Biology
Kingdoms of Life
Guidelines for Chordate Packet
This unit will be a survey of the chordate group of animals with an emphasis on
vertebrates. Over the next few days, you will read chapters 30, 31 and 32 about fish,
amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. During this time you will complete a worksheet and a
comparison chart. This will allow you to compare and contrast each group based on the
categories outlined below. At the end of this unit, you will be expected to be able to explain
why the chordate phylum is organized the way that it is based on characteristics of each class
(see picture below).
Directions: go through each step below in order to complete this packet of work pertaining to
chordates. You will need a biology book in order to complete these tasks.
Step 1: Complete the worksheets labeled Section 30-1 The Chordates (pages 767-770) and
Section 33-1 Chordate Evolution (pages 849-852). These worksheets are due Thursday, 6/9.
Step 2: Read chapters 30, 31, and 32 in the biology book. As you read each section, fill in the
chart comparing fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Be as specific as possible, but
choose your words carefully as space is limited.
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What is it? – include a description of group characteristics that set that particular group
apart from the rest.
Feeding –how does it get/eat food (jaws, paired appendages, etc…)
Respiration – lungs, gills, both, etc…
Circulation – example: # of chambers of the heart
Reproduction – amniotic egg, live birth, etc…
Movement – number/type of limbs, how it gets around, etc…
Body temperature control – endothermy or ectothermy (see page 855)
Groupings – identifies and describes all major groups within each class.
Ecology – explanation of different habitats where the groups are found and their role(s)
in their habitat.
Step 3: Redraw the cladogram (evolutionary tree on the back of this sheet) in your science
notebook. Using the word bank provided, match the characteristics to the appropriate nodes.
Each node represents the point at which the trait(s) evolved and is/are passed on to all
descendants. Note: some traits are lost in later branches of the evolutionary tree and
some traits have evolved more than one time.
Biology
Kingdoms of Life
Guidelines for Chordate Packet
Step 3: Redraw the cladogram (evolutionary tree) below in your science notebook. Using the
word bank provided, match the characteristics to the appropriate nodes. Each node represents
the point at which the trait(s) evolved and is/are passed on to all descendants. Note: some
traits are lost in later branches of the evolutionary tree and some traits have evolved
more than one time.
Word Bank: (words may be used more than once)
Amniotic egg
Endothermy
Feathers
Hair
Jaws
Lungs
Vertebrae
Milk (mammary glands)
Paired appendages
Tetrapod (4 legs)
True bones
FISH
What is it?
Feeding
Respiration
Circulation
Reproduction
AMPHIBIANS
REPTILES
BIRDS
MAMMALS
FISH
Movement
Body Temperature
Groupings
Ecology
AMPHIBIANS
REPTILES
BIRDS
MAMMALS