1. By Michelle A. O’Malley League Academy of Communication Arts
Vertebrates By
Michelle A. O’Malley
League Academy of Communication Arts
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2. Directions This is a Non-Linear Interactive Program.
Please click on the hyperlinks (underlined words that appear in a different color from the rest of the text) or the action buttons to move from one screen to another.
Press the ESC Button anytime you would like to stop the presentation program.
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What do you know about vertebrates? What are three functions of a backbone?
REPTILES
FISH
What do you know about vertebrates? What two groups of present-day vertebrates are the descendants of reptiles?
What do you know about vertebrates? Explain how ectotherms and endotherms differ in the way they control their body temperature.
Vertebrates
BIRDS
MAMMALS
AMPHIBIANS
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4. VERTEBRATES FISH AMPHIBIANS REPTILES BIRDS MAMMALS
/Animals/AnimalIndexV.htm
AMPHIBIANS
/Animals/AnimalIndexV.htm
REPTILES
nce/Animals/Reptiles.htm
BIRDS
MAMMALS

5. Standard 6-3.1: Vertebrates
Animals with backbones
Vertebrates share other physical characteristics; for example
a protective skin covering
an inside skeleton
muscles
blood that circulates through blood vessels
lungs (or gills) for breathing.
Vertebrates have legs or fins for movement
Vertebrates have a nervous system with brains that process information from their environments through sensory organs, such as ears or tongues
Vertebrates also contain many highly developed systems associated with their specialized organs.
There are thousands of species of vertebrates divided into five groups: fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds.
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6. Standard 6-3.1: Vertebrates - Fish
Fish have backbones
Fish are cold-blooded (ectothermic)
Fish obtain dissolved oxygen in water through gills
Most fish lay eggs
Fish have scales
Fish have fins
Fish live in the water
FISH
/Animals/AnimalIndexV.htm
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7. Standard 6-3.1: Vertebrates - Amphibians
/Animals/AnimalIndexV.htm
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Amphibians have backbones
Amphibians are cold-blooded (ectothermic)
Amphibians can breathe in water with gills early in life, and breathe on land with lungs as adults
Amphibians go through metamorphosis and lay jelly-like eggs
The major groups of amphibians are frogs, toads, and salamanders
Frogs and salamanders have smooth, moist skin, through which they can breathe; and live part of their life in water and part on land.
Toads have thicker, bumpy skin and live on land.

8. Standard 6-3.1: Vertebrates - Reptiles
nce/Animals/Reptiles.htm
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Reptiles have backbones
Reptiles are cold-blooded (ectothermic)
Reptiles breathe with lungs
Most Reptiles lay eggs; although in some the eggs hatch inside the female
Reptiles have scales or plates

9. Standard 6-3.1: Vertebrates - Mammals
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Mammals have backbones
Mammals are warm-blooded (endothermic)
Mammals breathe with lungs
Mammals have babies that are born live
Mammals have fur or hair
Mammals produce milk to feed their young
MAMMALS

10. Standard 6-3.1: Vertebrates - Birds
Birds have backbones
Birds are warm-blooded (endothermic)
Birds Breathe with lungs
Birds Lay eggs
Birds have feathers
Birds have a beak, two wings, and two feet
BIRDS
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11. What are three functions of a backbone?
The backbone supports the body, gives the body flexibility, and protects the spinal cord.
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12. Explain how ectotherms and endotherms differ in the way they control their body temperature.
The body temperature of ectotherms changes depending on the temperature of environment. Endotherms have bodies that control internal body heat and therefore maintain nearly constant body temperature.
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13. What two groups of present-day vertebrates are the descendants of reptiles?
Birds and mammals
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14. Works Cited
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Science Explorer: Animals by Jan Jenner, Ph.D., Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 2000.
Graphics from Microsoft Office and cited information under each graphic
Greenville County Schools Science Curriculum Support Guide