Phyla
A phylum is the next category beneath kingdom. Most biology textbooks are organized by phyla with chapters covering topics such as “reptiles” or “mammals”. This collection includes various worksheets related to animal groups.
Introductory
Animal Symmetry – drawings of animals, students identify types of symmetry
Animal Kingdom Survey Lab – introductory lab, set up stations with specimens
Animal Phyla Matching – match the phylum to pictures and descriptions
Characteristics of Life – make a concept map
Notes: Introduction to the Animal Kingdom | Intro Animals powerpoint
Kingdom Protista
Ameba Coloring
- color the structures of an ameba; pseudopodia, vacuole, nucleus..
Paramecium Coloring
- color paramecium, vacuole, mouth pore, macronucleus, cilia..
Euglena Coloring
- color euglena; flagella, chloroplast, pellicle…
Kingdom Protista Concept Map
- organize the types of protists by characteristic
Protista Crossword – vocabulary; vacuole, paramecium, algae, malaria..etc
Protozoa – article with questions
Ameba & Paramecium Lab – view both specimens, compare and draw
Ameba Lab
– 15 minute lab, observe the movements of the ameba
Algae Lab – compare 3 types of algae: volvox, spirogyra, and euglena
Biodiversity of Ponds – sample pond water, identify organisms (protists, arthropods..ect)
Notes on Protists | Powerpoint on Protists
Phylum Porifera & Phylum Cnidaria
Sponge Anatomy – sponge image; students label amebocytes, collar cells, spicules…
Sponge Coloring – another anatomy page, color the structures
Hydra Anatomy – hydra image; students label tentacles, cnidocytes, buds…
Hydra Lab – view a living hydra and observe its behavior
Hydra and Other Cnidarians – article with questions
Powerpoint on Sponges and Cnidarians (Coelenterates)
Phylum Platyhelminthes & Nematoda
Observation of a Planarian – view a live planarian and observe regeneration
Phylum Mollusca
Squid Dissection – external and internal structures, using real squids
Virtual Squid – online dissection photos for students to view, labeling and questions, makeup lab
Mollusk Chart – compares cephalopods, gastroods, and bivalves
Phylum Annelida
Observation of a Live Earthworm
| Earthworm Dissection
| Earthworm Labeling ![]()
Earthworm Virtual Lab – visit a website on earthworms and answer questions, can be used as a makeup lab
Mollusk and Annelid Crossword Puzzle
- basic terms and classification
Phylum Arthropoda
Arthropod Poetry – short riddles (poems) where students have to guess the associated vocab
Arthropod Chart – students complete a chart outlining the characteristics of arthropod subphyla
Arthropod Coloring – color and label the parts of various arthropods
Insect Web Quest – students create a website that showcases 3 species of insects
Phylum Chordata
Amniote Egg Coloring – learn egg structures; yolk, allantois, amnion, chorion
Comparing a Human and Avian Skeleton – coloring and bone identification
Bird Beaks and Feet – view pictures of birds, make inferences about their diet and habitat
Animal Diversity Web – explore website, information on classes, orders and relationships
Animal Camouflage – simple website that describes different ways animals hide in their surroundings
Virtual Field Trip to the San Diego Zoo – explore the site, answer questions
Zoo-logical – a logic puzzle about dinosaurs, mainly for fun
Fish Temperature Lab – investigate how the respiration rate of a fish changes with temperate; graphing
Fish Temperature Make-up Lab – same as above, online version for students not in class
Observation of a Living Fish – simple lab where students observe a fish in a beaker
Mammal Chart – fill in a chart on the mammal orders; write descriptions and relatives
Compare: Amphibians and Fish – venn diagram, made by gliffy
Animal Report – diagram to record information about a specific animal (research)
Animal Behavior
Territorial Behavior in Crickets – mark and observe crickets as they interact with each other
The Dog Whisperer
– a flow chart guide that will work with any episode of Cesar Milan’s show
