Math and science
Shape Detective
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Thinking sheet · Math and science
Sort the Animals
Pick six animals, record their legs, body covering and home, then sort them into groups.
- Grades
- 1–5
- Time
- about 25 minutes
- Topic
- Math and science
- Kids practice
- classifying animals, using a table, animal features
What kids do
“Fur, feathers or scales? Sort these animals like a scientist.”
- My animals
- I found
- Draw the animal that was hardest to sort
- Why was it tricky?
How to run it
- Give younger kids picture cards to choose from.
- Tricky ones are great: penguins, bats, whales, platypuses.
- Sort the class’s animals on the board.
Talk about it
- What makes a mammal a mammal?
- Which animal surprised you?
- Is there more than one way to sort?
Take it further
Invent a new animal and decide which group it belongs in.
Pairs well with
Free for home and classroom use. Print as many copies as you need.
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