Basic 4 · Science · Living and Non-Living Things
Classifying Animals
In this topic you will classify animals into insects, birds, mammals and reptiles using their features.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- State the features of insects, birds, mammals and reptiles
- Classify common Ghanaian animals into these groups
- Give reasons for your classification
What you already know
- Classifying plants and animals (Basic 3)
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- Diversity of matter
- Sub-strand
- Living and Non-Living Things
- Indicator
- B4.1.1.1.1 – Classify animals into insects birds , mammals and reptiles
Introduction
A housefly, a hen, a goat and a lizard are all animals, but they look very different. Scientists put animals with similar features into groups. This is called classification.
1. Four Animal Groups
| Group | Main features | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| insects | 6 legs; body in 3 parts (head, thorax, abdomen); most have wings and antennae | housefly, ant, bee, butterfly, grasshopper |
| birds | feathers; beak; 2 legs and 2 wings; lay eggs with hard shells | hen, eagle, parrot, pigeon |
| mammals | hair or fur; feed young on milk; most give birth to live young | goat, dog, bat, human, whale |
| reptiles | dry, scaly skin; cold-blooded; most lay eggs with leathery shells | lizard, snake, crocodile, tortoise |
2. How to Classify
- Look at the body covering: hair, feathers, scales or a hard outer skeleton.
- Count the legs.
- Ask how it produces young: eggs or live young.
- Ask how it feeds its young: milk or not.
Example
Is a bat a bird or a mammal?
- A bat has wings and can fly, like a bird.
- But a bat has fur, not feathers.
- A bat gives birth to live young and feeds them milk.
Answer: A bat is a mammal.
Did you know?: A spider is not an insect. It has 8 legs and only 2 body parts.
Remember: Other groups of animals include fish (gills, fins, scales) and amphibians (like frogs).
New words
- classify
- To put things with similar features into groups.
- insect
- An animal with 6 legs and 3 body parts.
- mammal
- An animal with hair that feeds its young on milk.
- reptile
- An animal with dry, scaly skin.
- antennae
- Feelers on the head of an insect.
- cold-blooded
- Having a body temperature that changes with the surroundings.
Summary
- Insects have 6 legs and 3 body parts.
- Birds have feathers, beaks and lay hard-shelled eggs.
- Mammals have hair and feed their young on milk.
- Reptiles have dry, scaly skin and are cold-blooded.
Class activity: Animal Sort
- Look at the photographs of local animals, feathers and snail shells.
- Sort each animal into insects, birds, mammals, reptiles or other.
- Give one reason for each choice.
You need: Printed photographs of local animals, Feathers, Snail shells
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. How many legs does an insect have?
- A. 6
- B. 8
- C. 4
- D. 2
Show answer
Answer: 6All insects have 6 legs.2. Which animal is a mammal?
- A. Bat
- B. Lizard
- C. Pigeon
- D. Ant
Show answer
Answer: BatIt has fur and feeds young on milk.3. Which feature belongs to reptiles?
- A. Dry, scaly skin
- B. Feathers
- C. Fur
- D. Six legs
Show answer
Answer: Dry, scaly skinReptiles have scales.4. Birds have feathers.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueOnly birds have feathers.5. A spider is an insect.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseIt has 8 legs and 2 body parts.6. Mammals feed their young on ______.
Show answer
Answer: milkMammals make milk.7. Name the three body parts of an insect.
Show answer
Answer: Head, thorax and abdomen.All insects have these.8. A crocodile lives in water. Why is it a reptile and not a fish?
Show answer
Answer: It has dry scaly skin, breathes with lungs and lays leathery eggs on land.Fish have gills and fins.
Homework
- List ten animals around your home and classify each one.