Mississippi Science ZOO.7.2

ScienceGrades 9–12Zoology I and II

The Standard

ZOO.7: Students will understand the structure and function of phylum Chordata, classes Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes, and how they demonstrate the characteristics of living things.

Compare and contrast the characteristics of class Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes.

2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Phylum Chordata, Classes Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students compare sharks and rays with bony fish such as perch and trout. They use skeleton and gill features to explain what the groups share and how they differ.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given shark and perch diagrams, a student identifies cartilage versus bone and visible gill slits versus a gill cover. They name fins and gills as features both share.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think sharks have bones because their skeletons are firm. They may also think every fish has a swim bladder or mistake visible gill slits for a gill cover.
How to Assess It: Show shark and perch diagrams. Ask students to name each skeleton material, describe each animal's gills, and list one shared trait.

Lesson moves

Give pairs shark, ray, perch, and trout cards with skeleton and gill diagrams; have them sort the cards into two groups.
Have students write two sentences explaining why a shark is not a bony fish, using a skeleton diagram as evidence.
Play a fish-clue match game: students pair shark, ray, trout, and perch cards with skeleton and gill feature cards.
Have students make aquarium tank labels for a stingray and a perch, naming each animal's skeleton material and gill structure.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to ZOO.7.2, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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