What Are Fish? — Interactive Lesson (KS1)

Do fish breathe the same way we do? This 15-slide interactive lesson answers What are fish? and teaches children how fish are built for life underwater.

Learning About Fish in KS1 Science

Children learn to name key features of fish, understand that fish live and breathe underwater, and practise sorting fish from other animals. They discover that most fish are covered in tiny, flat scales that protect their body like a suit of armour, that fish breathe through gills rather than lungs, and that fins help them swim and steer. Scientists sort fish into groups based on their skeleton, including bony fish such as salmon and tuna, and cartilaginous fish such as sharks.

What’s Included

• 15-slide interactive lesson on fish, with a supporting video
• Learning objectives on features, breathing and sorting animals
• Scales, gills and fins explained with their functions
• Bony fish versus cartilaginous fish
• Sorting and fill-in-the-blank activities with instant feedback

Key Benefits for Students

• Builds a clear picture of how fish are adapted to water
• Introduces scientific classification by skeleton type
• Uses familiar fish such as salmon, tuna and sharks
• Instant feedback on answer questions

Why Teachers Love It

• No prep — ready for whole-class teaching on an interactive whiteboard
• The video adds a visual introduction to the topic
• Self-marking questions support independent practice
• Suits small groups and whole-class sessions
• Fits naturally alongside other animal classification lessons

Love this? You’ll love…

• What Are Amphibians? — Interactive Lesson (KS1)
• What Are Reptiles? — Interactive Lesson (KS1)
• The Sense of Sight — Interactive Lesson (Ages 5–7)

A dependable addition to a KS1 science topic, giving children a clear introduction to how fish are adapted to underwater life. Answering What are fish?, and comparing bony and cartilaginous types, is an early step into scientific classification.

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FAQs

What year group is this for?
KS1 — Years 1–2 (ages 5–7).

Does it include a video?
Yes — a supporting video introduces the topic.

Is it self-marking?
Yes, with instant feedback on the questions.