The Topic: Skeletal System Easier - A skeleton is an inner framework made of bone and cartilage. Bones are the hard material of a skeleton. The skeleton supports and/or protects the softer body parts of a fish, bird, or human. These animals are called vertebrates. They all have a backbone.   Harder - The skeleton is the flexible, bony framework found in all vertebrate animals. The skeleton maintains a body shape, protects vital organs, and provides a system of muscle levers that allow body movement. The skeleton contains bone marrow, the blood-forming tissues of the body. Bone marrow stores needed minerals such as calcium and phosphorus and releases them into the blood.   A human skeleton generally forms about 206 separate bones out of cartilage as it develops to maturity. Bones are connected to adjacent bones by joints. Joints are either movable as in the arm and leg or immovable as in the skull.   Facts About Fractures and Broken Bones from KidsHealth http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/aches/broken_bones.html Breaking a bone can be a pretty big deal, but it happens to lots of kids. This site can answer questions about broken bones. Related Websites: 2) Big Story on Bones from KidsHealth http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/body/bones_SW.html   Human Skeleton from Enchanted Learning http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/skeleton/Skelprintout.shtml This site provides basic information about our skeleton plus a Human Skeleton Printout.   Skeletal System from Your Gross and Cool Body, Discovery Communications Inc. http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/noflash/body/pg000124.html Here you can learn about bones and why they are so important. Related Websites: 2) Electronic Textbook on The Human Skeleton by L.M. Rossi http://www.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/depts/edu/textbooks/skeleton.html 3) Human Skelton from Kidport http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/Science/HumanBody/BodyBones.htm 4) Skeletal System http://www4.tpgi.com.au/users/amcgann/body/skeletal.html 5) Skeletal System http://emuseum.mnsu.edu/biology/humananatomy/skeletal/skeletalsystem.html 6) Skeletal System from Human Anatomy Online http://www.innerbody.com/image/skelfov.html 7) Skeletal System from Human Body Adventure http://vilenski.org/science/humanbody/hb_html/skeleton.html 8) Skeletal System http://www.sc2000.net/~czaremba/explanations/skeletal.html   Skeleton from BrainPop http://www.brainpop.com/health/skeletal/ Pick up some knowledge about bones at this site. Other Not-To-Be-Missed Sections from BrainPop: 2) Broken Bones (Online Video) http://www.brainpop.com/health/skeletal/brokenbones/index.weml 3) Skeleton (Online Video) http://www.brainpop.com/health/skeletal/skeleton/index.weml    After visiting several of the websites, complete one or more of the following activities.   Complete A Skeletal System Crossword Puzzle. Test your knowledge with this online crossword puzzle: The Skeletal System by M. Anderson. Follow up with the Skeleton System Word Search. An alternative activity would be to create your own crossword puzzle or word search for the skeletal system at DiscoverySchool's Puzzlemaker.   Take An Online Skeletal System Quiz. You can start with one or more of the following: (1) Skeletal System Self-Quiz from The Human Body Adventure, (2) Bones, Bones, and More Bones, and (3) The Skeletal System.   Create A Travel Brochure for the Human Skeletal System. You or your team have been hired as travel consultant(s) to design a brochure for a luxury tour through the human body's skeletal system. Be sure to highlight the trendy spots, all exciting activities, and the imports and exports of the areas. For insurance considerations, point out all possible dangers or special precautions that tourists might encounter in their visit.   Play Some Bone Games. Find several at the Bones Exhibit from The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.   Complete A Skeleton WebQuest. Adapt or follow the procedures found at the following webQuest sites: 1) Bare Bones Facts http://teach.fhu.edu/technology/EDU506/WebQuests/BreaknBones/BreaknBones2.html 2) Bones, Bones, Bones . . . (Grade 7) by Y.K. Stuewe http://can-do.com/uci/ssi2002/bones.html 3) Bone Up On Bones (Grades 4-6) by E. Johnson http://www.allabery.com/courses/webquest/johnson/ 4) Human Skeletal System (Grades 4-5) by C. Boguen http://www.sad34.net/webquests/SkeletonQuest/ 5) You and Your Bones (Grade 3) by S. Daly http://www.community.k12.mo.us/webquest/daly/quest.htm   Compare the Skeletons of a Human, Gorilla, and Baboon. Visit the eSkeltons Project created by the University of Texas at Austin and compare and contrast the skeletons of two animal groups.   Websites By Kids For Kids Amazing Backbone (1998 ThinkQuest Junior Project) http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/4131/ This site teaches about the backbone; what the backbone is and what it does.   Skeletal System (Section within Human Body, 1999 ThinkQuest Junior Project) http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/5777/ske1.htm This project explains about bones and joints.   Skeletal System (Section within BodyQuest, 3rd place Award in Science and Mathematics,1997 ThinkQuest Internet Challenge) http://library.thinkquest.org/10348/find/content/skeletal.html Here you find information about the basic skeletal system, the endoskeleton, the axial skeleton, the appendicular skeleton, and joints.   Skeletal System Grades 9-12 (Section within Nature's Best: The Human Body, 1996 ThinkQuest Internet Challenge) http://library.thinkquest.org/2935/Natures_Best/Nat_Best_Low_Level/skeletal_page.L.html This site describes the axial skeleton, appendicular skeleton, bone structure, and three types of bone composition   More Websites Guided Tour of the Visible Human http://www.madsci.org/~lynn/VH/ The animations and images in this tour use digitized sections of the body to demonstrate planes of section and other introductory concepts in anatomy. Related Website: 2) Virtual Body http://www.ehc.com/vbody.asp   Joints in the Human Skeleton http://www.saburchill.com/chapters/chap0008.html#Link Here you can learn and see the different types of body joints.   Meet "Yorick," the Bionic Skeleton from U.S. Food and Drug Administration http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/kids/html/yorick_no.1.htm Yorick is a "bionic" skeleton. Bionic means electronic devices and mechanical parts (called medical devices or implants) are used in place of real body parts that are damaged or that no longer work.   Skeleton from Human Body, BBC Online http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/standard/skeleton.shtml The site contains descriptions and an interactive diagram showing how the human skeleton works Related Websites: 2) Bone Box http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/meded/grossanatomy/learnem/bones/main_bone.htm 3) Exploring the Skeletal System http://sorrel.humboldt.edu/~bioman/bones/bones.html 4) Human Skeleton (Grades 5-6) from MEDtropolis (Requires Shockwave) http://www.medtropolis.com/VBody.asp 5) Skeletal System http://www.bio.psu.edu/faculty/strauss/anatomy/skel/skeletal.htm 6) Skull Module from California State University, Chico http://www.csuchico.edu/anth/Module/skull.html   Skeletal System from Gander Academy http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/skeletal.htm This is a link collection for an elementary curriculum on the skeletal system.   Websites For Teachers Bones from Newton's Apple http://ktca.org/newtons/14/bones12.html This site explains how bones get strong, how the human body and a house are alike, and what our skeletal system does. Student activities are included. Another Teacher Guide from Newton's Apple: 2) Broken Bones http://www.ktca.org/newtons/10/brokenbone.html   Bones, Bones, and More Bones (Grades 2-3) by J. Walker from Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE) http://www.iit.edu/~smile/bi9711.html Students will be able to describe the functions of bones in the human body and more. Related Lesson Plans from SMILE Program: 2) The Bone Connection by E. Artis http://www.iit.edu/~smile/bi8702.html 3) Cervical Vertebrae (Grade 8) by A.L. Gilbert http://www.iit.edu/~smile/bi9504.html   Give Me A Break (Grades 3-4) from Discovery School http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/givemeabreak/ Students create and administer a survey and then present their findings.   I Know, I Wonder: An Introduction to Bones (Grades 5-9) from CanTeach http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/life7.html Student will examine the bones of animals and record what they already know about bones and what they wonder about bones.   Leg Bone is Connected to the... (Grades 3-4) http://student.biology.arizona.edu/sciconn/skeleton_lesson.html This lesson will deal with the skeletal system and it's importance in movement, protection, and support.   Skeletal System Instructional Activities (Grade 2) from Henry County School System, McDonough, GA http://www.henry.k12.ga.us/cur/mybody/skel_lessons.htm This site is a collection of instructional activities for teaching about the skeletal system of the human body.   Skeleton http://www4.tpgi.com.au/users/amcgann/body/skeletal/large_skeletal.jpg Here is a printable diagram of the human skeleton. Related Website: 2) Skeleton Worksheet http://www.asd.wednet.edu/EagleCreek/Barnard/wl/bs/skelws.html or http://www.asd.wednet.edu/EagleCreek/Barnard/wl/bs/skelws.doc (MSWord)   skeleton ligament structure muscular system axial skeleton bone tendon cardiovascular system appendicular skeleton broken bone protection mineral storehouse vertebrae male fuse respiratory system spinal column joint living cell female pivot blood cell production ball & socket hollow muscle attachment immovable joint hinge movable joint rib cage body support marrow cranial movable frame ossification gliding skull calcium periosteum fluoroscope osteocyte cartilage bone cell        Created by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, 9/02.