Invertebrates

What this unit covers

The Invertebrates unit sits in the Diversity of Life strand of Biology and natural sciences. It follows the animal phyla one by one. You will find sponges, cnidarians, flatworms, annelids, molluscs, arthropods and echinoderms, plus smaller groups such as water bears and ctenophores.

Where to start

Begin with the overview mind map called Invertebrates. Its branches run from Porifera and Cnidaria through Bilateria, Ecdysozoa and Lophotrochozoa to Echinodermata and Chordata. It gives you the whole tree before you look at the detail.

Then choose a phylum:

• For cnidarians, try the Cnidaria quiz. It asks about radial symmetry and diploblastic body plans.
• For molluscs, open the Phylum Mollusca Characteristics flashcards. They cover tissue layers, symmetry, the mantle and the shell.
• For arthropods, read the Arthropoda mind map. It covers insects and arachnids, life cycles and simple metamorphosis.

Insect orders and anatomy

Insects get a lot of space. The Bug Orders deck explains that Lepidoptera means scale wings and involves complete metamorphosis. The Entomology Orders deck pairs orders with examples such as cockroaches and beetles. The Grasshopper external anatomy deck labels the head, thorax and abdomen, along with parts such as the tympanum, spiracles and ovipositor.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a mind map first, then take a quiz on the same phylum. Note what you got wrong and go back to that branch of the map. Flashcards suit short bursts, such as learning the order names or the features of a phylum. Flowcharts, such as the one on how bees make honey, show a process step by step.

Teachers can use the slide set What are invertebrates? as an opener, then set a quiz as a check.

Make it your own

Pick one phylum today, work through its map and quiz, and then build a set of flashcards in your own words.