Animal Groups Sorting Mats with Real Photos | Classification | SLP SPED Autism
Product Description
Animal Groups Sorting Mats with Real Photos | Animal Classification Activity | 9 Hands-On Sorting Mats
Build essential animal classification skills with this engaging set of 9 sorting mats featuring REAL PHOTOS of animals throughout! Perfect for elementary science, special education, autism classrooms, and early childhood settings, these sorting mats teach students to identify and classify animals by their groups — covering vertebrates, invertebrates, mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, amphibians, nocturnal animals, AND oviparous animals.
With REAL PHOTOS for authentic visual support (ideal for autism classrooms, ELL students, and emerging learners), this hands-on classification activity builds science vocabulary, categorization skills, and visual discrimination through engaging real-world animal imagery.
★ Perfect for: Elementary Science Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Autism Classrooms, Self-Contained Classrooms, Resource Rooms, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), Life Skills Classes, ELL/ESL Teachers, Paraprofessionals, ABA Therapists, Early Childhood, PreK, Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, and 4th Grade
What's Included — 9 Animal Group Sorting Mats:
🦴 Body Structure Classification:
- Vertebrates (animals with backbones)
- Invertebrates (animals without backbones)
🐾 Animal Classes:
- Mammals
- Reptiles
- Birds
- Fish
- Amphibians
🌙 Behavior & Reproduction Classification:
- Nocturnal Animals (active at night)
- Oviparous Animals (egg-laying animals)
All sorting mats feature REAL PHOTOS of animals!
Animal Classification Concepts Covered:
Students learn to classify animals by:
- Body structure (vertebrate vs. invertebrate)
- Animal class (mammal, reptile, bird, fish, amphibian)
- Behavior (nocturnal vs. diurnal)
- Reproduction (oviparous — egg-laying)
This comprehensive set covers many major animal classification concepts taught in elementary science — making it a great resource for any animal unit!
Skills Targeted in This Sorting Mats Set:
- Animal classification (multiple categories)
- Vertebrates and invertebrates awareness
- Mammal identification and characteristics
- Reptile, bird, fish, amphibian classification
- Nocturnal animal recognition
- Oviparous animal identification (egg-laying)
- Categorization and sorting
- Science vocabulary
- Visual discrimination
- Critical thinking
- Receptive and expressive language
- Following directions
- Independent work skills
(Update--In the photo the amphibians mat says "amphibian." It has been updated to use the plural form of the word. It now says, "amphibians.")
If your students benefit from activities using real photos, there are many more in my collection. You can find them at the links below:
