Science 4th grade | UNIT 1: Humans and animals 1.2 The human skeleton
We have 206 bones in our skeletons. There are different kinds of bones in the skeleton:
• Long bones, like the bones in our legs and arms. The thigh bone is the long bone in your leg.
• Short bones, like those in our fingers.
• Flat bones, like those that make up our skull.
• Irregular bones, like the bones in our spine.
Activity 1.2 (Making a skeleton)
You will need: different shapes of pasta - black - construction paper - paper glue
Look at the human skeleton on the opposite page. Notice the sizes and shapes of the bones and how they are arranged.
Plan how you will make a skeleton from different pasta shapes.
Arrange the pasta shapes on the paper to make your skeleton.
When you are happy with your skeleton, glue the shapes onto the paper.
Questions
1) Is the skull made of one bone or many bones?
2) Why do you think the skull is important?
3) Which is the biggest bone in the body? Why do you think this is so?
4) Which are the smallest bones in the body?
5) What parts of your body do you think the ribs surround? Why do you think the ribs are there?
6) Women usually have wider hip bones than men. Why do you think this is so?
