Animal Classification: Arthropods

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Arthropods are everywhere!

Insects, spiders, crabs, shrimp, scorpions, and lobsters are a few examples of the many arthropods found worldwide.

Just like mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and birds, arthropods have certain characteristics that can identify them.

Read on to find out what these characteristics are!

Arthropods are similar to reptiles, amphibians, and fish.

They are cold-blooded, too! This means they have to get their body temperature up with warmth from the sun and cool in the shade.

This is why you don't see many insects crawling in the snow! They slow down when they get too cold.

You may notice that arthropods become much more active when their bodies are warm.

Arthropods have segmented bodies. This means their bodies are divided into different parts. Check out some of the arthropods below.

• Do you see the different segments in their bodies?

Ants have three body segments. Spiders have two body segments.

Arthropods have multiple limbs. Spiders have eight legs, and insects have six legs. Millipedes can have hundreds of legs!

Check out all the legs on the millipede below.

All arthropods have an exoskeleton. This is the protective shell on the outside of its body. This shell keeps them safe.

Check out the crab below. Crabs have strong exoskeletons to protect them from predators.

Arthropods have one characteristic that sets them apart from mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds — they don't have a backbone! This means they are invertebrates!

Arthropods, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and birds share something. They lay eggs.

Arthropods lay eggs, which hatch into their young. Some arthropods lay many eggs, and some only lay a few.

Scorpions do not lay eggs. They carry live babies on their backs until they are fully developed.

Before you move on to the next section, say out loud something that makes arthropods different from every other type of animal you have learned about so far. Then, say one thing they have in common with other animals.

Great work!

Move on to the Got It? section.