Animals can be categorized in many different ways. Scientists and community scientists* use taxonomy or the system used to categorize living things. One way animals are classified is by phylum-sorting animals into categories starting with first, whether they have a backbone or no backbone. Elementary-aged children do not need to know the scientific systems by which animals are categorized, but they do need to begin observing and identifying characteristics that place-specific animals in specific groups. For this activity, children will focus on reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Both reptiles and amphibians have a backbone, while invertebrates, as the name implies, do not.

*Community scientist is the inclusive term and is synonymous with citizen scientist.