Select the one animal that has all of the fish traits listed above.
European flounders have a flat body and fins. They spend most of their time lying flat on the ocean floor. Both of their eyes are on the top of their head. European flounders have scaly skin and lay eggs with no shells. American tree sparrows have a beak and lay eggs with shells. They have dark feathers on their wings and lighter feathers on other parts of their bodies. Male tree sparrows sing songs to attract mates.
Fish are a group of animals with similar traits. The following traits can be used to identify fish:
They have fins, not limbs.
They make eggs with no shells. Observe the animals and read the descriptions.
Scientists sort animals with similar traits into groups. This is called classification. Classification helps scientists learn about how animals live.
How do scientists classify animals? First, they make observations about an animal. Scientists observe the animal's traits, including its body parts and behavior. Then, scientists compare the animal's traits to other animals' traits. Scientists classify animals with similar traits into a group.
To decide if an animal is part of a group, look at the traits of the group.
Fish have the following traits:
They have fins, not limbs.
They make eggs with no shells.
Compare each animal's traits to the group's traits. Select the animal with traits similar to the group's traits.
An American tree sparrow has the following traits:
It has feathers.
It has wings.
It has a beak.
It makes eggs with shells.
An American tree sparrow does not have all of the traits of a fish. An American tree sparrow is a bird.
A European flounder has the following traits:
It has fins, not limbs.
It makes eggs with no shells.
A European flounder has the traits of a fish. A European flounder is a fish.