Scientists group animals to make it easier to identify, name and learn about them.
- Animals can be divided into groups or 'classified' by looking at the similarities and differences between them.
- Animals are divided into two main groups: vertebrates (with a spine) and invertebrates (without a spine).
- Vertebrate and invertebrate groups can be divided further.
- We can create classification keys by asking a series of yes/no questions about the observable characteristics of things.
Vocabulary To Learn
- classify: To classify is to sort into groups.
- identify: To identify something is to be able to name it correctly.
- vertebrate: A vertebrate is an animal with an internal skeleton, including a spine.
- invertebrate: Animals that do not have bones, including a spine, on the inside of their bodies are invertebrates.
- classification key: Classification keys are diagrams which help us sort things into different groups.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may think that animals with soft, flexible bodies such as snakes or fish are invertebrates, or that any animal with a hard shell is a vertebrate.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Scientists group animals to make it easier to identify, name and learn about them. Animals can be divided into groups or 'classified' by looking at the similarities and differences between them.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'classify'
To classify is to sort into groups. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may think that animals with soft, flexible bodies such as snakes or fish are invertebrates, or that any animal with a hard shell is a vertebrate. Correction: Explain that the external appearance of an animal does not always give us enough information to classify it as a vertebrate or an invertebrate; the presence or absence of a backbone and internal skeleton is the only characteristic that matters.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Carl Linnaeus and classification Study Guide
- Comparing characteristics of living things Study Guide
- Discovering and naming new species Study Guide
- Grouping micro-organisms Study Guide
- Growing yeast: do and review (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Growing yeast: plan (non-statutory) Study Guide
- How and why we group plants Study Guide
- Micro-organisms are living things Study Guide
- Micro-organisms living on food: plan and do (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Micro-organisms living on food: review (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Microorganisms that help us (non-statutory) Study Guide
- The 5 Rs (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability) Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 6 Science guide library.