Animals Teaching Resources
Explore animal life in your science classroom with printable worksheets, classroom posters, and more teaching resources all about the different types of animals, their life cycles, characteristics and more!
This teacher-created collection includes a series of animal-focused teacher resources covering reptiles, birds, fish, mammals, and amphibians plus resources that classify a selection of vertebrates and invertebrates!
This comprehensive collection of teaching resources includes editable curriculum-aligned lessons on wildlife, endangered species and more — all ready to be printed and used in the classroom!
New to teaching this section of the science curriculum or looking for some fresh ideas? Read on for some tips on teaching about animal classification from our teacher team!
What Is Animal Classification? A Kid-Friendly Definition
In science class (and in professional study) animals are classified into groups based on physical and genetic characteristics. Scientists use a classification system called the Linnaean system to group different animals into progressively more specific categories, starting with the largest (and most inclusive group) and ending with the smallest and most specific group.
The categories are:
- Kingdom
- Phylum
- Class
- Order
- Family
- Genus
- Species
Helping students to remember these categories of biological animal classification, you might want to use a mnemonic such as:
- King Philip came over from Germany swimming.
- King Philip came over for good spaghetti.
- King Philip came over for good soup.
Sometimes the word "domain" is added to the top of the animal classification list, and in those cases you can add the word "dear" to your mnemonic sentences to help your students recall them all.
In the Linnaean system, every animal in nature is assigned a unique scientific name. The name includes their genus and species and it's used globally to refer to that animal — so, for example, a dog is a dog, but it's also a "canis lupus familiarise" according to its scientific name.
The animal classification system is used all around the world to help scientists understand the relationships between different animals and how they evolved over time.
Teaching About Animal Classification in Elementary School
How in-depth should your lesson planning be for animal classification? In the elementary grades, learning classifications of animals sets the stage for understanding how important this system is when scientists are studying animals in the natural world.
Consider this: In elementary school, students typically learn about the basic categories of animal classification, such as mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
Your animal classification lessons can extend into learning about specific examples of animals within each category, such as lions and elephants for mammals, and eagles and penguins for birds.
By the time they head off to high school, students should already know the characteristics that define each group — such as the presence of fur or feathers (in birds) or most mammals' ability to give birth to live young. Students should also know about the classification of animals within each group, such as the different types of mammals or birds.
Ready to get started? Explore the resources in this collection!
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How Do Animals Move Worksheet Pack
Color, sort, and categorize how animals get around with a set of ‘How Animals Do Animals Move’ Worksheet Pack
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Free Printable Nature Scavenger Hunt
Make outdoor play a learning opportunity with our free printable nature scavenger hunt PDF.
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Paired Passage Worksheets-Mammals vs. Reptiles
Compare mammals vs. reptiles and add to your reading instruction with leveled nonfiction, compare and contrast passages and worksheets.
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Insect Scavenger Hunt- Outdoor Observation Activity
Investigate and observe insects and minibeasts with a printable Minibeast Scavenger Hunt Observation Activity.
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Diagram of an Animal Cell Worksheets
Identify the parts of an animal cell and label them with a set of printable Animal Cell labeling activities.
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Interactive Animal Movement Game
Explore animals and how they move with an interactive Animal Movement Game.
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Animal Adaptations Teaching Slides
Teach your students about behavioral, structural, and physiological adaptations of animals with an interactive teaching slide deck.
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In the Arctic - Free Decodable Book
Engage your students and inspire them to read and learn about life in the Arctic with a printable book for 2nd grade.
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Sorting Animals Worksheet Pack - External Features
Observe and classify animals based on their external features with a Sorting Animals Worksheet Pack.
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Movement of Animals Worksheets - Cut and Paste
Cut and sort to show how different animals move with our Movement of Animals Worksheets.
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Cut & Compare Animals Worksheet Pack - Ways Animals Move
Use our Cut and Compare Animals Worksheet Pack to help your students practice scientific classification and explore ways that animals move.
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Comparing Plant and Animal Needs Venn Diagram Worksheets
Compare the needs of plants and animals (including humans) with a set of Plant and Animal Needs Venn Diagram worksheets.
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Caring for Pets Worksheet Pack
Help students understand the needs of pets with a printable Caring for Pets Worksheet Pack.
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Humans vs. Animals Venn Diagram Activity
Compare human and animal characteristics with our printable and digital Human vs. Animal Features Venn Diagram activity.
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Arctic Fox Adaptations - Free Comprehension Worksheet
Read and learn about Arctic fox adaptations with a set of printable Reading Comprehension Worksheets for 2nd and 3rd grade.
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Naked Mole Rats – Comprehension Worksheet
Read and learn facts about the naked mole rat with a printable reading comprehension worksheet pack for 5th grade.
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Animal Fact File Template Pack
Use an Animal Fact File Template to introduce your students to the informational researching and writing process.
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Life Cycle of a Grasshopper Worksheet Pack
Explore the stages in a grasshopper's life with a printable Life Cycle of a Grasshopper Worksheet Pack.
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Metamorphic vs. Non-Metamorphic Life Cycles Worksheet - Cut and Paste
Identify animals with metamorphic life cycles using a cut and paste Metamorphic vs. Non-Metamorphic Life Cycles Worksheet.
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Just Like My Parent - Adult vs. Baby Animal Worksheets
Compare animals and humans with their young with our ‘Just Like My Parent’ Adult vs. Baby Animal Worksheets.
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Habitat Roles Foldable Templates
Explore habitat roles including producers, consumers, and decomposers with our printable Habitat Roles Foldable Templates.
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What’s for Dinner? Carnivore, Herbivore, Omnivore Game
Play ‘What’s for Dinner’, a Carnivore, Herbivore, or Omnivore game to explore animal teeth and eating habits.
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What Do Humans Need? Worksheet Pack
Download our ‘What Do Humans Need?’ Worksheet Pack to help your students learn more about what humans need to survive.
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Human Features Picture Cards
Explore the similarities and differences between humans by using these printable Human Features Picture Cards.
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Which Doesn’t Belong? Vertebrate or Invertebrate Game
Identify examples of vertebrates and invertebrates with an engaging Which Animal Doesn’t Belong? Vertebrate or Invertebrate Game.
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Endangered Species Research Flipbook
Get your students to research an endangered species using this easy-to-compile flipbook scaffold.
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Animal Classes Word Search Pack - Upper Grades
Review vocabulary related to animal classes and characteristics of animals with a pack of printable animal classification word searches.
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Design the Perfect Dog Breed - Animal Traits Project
Investigate inherited traits that parents pass to their offspring with a Create-a-Puppy selective dog breeding project.
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Animal Flash Cards & Word Wall
Read, write and identify animals around the world with a printable animal word wall with pictures.
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Insect Word Wall - Insect Names and Pictures
Use a printable insect word wall to introduce your students to the creepiest, crawliest creatures on the planet.
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Three Types of Environmental Adaptations Posters
Teach your students the different types of behavioral, structural and physiological adaptations with a set of 4 printable posters.
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Animals With Adaptations - Worksheet Pack
Use these animal adaptation worksheets when teaching students about the structural, behavioral, and physiological adaptations of animals.