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SCIENCE YEAR 5
TERM 2 - CONTENTS
1. VERTEBRATES
There are many diferent types of animals in the world. The Animal Kindom
is di!ided into two ro"ps# !erte$rates and in!erte$rates.
All !erte$rates ha!e a backbone %also &nown as spinal 'ol"mn or spine(
formed $y small $ones 'alled !erte$rae) and their $ody is di!ided in head)
tr"n& and lim$s.
*erte$rates are di!ided into +!e 'lasses# mammals) $irds) reptiles) +sh and
amphi$ians.
1.1. Mammals
They ha!e head) tr"n& and lim$s. ,ost ha!e
lips and teeth.
,ost mammals ha!e hair or fur on their
$odies.
,ammals are viviparous- they $orn from their
mother.s wom$. The females prod"'e mil& to
feed their yo"n.
They are warm-blooded animals) whi'h means
that their temperat"re doesn.t depend on the
temperat"re o"tside- it stays the same when is
'old or hot o"tside.
They $reathe with their lungs.
,ammals feed on many thins. They 'an $e#
Carni!ores# they eat meat / s"'h as wol!es) whales and dolphins)
tiers0
1er$i!ores# they eat plants %lea!es) 2owers) fr"its0( 3 s"'h as horses)
irafes) ra$$its0
4mni!ores# they eat $oth plants and meat 3 s"'h as ra''oons)
$ears0
The se'ret to mammalian dominan'e lies in their warm-bloodedness
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1.2. Birds
They ha!e head) tr"n&) lim$s %two les and two
wins() a tail and a $ea&.
5irds ha!e fea!hers on their $odies.
They are oviviparous- they lay es on land.
Ad"lt $irds sit on the es to &eep them warm
"ntil they hat'h.
This pro'ess is 'alled in'"$ation.
They are warm-blooded animals) li&e
mammals.
They $reathe with their lungs.
,ost $irds 'an 2y. 1owe!er) some $irds 'annot
2y) li&e ostri'hes or pen"ins) e!en tho"h they
still ha!e wins.
6ependin on what they eat) $irds 'an $e#
Carni!ores) li&e owls and eales. ,any $irds eat inse'ts) they are
inse'ti!oro"s.
1er$i!ores) li&e parrots and t"r&eys. If they eat seeds) they are
rani!oro"s.
4mni!ores) li&e hens or pieons.
The shape and si7e of the $ea&s are adapted to the &inds of food
they eat.

1.3. Reptiles
They ha!e head) tr"n&) lim$s %les) e8'ept
sna&es( and tail.
They are 'o!ered with hard scales or a shell.
,ost reptiles are oviviparous
Reptiles are cold-blooded animals) whi'h
means their $ody temperat"re depends on the
temperat"re o"tside) so they need e8ternal
heat.
They $reathe with their lungs.
,ost reptiles li!e on land) $"t a few li!e in
water.
Reptiles 'an $e#
Carni!ores) li&e sna&es and 'ro'odiles.
1er$i!ores li&e some li7ards and t"rtles.
1.4. Fish
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They ha!e head) tr"n&) lim$s %+ns( and tail.
Their $ody is 'o!ered with scales.
They are oviviparous and cold-blooded
animals) so their internal $ody temperat"re
'hanes as the s"rro"ndin temperat"re
'hanes.
They $reathe thro"h gills. They $reathe $y
ta&in o8yen from the water in thro"h their
mo"ths) where it passes o!er the ills. The ills
a$sor$ o8yen from the water and send the
o8yen thro"ho"t the $ody.
,ost +sh ha!e a s&eleton made of $one $"t
some) li&e shar&s) ha!e a s&eleton made of
'artilae.
Some +sh are 'arni!ores. They eat other +sh and small animals and
inse'ts. 4ther +sh are omni!ores) they eat $oth plants and animals.
1.5. Amphibias
They ha!e head) tr"n& and lim$s %some ha!e
tail(.
They ha!e moist s&in. Amphi$ians also "se their
s&in to a$sor$ o'(gen from the air. The
a$sorption pro'ess is more e9'ient when the
s&in is moist all of the time.
They are oviviparous and cold-blooded
animals.
:hen they are yo"n they are a;"ati' and "se
gills to $reathe. :hen they $e'ome ad"lts)
they $reathe with lungs.
They o thro"h me!amorphosis. Yo"n
amphi$ians hat'h from es) $"t do not loo&
li&e their parents. As they de!elop) their $ody
shape 'hanes. There are three staes of
de!elopment) e) lar!ae and ad"lt.
Amphi$ians are her$i!ores as lar!ae and 'arni!ores as ad"lts.
Young
Frog
Tadpoles
Fertilized Eggs
Frog eggs are laid in water
The eggs hatch
into tadpoles a few
days to several
weeks later.
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Tadpoles gradually grow limbs, lose their tails and gills, and become
carnivores as they develop into terrestrial adults.