Invertebrates Card Sort Game

This printable or digital resource is a Card Sort Game used to reinforce and review the distinguishing characteristics of the most common invertebrate animal phyla: Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Rotifera, Mollusca, Annelida, Arthropoda, and Echinodermata. Students will match descriptions / functions / pictures to the correct phylum. This resource is editable and is easily differentiated for students of different grade levels and ability levels.

Purpose: To reinforce and review the characteristics of 10 Common Invertebrate Phyla.

What is included in this resource?

• 10 Printable and Editable Invertebrate Phyla Cards
• 129 Printable and Editable Answer Cards
• Paperless, digital Google Apps Version for use in Google Drive, Google Classroom, Microsoft OneDrive, or similar.
• 4 Page Teacher Instruction Guide
• 4 Page Teacher Answer Key
• Teacher Guide to Google Apps
• Editable Student Answer Sheet
• An edible set of blank cards is included in case you want to add something of your own to the game.

The number of new science vocabulary words can be overwhelming to our students. Practice and review in a game format is an excellent method of drilling and reinforcing the vocabulary.

What will the students be doing?

Students will place the 10 larger phylum cards on a table. They will read the answer card and place that card with the correct phylum. The answer cards include characteristics of each phylum, and pictures of organisms belonging to each phylum. In the digital version, students will "drag and drop" the answer cards to the correct phylum cards.

In my classes, I choose to concentrate on 10 of the most common invertebrate animal phyla. If you need to add additional phyla, blank cards are included for that purpose. The 10 phyla represented in this card sort game are as follows:

• Phylum Porifera with 13 answer cards
• Phylum Cnidaria with 16 answer cards
• Phylum Ctenophora with 7 answer cards
• Phylum Platyhelminthes with 13 answer cards
• Phylum Nematoda with 8 answer cards
• Phylum Rotifera with 5 answer cards
• Phylum Annelida with 12 answer cards
• Phylum Mollusca with 17 answer cards
• Phylum Arthropoda with 24 answer cards
• Phylum Echinodermata with 14 answer cards

Extremely Low Prep! Once you download the product, you are just minutes away from using this game with your class. Simply:

1. Print

2. Laminate

3. Cut

4. Play!

5. You now have a review game that can be used year after year after year,.

Easily adapted for students of different grades or ability levels. This particular game is extremely versatile. Make the game as easy or as hard as you want by selecting which “phylum cards” and which “answer cards” you want to use. This game can be tailored to meet the needs of any life science or biology class. For an advanced class, use all of the phylum and the corresponding answer cards. For a younger class, or a lower level class, pick fewer phyla to use in the game with fewer corresponding answer cards.

Because you tailor the game to meet your needs, this product is suitable for any life science or biology class in grades 8-12.

I have included a student answer sheet. It is an optional component. If you choose, you can use the answer sheet to have the student record each answer statement. The completed answer sheet makes a perfect study guide for the unit test.

How can this cell organelle game be used?

1. Competitive Game Format: I organize and separate the class into teams. I pick one phylum and announce it to the class. For example, you might say, “Find 6 answer cards for the phylum cnidaria.” Students must quickly go through all of the answer cards and find all cards that match the chosen phylum. The first group to find all matching answer cards wins the round. Choose a second phylum and repeat. I often award a few extra credit points to the winning team members.
2. First Day Instruction: Without any prior instruction on invertebrates, have the students use their textbooks to look up information on each phylum. This works best in a setting where the students can spread out a bit. The students first lay out the phylum cards. As they read their textbooks, they align the matching answer cards to the phylum card. After all answer cards have been placed, students can take notes on the enclose answer sheet. Don't forget ... There is also a digital version included.
3. Reinforcement: The cards are perfect for individualized or small group review and reinforcement. Students can grab a bag of cards during study hall, before school or after school to study and review at their own pace.

Related products include:

Phylum Porifera and Phylum Cnidaria PowerPoint and Notes

Introduction to Animals Warm Ups and Interactive Notebook Pages

Porifera, Cnidaria, and Ctenophora Warm Ups and Interactive Notebook Pages

Platyhelminthes and Nematoda Warm Ups and Interactive Notebook Pages

Mollusca and Annelida Warm Ups and Interactive Notebook Pages

Phylum Arthropoda Warm Ups and Interactive Notebook Pages

Phylum Echinodermata and the Invertebrate Chordates Warm Ups and Interactive Notebook Pages

Phylum Mollusca Complete Unit Bundle

Phylum Annelida Complete Unit Bundle

Phylum Annelida Task Cards

Flatworms and Roundworms Complete Unit Bundle

Phylum Porifera and Cnidaria Complete Unit Bundle

Phylum Mollusca PowerPoint

Phylum Mollusca Task Cards

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