The Human Skeleton

Concept
This lesson introduces the students to the human skeleton including the
function of the skeleton, some of the main bones and the cells that make
up bones.

Activity – the Skeleton

Biology - Level 4
This activity introduces the students to the overall structure of the skeletal
system including its main parts and functions.

Materials and Equipment

!Model of a human skeleton or if a model cannot be found, posters of the
human skeleton.
!Diagram of the names of the main bones as follows:

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 The Human Skeleton

Procedure
!Discuss with the students why we have a skeleton and what are it main
functions:
· Shape
· Protection of internal organs
· Support of our organs and flesh
· Movement by attaching to muscles

Biology - Level 4
· Mineral storage such as calcium
· Blood production in the bone marrow
!Have students come up to the model and identify the main bones (use
the common and scientific names) and what their specific function is e.g.
· Skull or cranium protects the brain
· Thigh bone or femur allows us to move our legs, supports our upper

Activity – Skeleton Puzzle

Once the students are familiar with the overall structure of the skeleton, this
activity can be used to reinforce the main parts in their own time.

Materials and Equipment

!Handout of jumbled bones
!Handout of bone labels with common and scientific
names

Procedure
!Following on from the previous activity, by using their own knowledge and
by doing their own research, students cut out the bone puzzle and use the
labels to correctly label the skeleton.
!Students should also discuss the function of the bones that make up the
puzzle based on previous discussions. Primary
!They can present their skeletons to the class in ‘bone groups’ e.g. leg Science
bones, arm bones, head bones, chest bones, pelvic bones. Teaching
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 The Human Skeleton
Jumbled Bones

Biology - Level 4

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 The Human Skeleton
Bone Labels

SKULL TOE BONES TAIL BONE

(CRANIUM) (PHALANGES) (COCCYX)

FOOT BONES SHIN BONE COLLAR BONE

Biology - Level 4
(METATARSALS) (TIBIA) (CLAVICLE)

LOWER JAW BONE RIBS HAND BONES

(MANDIBLE) (COSTAE) (METACARPALS)

THIGH BONE BACKBONE WRIST BONES

(FEMUR) (VERTEBRAL (CARPALS)
COLUMN)

ANKLE BONES KNEECAPS BREAST BONE

(TARSALS) (PATELLA) (STERNUM)

INNER FOREARM HIP BONE ARM BONE

(RADIUS) (PELVIS) (HUMERUS)

CALF BONE FINGER BONES OUTER FOREARM

(FIBULA) (PHALANGES) (ULNA)

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 The Human Skeleton

Activity – What are Bones made of?

This activity and demonstration can be used to introduce the students to the
smallest building blocks of bones – bone cells.

Main ideas to introduce to the students:

!Skeleton is made up of bones. Bones are in turn made up of bone cells.
!All body structures and organs are made up of smaller building blocks or

Biology - Level 4
cells that are special to that part of the body.
!Bone cells cannot be seen by the naked eye because they are microscopic.
You need a microscope to see them.
!Cells for a particular body part have a special shape and function for that
body part and a specific name.

Materials and Equipment

!If available – light microscopes and slides of bone cells
!In place of a microscope and slides, pictures of bone cells can be used –
search the internet for bone cell images.
!At this stage can introduce the names of bone cells: osteoclasts and
osteoblasts.

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Explanation MONASH
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This lesson introduces students to: CENTRE
!The main functions of the human skeleton © 2006
!The main structures and bones
!Bone names - both scientific and common
!The concept that bone is made of smaller building blocks – bone cells. Page
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