S3.2.1 For the adult
Sorting living things
A mushroom grows out of the soil, but it is not green. Is it a plant?
What this chapter teaches
Living things are sorted into groups by how they live. Plants make food from light. Animals eat. Fungi, such as mushrooms, are a separate group that soaks up food. Microbes are too small to see. Animals split into those with a backbone and those without.
Three questions to ask
There is no one right wording. Listen for the idea.
- Why is a mushroom not a plant?
- Can you name one vertebrate and one invertebrate?
- What did you find, and which group was biggest?
After the chapter, the learner can
- Sort living things into plants, animals, fungi and microbes
- Sort animals into vertebrates and invertebrates, with examples
What they copy into their notebook
Living things go in four groups: plants, animals, fungi and microbes. A fungus is not a plant. Animals with a backbone are vertebrates. Animals with none are invertebrates.