Scientists have a special system to keep track of plants and animals. They don't want to confuse a dog with a coyote, or a honey bee with a killer bee.
Every kind of plant or animal belongs to its own group, or "species." Similar species belong to a larger group, called a "genus." For example, dogs and wolves are two species. They are cousins belonging to the same "genus" (Canis) and the same "family:" canines, or Canidae.
These families belong to larger groups, too. Today, we'll look at members of a big group called the vertebrates. These are animals that have backbones. Do you have a backbone? Great. You're part of this group!



Ever wonder where a butterfly comes from? It comes from a chrysalis (KRIS-uh-liss) which is also called a pupa. A chrysalis looks like a tiny leathery pouch. You can find one underneath some leaves in the summer.
Some animals don't change much as they grow up. Think about it: someone your age looks a lot like a grown-up. Grown-ups have more wrinkles and gray hair. But they still have two arms, two legs and one head—just like you.
We're going to meet an animal that's very different—the butterfly. Butterflies go through four life stages, and they look very different at each stage.