1. Lesson 35 What are vertebrates?

2. What do goldfish, frogs, turtles, robins, and people all have in common? They are vertebrates. Vertebrates are animals with backbones.

3. The backbone protects the spinal cord. The spinal cord is made up of many nerves which eventually spread out to your whole body. The backbone also helps support the animal.

4. Vertebrates also have a skeleton inside their body. This internal skeleton protects the animal from harm. An internal skeleton is also called an endoskeleton.

5. There are five major groups of vertebrates. They are: fish amphibians reptiles birds mammals

6. You can probably name birds and fishes, but do you know what animals are amphibians?

7. What about reptiles?

8. You should be able to name many, many mammals.