Long-tailed Weasels are voracious predators, foraging day and night for small vertebrates, and scavenging for carrion when necessary. In captivity, adults can consume an amount equal to one-third their own body weight in 24 hours. Learn...

White-nosed Coatis are the most diurnal members of the family Procyonidae. They often sleep curled up in trees, and come down at dawn to forage, rooting with their long, mobile snouts and digging with long, curved claws for insects,...

Hot, dry, sandy uplands in central and coastal Florida are habitats for prickly pear cactus, pocket gophers, gopher tortoises, and the Florida Mouse. Gopher tortoises dig long, deep burrows that provide homes for Florida Mice and as many...

An exhibit that explains why the embryos of vertebrates look so much alike.

Welcome to Hideaway Island where five pirates need to find crews for their ships. Join in and learn about animals with backbones.

A slide show that demonstrates the development of physical structure in the animal world, moving from sponges through mammals.

This unit will describe the five kingdoms and their main characteristics. It includes 20 interactive activities.

From a PBS television series, this site offers a summary of the features which characterize the phylum chordata and includes multiple color photos.

Learn how all living things are classified.

This unit contains interactive lessons on animal ecosystems, animal classification, adaptations, and food chains.

Explore the behaviors, characteristics, and diversity of chordates.

This digital textbook covers core biology concepts and includes interactive features, real-world examples, videos, and study guides.

This digital textbook covers core life science concepts and includes interactive features, real-world examples, and videos.

A concise site that describes the four basic features that all chordates share.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Overview of the characteristics and classification of chordates.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how mammals maintain their body temperature.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Covers the characteristics and traits of mammals.

[Free Registration/Login Required] In this unit children learn about how the skeleton is related to movement and support in humans and what happens to the skeleton and muscles as they move. They also compare human bones and skeletons...

Use this site to find out what a skeleton is with this quick fact sheet.

This site from the University of Manitoba provides an explanation of the purpose and structure of the respiratory and circulatory systems. Follow the link to the images.

This site contains several pictures of vertebrate fossils. The text would be too difficult for elementary school but the pictures of the vertebrates could be used to supplement the lesson plan.

This site contains several pictures of vertebrate fossils. The text would be too difficult for elementary school but the pictures of the vertebrates could be used to supplement the lesson plan.

In the language of the Mayan peoples who once inhabited this region, Sian Ka'an means 'Origin of the Sky'. Located on the east coast of the Yucatan peninsula, this biosphere reserve contains tropical forests, mangroves and marshes, as...

The palaeontological site of Miguasha National Park, in south-eastern Quebec on the southern coast of the Gaspe peninsula, is considered to be the world's most outstanding illustration of the Devonian Period known as the 'Age of Fishes'....