Vertebrates and Invertebrates KS2

Diving into the animal kingdom and teaching the difference between vertebrates and invertebrates in KS2 is one of those exciting science topics that gets kids curious and engaged. It’s a topic filled with fascinating creatures, fun facts, and hands-on exploration opportunities. Let’s chat about some creative ways to bring this lesson to life, help children remember the difference, and make it stick!

What Are Vertebrates and Invertebrates?

At the heart of the animal kingdom, there are two major groups: vertebrates and invertebrates.

• Vertebrates are animals that have a backbone or spine. Think mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians! They come in all shapes and sizes, from a tiny mouse to a towering giraffe.

• Invertebrates, on the other hand, don’t have a backbone. They might be squishy, slimy, or even have shells! These include insects, spiders, worms, jellyfish and snails. These creatures make up the majority of the animal kingdom!

Make it Visual

For KS2 students, visuals make a big difference. A great way to start is with a simple diagram of a backbone and pictures of both vertebrates and invertebrates. You could even have a “Spine or No Spine?” guessing game with animal pictures to get them thinking! Encourage students to make observations with thinking questions such as, “Does this animal look like it has a backbone?” or “How do you think it moves without a spine?”

A Simple KS2 Vertebrates Diagram

Classifying Vertebrates and Invertebrates

Once children know how vertebrates are different from invertebrates, you can dig deeper into each category:

1. Vertebrate Groups: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Make it fun by associating each group with traits (e.g., “mammals have hair or fur, birds have feathers”).

2. Invertebrate Groups: Insects, arachnids, mollusks, crustaceans, and more. Show them how different and diverse invertebrates are. Some have hard exoskeletons (like crabs) and some have soft bodies (like jellyfish).

An easy activity is to sort animals into these categories. You could use a worksheet, a sorting card game, or even use small plastic animal figures for a hands-on practical activity.

How to Teach Vertebrates and Invertebrates in KS2 - Practical and Fun!

Backbone Investigation: Let children feel their own backbone! This tactile activity helps them understand how their spine supports them and makes them vertebrates.

Nature Walk: Take your class on a nature walk to look for different animals. They can record whether each animal they spot is a vertebrate (e.g. bird) or invertebrate (e.g. earthworm) and guess which group it belongs to. You can take pictures for your working wall too!

Animal Charades: Ask children to take it in turns to act out an animal (without speaking), while their partner guesses whether it's a vertebrate or an invertebrate.

Creative Art: Children can create their own “X-rays” by drawing a simple skeleton for their chosen vertebrate!

Fun Facts About Invertebrates and Vertebrates

Here are a few fun facts to share with your class:

• Did you know? The largest animal on Earth, the blue whale, is a vertebrate, while the tiniest invertebrate, the microscopic plankton, is even smaller than a grain of sand!
• Invertebrates rule the world: Around 97% of all animal species are invertebrates. That’s a huge number!
• Vertebrates can be found everywhere: Birds, fish, and mammals have adapted to almost every part of Earth—from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains.