UNIT OVERVIEW

Animals come in many different shapes and sizes. A jellyfish floats through the ocean, an earthworm burrows through soil, and a spider builds a web. Why are they so different? The answer is their body plan—the basic structure that determines how an animal lives, moves, eats, and survives.

In this unit, you will study six major groups (phyla) of animals. You will learn how features like body shape, layers of cells, and internal spaces affect how animals function. You will also discover why invertebrates (animals without backbones) are vital for farming and ecosystems in South Africa.