Year 6 Classification of Living Things Worksheet - Beginner

Year 6 Classification of Living Things worksheet for Year 6 (Key Stage 2 / Year 3-6 (Ages 7-11)). Beginner level science practice, aligned to the UK National Curriculum. Print-ready with answer key included.

Science•Key Stage 2 / Year 3-6 (Ages 7-11)•Animalsbeginner

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Living Things: The Classification Challenge

Year 6 Science • Ages 10–11 • Beginner

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Instructions: Explore how scientists group plants, animals and micro-organisms by their characteristics. Read each prompt carefully and use the information given; classification is about shared features, not simply where an organism lives.

The Scientist’s Word Bank

Choose the correct word from the word bank for each sentence. Use each word once. The clues focus on the characteristics used to classify living things.

Word bank: vertebrate, invertebrate, micro-organism, flowering plant, non-flowering plant

1. An animal with a backbone is a ___.

2. An animal without a backbone is an ___.

3. A living thing too small to see clearly without a microscope is a ___.

4. A plant that produces flowers and seeds is a ___.

5. A plant such as a fern, which reproduces using spores rather than flowers, is a ___.

Classify the Animals

Use the characteristics in each clue to decide whether the animal is a vertebrate or an invertebrate. Write one classification in each box. Remember: vertebrates have a backbone; invertebrates do not.

1. A robin has a backbone. It is a ___.

2. A spider has no backbone. It is an ___.

3. A trout has a backbone. It is a ___.

4. An earthworm has no backbone. It is an ___.

5. A frog has a backbone. It is a ___.

Plant Classification Clues

Read each description and classify the plant using the word bank. Look for whether it produces flowers or spores, and whether it has cones. Write the best classification in each box.

Word bank: flowering plant, fern, moss, conifer

1. This plant produces flowers, and its seeds develop inside fruit. ___

2. This plant has fronds and reproduces using spores; it does not make flowers. ___

3. This small plant has no true roots and reproduces using spores. ___

4. This plant produces cones that contain seeds and does not produce flowers. ___

5. A sunflower produces flowers and seeds. Classify it as a ___.

Micro-organism Check

Choose the best answer for each question. Micro-organisms are living things that are generally too small to see clearly without a microscope. Think carefully: some are useful, while some can cause disease.

1. Which instrument helps us see many micro-organisms?

2. Which group includes organisms such as yeast and mushrooms?

3. Which statement about bacteria is correct?

4. Which micro-organism is commonly used to help bread dough rise?

5. Why can micro-organisms be difficult to observe without equipment?

Build a Classification Key

Follow the numbered yes-or-no clues to classify each organism. Write the final group named by the key in the answer box. Use the clue pathway rather than guessing from the organism’s name.

Key: 1. Does it have a backbone? Yes → vertebrate; No → go to 2. 2. Is it an animal? Yes → invertebrate; No → go to 3. 3. Is it a plant? Yes → go to 4; No → micro-organism. 4. Does it produce flowers? Yes → flowering plant; No → non-flowering plant.

1. Butterfly: follow the key.

2. Salmon: follow the key.

3. Rose: follow the key.

4. Fern: follow the key.

5. Bacterium: follow the key.

Classification: True or False?

Decide whether each statement is true or false, then write one short correction for any statement you mark false. Use the characteristics from the earlier activities to support your decisions.

1. Every animal has a backbone. True or false?

2. Ferns reproduce using spores rather than flowers. True or false?

3. Micro-organisms are generally too small to see clearly without a microscope. True or false?

4. A conifer produces cones and does not produce flowers. True or false?

5. An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. True or false?

Answer Key

Activity 1: vertebrate ; invertebrate ; micro-organism ; flowering plant ; non-flowering plant

Activity 2: vertebrate ; invertebrate ; vertebrate ; invertebrate ; vertebrate

Activity 3: flowering plant ; fern ; moss ; conifer ; flowering plant

Activity 4: Microscope ; Fungi ; They are micro-organisms ; Yeast ; They are usually very small

Activity 5: invertebrate ; vertebrate ; flowering plant ; non-flowering plant ; micro-organism

Activity 6: False — some animals are invertebrates ; True ; True ; True ; True