Why do our skeletons have so many bones?

Lesson narration:

English Spanish

DISCUSS:

What do bones do for your body?

EXTENSION FOR OLDER STUDENTS

Students Grade 3 and up can extend this activity by comparing the human hand to the bones of a mystery animal. Go to the next slide for step-by-step instructions.

DISCUSS (1 of 2):

How are the bones in bat wings and human hands similar to each other? How are they different?

answer-key

DISCUSS (2 of 2):

Thinking about how bats use their wings and how humans use their hands, can you explain the differences in their bones?

Lesson narration:

English Spanish

Exploration

15 mins

Hands-On Activity

30 mins

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Discussions

Activity

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Credits

Going Batty (Grades 3-5) printout	1 per student
Going Batty (Grades 3-5) Answer Key teacher-only resource	1 per class
Skeleton Hand Discussion Potential Answers teacher-only resource	1 per class
Clean-up Supplies (Eg. Paper Towels)	1 roll per class
Crayons Black, dark blue, or purple will work best.	Details 1 crayon per student
Extra Crayons for Extension (Grades 3-5) Each 3rd-5th grade student also needs a yellow, green, and red crayon.	Details 3 crayons per student
Table Covering (eg. Trash Bags)	1 bag per group
Vegetable Oil Baby oil or mineral oil will also work.	Details 1 tablespoon per group
Colored Construction Paper Yellow, orange, red, or pink will work best.	Details 1 sheet per student
Plastic Cup (2 oz)	1 cup per group
Q-tip	1 Q-tip per student

Why do our skeletons have so many bones?

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Activity Prep

Prepare Cups of Oil

Optional Extension for Older Grades

15 mins

30 mins

Extend this lesson

Discussions

Activity

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