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Bones and skeletons

Unit Overview:

This unit has been developed for middle primary students and teachers. The activities are designed primarily to support the Health & Physical Education and Science curricula, but have also been integrated across a number of key learning areas, including Technology, English and Society & Environment. The activities aim to cater for students with a range of abilities, and can be easily adapted or modified to suit individual needs.

Students will:

investigate body systems and structures
identify strategies for developing & maintaining strong healthy bones
work independently & in groups to research, gather, record & report on information
develop group discussion & problem solving skills
develop skills in using information technology and the internet

Useful sites

http://www.healthybones.com.au -a great site for teachers, developed to support National Healthy Bones Week. The site contains information about Bones Week, osteoporosis and suggested class activities. The site also has a quiz for students to complete.
http://www4.tpgi.com.au/users/amcgann/body/ - a site with simple text and graphics, designed for Year 3/4 students. Students can investigate the major systems of the Human Body and complete a fact sheet relating to the Skeletal system. Students will need to click on "Inside the Human Body" and select the Skeletal System link.
http://www.medtropolis.com/VBody.asp - a site containing information about the role of different bones, and a skeleton puzzle to reconstruct.
http://www.cln.org/themes/skeletal.html - a great site for teachers, providing links to a range of Internet sites which contain information and/or other links relating to the skeletal system.
http://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html - a site providing information and illustrations relating to human anatomy, including a section on the skeletal system.
http://www.osteo.org/ - an excellent American site where students can find information about bone disease & prevention. Although not specifically designed for children, the text is suitable for confident middle primary readers.
http://www.dairy.com.au - the Australian Dairy Industry’s web site provides information on calcium and good nutrition, and has published a range of calcium-rich recipes that students can access. The site also offers a kids page.

Introductory activities

Discuss the differences between vertebrates & invertebrates. List creatures belonging to each category.
In groups of two or three get children to brainstorm everything they know about bones (10 minute time limit). As a whole class, record the facts on a large chart. Leave a large section of the chart blank for the children to record on as they learn more about bones.
Ask the children to draw a picture of their skeleton - how do they think it looks? As a group look at a real skeleton & ask children to compare their own drawings.

Learning Activities

Visit one of the skeletal sites listed. Look at the range of bones in the body & discuss their different functions. The children can select one bone each to research. Use the completed research to create a class fact book about bones.
Discuss the composition of bones, and the importance of good nutrition in keeping bones strong & healthy. Visit the Australian Dairy Industry website and make a recipe book of calcium rich foods to share (ie milkshakes, salmon quiches, banana smoothies).
Position the body’s major organs on a photocopied picture of the skeleton. Discuss the role of the skeleton in protecting these organs. Use the sites listed to help find information.
Go to the Bone Disease site and research some diseases relating to bones (ie osteoporosis, osteomyelitis, osteogenesis imperfecta). Have students present an oral report on their findings.
Discuss bone degeneration and preventative strategies. Visit a local senior citizens club or home and prepare some calcium rich foods to share.
Discuss the role of weight bearing exercise in strengthening bones. Try some different weight bearing exercises (ie running, skipping, dance, hopscotch etc).
Use one of the sites listed or Encarta/World Book Encyclopaedia CD Rom to investigate the systems within the body that enable the skeleton to function (ie joints, ligaments, muscles & tendons). Make a model of an elbow joint using cardboard strips for bones, split pins to hold the joint together and an elastic band as a muscle

Extension Activities

Students can attempt to build a model of a skeleton using pipecleaners and playdough.
Arrange a visit to the local hospital to see the radiography department
Encourage students to erect a display in your local shopping centre for Healthy Bones Week.
Encourage students to make working models of different sections of the body (ie hands, feet, arms). Visit the Healthy Bones Site for possible ideas.

Investigate the skeletons of different creatures. Encourage children to bring bones/skeletons into school for display.