Why do our skeletons have so many bones?
Bones, Animal Structures
Lesson narration:
English | Spanish
Activity Prep
In this mini-lesson, K-5 students consider what would happen if their body didn't have bones. In the activity, Skeleton Hand, students combine science with art: they trace their hands, then add see-through bones to their picture, making their own skeleton hand. The activity includes an extension for older students to compare their hand bones to the bones of a mystery animal.
What you’ll need for students
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Going Batty (Grades 3-5) printout | Print 30 copies |
| Going Batty (Grades 3-5) Answer Key teacher-only resource | 1 copy |
| Skeleton Hand Discussion Potential Answers teacher-only resource | 1 copy |
| Clean-up Supplies (Eg. Paper Towels) | 1 roll |
| Crayons | 30 crayons |
| Extra Crayons for Extension (Grades 3-5) | 90 crayons |
| Table Covering (eg. Trash Bags) | 8 bags |
| Vegetable Oil | 8 tablespoons |
| Colored Construction Paper | 30 sheets |
| Plastic Cup (2 oz) | 8 cups |
| Q-tip | 30 Q-tips |
Prepare Cups of Oil
Pour about a tablespoon of oil into a cup for each group of 4 students. You will distribute these during the activity.
Optional Extension for Older Grades
We’ve included a worksheet for students in Grades 3 to 5 to complete after making the skeleton hand. They will have the opportunity to compare the bones in their own arm with the bones in a bat wing.
Discuss
1. How are the bones in bat wings and human hands similar to each other? How are they different?
2. Thinking about how bats use their wings and how humans use their hands, can you explain the differences in their bones?
🎉 That’s it for this lesson! How did it go?