Echinoderm

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/echinoderm

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Phylum Echinodermata
2. What are echinoderms and what do they look like?Echinoderms are sea creatures like starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, brittle stars, and crinoids. They have spiny or bumpy skin and a five‑part body shape that stays the same from baby to adult.
3. How do echinoderms move?Echinoderms move with a special water system inside their bodies. Tiny tube feet on their underside act like suction cups, letting them crawl, climb, and even pull open shells.

Pentaradial Symmetry: A body plan characterized by five parts arranged around a central axis, typical of adult echinoderms.
Water Vascular System (WVS): A hydraulic network of canals and tube feet essential for echinoderm movement, feeding, and respiration.
Regeneration: The biological process of regrowing lost or damaged body parts, a prominent adaptation in echinoderms.
Aristotle's Lantern: A complex, five-part jaw apparatus found in sea urchins used for grazing on algae and other substrates.