Are you looking for a new and exciting way to teach zoology to your preschoolers? Look no further than the Montessori invertebrates and vertebrates presentation!
This fun, interactive lesson will introduce your students to various animals, from insects to fish. They’ll learn about the different types of invertebrates and vertebrates, their characteristics, and where they live. So get ready for some fun learning!
Here is a tip: Preschool zoology doesn’t have to be overwhelming in its terms. When introducing Vertebrates and Invertebrates, for example, to preschoolers that use simple descriptive words and phrases and “real” objects (like Safari Toobs) to concretely connect the child with organisms, be careful not to generalize.
For example, not all birds fly.
Preschool Zoology Montessori Life Science Sequence
The Montessori Life Science Lesson Sequence is as follows:
- Living/Non-Living
- Plant/Animal (within Plant/Animal you also have “Parts of a Plant” and “Isolated Plant Part”)
- Vertebrates/Invertebrates
Montessori Invertebrates & Vertebrates Presentation
First, introduce a group lesson with the objects only. Then present individually with objects and then cards. Typically there will be room on the shelf for each of these areas for the children.
What is a Vertebrate?
- Amphibians – lay eggs in water, have blood moving through their bodies, cannot regulate body temperature (cold blooded0, wet skin, and spend part of their life in the water
- Reptiles – dry, scaly skin, cannot regulate body temperature, lay eggs
- Birds – have feathers, give birth to babies from eggs, and most birds migrate
- Fish – scaly, slimy, lay eggs, live in the water
- Mammals – have hair, have mother’s milk, give birth to live young, warm-blooded
What is an Invertebrate?
- Arthropoda – have jointed limbs and include insects with three body parts and six legs, arachnids with two body parts and eight legs, crustaceans with an exo-skeleton
- Porifera – no definite symmetry, no organs, live primarily in water, including sponges.
- Cnidaria – have radial symmetry and include jellyfish, corals, sea anemones, and hydras.
- Annelida – segmented worms and include earthworms and leeches
- Mollusca – include octopus, squid, and snails (it is very difficult to describe Mollusca because they vary so much)
- Echinodermata – have radial symmetry, have several arms coming from the center, the body is in 5 segments, no heart, no brain, no eyes, have tube feet with suction pads, and include sea stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers
I hope you find this post helpful in exploring Invertebrates and Vertebrates!
Thanks for visiting! Will you leave a comment with your Preschool Zoology ideas?
Marnie