These free Animal Classification worksheets are a great way for children of all ages to practice and improve their knowledge of animals as well as work on their fine motor skills as they cut and paste the animals into the correct columns.
Scroll to the bottom of the post to download your free set!
Animal Classification for Kids
Animal classification is when scientists organize animals into groups and sort them by what they have in common. This makes it easier for scientists to study animals. For an example: A whale and a dog don’t have as much in common, but a dog and a wolf do.
The five most well known classes of vertebrates (animals with backbones) are mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Two of the most commonly known classes of invertebrates (animals without a backbone) are arachnids (spiders) and insects.
- Mammals – have hair or fur; are warm-blooded; most are born alive; the young are fed milk produced by the mother’s body; and they have a more complex brain than other animals.
- Birds – all have feathers, wings, and a beak.
- Fish – live in water their entire lives, are vertebrates (have a backbone), and use gills to breathe in the water.
- Reptiles – are air-breathing vertebrates covered in special skin made up of scales, bony plates, or a combination of both; they are cold blooded (meaning they cannot regulate their own body temperature, but it is dependent on the outside air)
- Amphibians – small vertebrates that need water, or a moist environment, to survive.
- Arachnids – joint-legged invertebrate animals; no antennae, claws, or wings, but instead have mandibles for biting and chewing prey; Eight appendages; fused head and thorax.
- Insects – has three main parts (a head, a thorax, and an abdomen); compound eyes; two antennae; wings and legs. All insects have six legs (three pairs of jointed legs) and usually four wings (two pairs).
- Mollusks – all have a shell, most mollusks have a muscular foot for creeping or burrowing; soft body includes lungs or gills for breathing; enclosed by a skin-like organ called the mantle.
Animal Classification Worksheets
Use these free, printable animal classification worksheets for kids to practice cutting and pasting as well as learning about the different types of animals and how they are classified. These simple, yet thorough free worksheets are a wonderful tool for grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6 students who love learning about different animals.
Start by scrolling to the bottom of the page, under the terms of use, and click on the text link that says >> Download <<. The pdf file will open in a new window with the freebie. Now print the pages you want to work on. Each page has just a splash of color – to make it easier and more fun for kids to identify the cute clipart animals. Set out the science worksheets for kids with scissors and a glue stick and you are ready for a fun, no prep science activity.
Whether you are a parent, teacher, or homeschooler – this animal classification activity is a fun way to review or learn more about classifying animals based on what they have in common. Use this as a supplement to a zoology course, in a science center in your classroom, or as a fun summer learning activity to keep your children learning during the summer.
Classifying Animals Worksheet
There are six different pages that include 11 different animal classifications. The pages include:
- Fish or Mollusk – clam, catfish, snail, marlin, trout, octopus, salmon, limpet, clownfish, scallop, oyster, barracuda
- Insect or Bird – cricket, owl, eagle, grasshopper, hawk, honey ant, parrot, hornet, termite, pelican, wasp, woodpecker
- Viviparous or Oviparous (give life birth or are egg laying) – whale, chicken, python, elephant, platypus, lion, salamander, cow, chimp, turtle, kangaroo, frog
- Vertebrate or Invertebrate (backbone or no backbone) – jellyfish, bird, lizard, urchin, spider, kangaroo, shrimp, lion, starfish, elephant, cow, whelk
- Mammal or Bird – walrus, eagle, gorilla, woodpecker, skunk, pelican, parrot, rabbit, rat, owl, hawk, possum
- Nocturnal or Diurnal (most active at night or active during the day) – gorilla, bat, emu, firefly, elephant, chimpanzee, cow, butterfly, toad, racoon, fox, owl
If your student is unsure of what characteristics each animal has this is a great chance to teach them about research using an encyclopedia, animal classification book, kid-safe website, etc. If you do head to the library to complete this project, don’t miss a chance to learn about the library with these educational, Library Scavenger Hunts.
Each page includes pictures of twelve different animals. Each animal has its name typed underneath to help children work out which animal it is. There are two columns at the top of the page, six of these animals go into each of the columns.
Once they know what each classification means, they will need to cut out the 12 boxes at the bottom of the page that contains the animals. Once they have worked out which classification the animal belongs to, they will need to paste the animal in the correct column.
Once completed, these worksheets could be laminated and held together with a ring. An answer key to help teachers and homeschooling families quickly grade the science worksheets for kids is included.
Animal Worksheets for Kids
Looking for more fun, engaging, and educational animal activities for elementary age students? Check out these fun resources and ideas:
- Zoo Scavenger Hunts for 2-12 year old review animal classifications, terminology, endangered status, habitat, and more!
- Animal Homes Clip Cards for kids
- Zoo Fieldtrip Animal Reports – with simple options for toddlers and preschoolers and more thorough report templates for K-6th grade students.
- Life Cycles for Kids – a growing collection with over 20 different animals to explore from penguins to sunflowers, salmon, butterfly, and more!
- Vertebrate or Invertebrate Sorting Mats
- Animal Habitat Worksheets – Do a Dot Printable
- Biomes Coloring Pages
- Jello Animal Cells Project
- Silly Puzzles Animal Habitat Activity
- Animal Habitats Activity with Animal Cookies
- Nocturnal Animals Printables
- Forest Animals Themed Worksheets
- Arctic Animals Themed Worksheets
- Desert Animals Themed Worksheets
- Australian Birds Printable Pack
- Pond Worksheets for Kids
- Ocean Animals for Kids – over 240 pages organized into 7 lessons to study aquatic animals using easy-to-understand text, hands-on science experiments, fun worksheets, and more with K-8th grade students.
Download Animal Classification Printables
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