Third graders learn how scientists sort animals into groups by shared traits, from fur-covered mammals to six-legged insects, and match each group to the feature that defines it.
Students will be able to…
A whale, a bat, and a mouse look nothing alike, yet all three are mammals. What shared traits do scientists use to sort animals into groups?
Project this and match each animal group to the trait that defines it — tap a group, then tap its key trait.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
A whale, a bat, and a mouse seem very different, yet all three are mammals. What shared feature puts them in the same group?
Students match each animal group to its key trait.
Students classify animals by trait.
Students build an animal-group guide.
Students reflect on animal groups.
Aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (Grade 3 / Elementary Science).
Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence about organisms and the environments where they live.
Provide evidence that traits are inherited and shared among members of a group.
Construct an argument that animals have internal and external structures that support survival and growth.
Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources to answer a question.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students pick three groups, draw an animal for each, and label its key trait, so the groups become easy to recognize. A printable animal-groups worksheet is in the Science library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.