All About Mammals...
OBJECTIVES:
I CAN tell what a mammal is.
I CAN describe the traits of a mammal.
I CAN create a mammal and describe its traits.
I CAN describe the traits of a mammal.
I CAN create a mammal and describe its traits.
LEARN:
What makes a mammal a mammal?
These are some of the things we talked about in class. Do you remember?
Animals that are mammals have many things that put them into the mammal group. Mammals are called vertebrates. This means that they have a spine or backbone, just like you and me. Can you reach around and feel your spine? You are a mammal!
Mammals are also warm-blooded. This means that the body of a mammal stays the same temperature, no matter if it is hot or cold around them. Even when it's cold outside, mammals can make their own body heat to stay warm. When it's hot outside, they can even cool their body temperature to keep cool when it's hot.
Mammals breathe with lungs. If you take a deep breath, you will feel your lungs fill up just like a balloon! Your lungs are filling up with oxygen. Mammals are the only group of animals that breathe with lungs by taking in oxygen.
Almost all mammal moms give birth to live young instead of laying eggs like birds and other animals do. Mammals are the only animal type that give birth this way with live young. There are a few mammals that do not give birth to their young this way, though. We'll find out which ones don't soon.
When baby mammals are born, they are fed milk from their mom. Mammal moms make this milk in their own body just so their babies can have food! Their milk is a lot like the milk we drink everyday. There are vitamins and minerals to help the babies grow big and strong!
Finally, mammals must have fur or hair. No other type of animal has fur or hair like a mammal does. Sometimes mammals are born with fur or hair, but lose it once they get older. Some are born without fur or hair and as they get older they grow more and more!
Now, watch this video and learn even more about mammals!
These are some of the things we talked about in class. Do you remember?
Animals that are mammals have many things that put them into the mammal group. Mammals are called vertebrates. This means that they have a spine or backbone, just like you and me. Can you reach around and feel your spine? You are a mammal!
Mammals are also warm-blooded. This means that the body of a mammal stays the same temperature, no matter if it is hot or cold around them. Even when it's cold outside, mammals can make their own body heat to stay warm. When it's hot outside, they can even cool their body temperature to keep cool when it's hot.
Mammals breathe with lungs. If you take a deep breath, you will feel your lungs fill up just like a balloon! Your lungs are filling up with oxygen. Mammals are the only group of animals that breathe with lungs by taking in oxygen.
Almost all mammal moms give birth to live young instead of laying eggs like birds and other animals do. Mammals are the only animal type that give birth this way with live young. There are a few mammals that do not give birth to their young this way, though. We'll find out which ones don't soon.
When baby mammals are born, they are fed milk from their mom. Mammal moms make this milk in their own body just so their babies can have food! Their milk is a lot like the milk we drink everyday. There are vitamins and minerals to help the babies grow big and strong!
Finally, mammals must have fur or hair. No other type of animal has fur or hair like a mammal does. Sometimes mammals are born with fur or hair, but lose it once they get older. Some are born without fur or hair and as they get older they grow more and more!
Now, watch this video and learn even more about mammals!
Just like in the video you just watched above, there is an exception to all the rules of mammals. Take a look at the videos below to see these tricky mammals!
EXPLORE:
Check out these links for even more cool facts about mammals. Plus there are some really cool pictures too! Which one is your favorite?
- http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals/mammals
- http://www.ducksters.com/animals/mammals.php
- http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/
- http://kids.discovery.com/tell-me/animals/mammals
CREATE:
Click on the link below to go to the Mammal Maker game. Your job is to create your very own mammal. Your animal might have the head of an elephant, the body of a human, and the legs of a giraffe. Oh my! Tell where it lives, what it eats, and why it's a mammal. Print your mammal and share with the class in our Mammal Manual book!