Resources required: Pictures of invertebrates Image of a human body Part 1, Episode 1 cont’d The skeleton-muscular system Learning activities 1. Begin by displaying a picture of the human skeleton. Use could be made of the and invite pupils to suggest what it is. Ask ‘Inside Human Body’ pupils if they have ever seen a real one. Ask them if they have one. Ask them how they know they have one. Ask for what evidence they have what can they – do to show you that they have bones? Take ideas and recognise that there are parts of the body where the bones can be felt quite easily. You might need to indicate that some parts, such as the nose, are not bones (but cartilage) but that nevertheless we can tell a lot about the shape of the bones by gently feeling. Ask what would happen if we have didn’t bones. Most pupils will probably realise that without support we or couldn’t stand walk, but they should also be encouraged to think about other aspects such as protection for organs such as the brain or lungs. Movement depends upon bones as well as other muscles. 2. Ask pupils what other animals do whether they have skeletons. – Draw out that some do, and show some images. Ask pupils to compare images of different skeletons and identify similarities. Draw out that even though the shape and size varies, a common feature is the backbone. This is why scientists use the presence (or absence) of a backbone as an important way of grouping animals. Animals with backbones are vertebrates. Draw out that many (indeed, most) animals have skeletons, or at least, not skeletons don’t made of bones. Show pictures of invertebrates, such as: Beetles (exoskeleton instead of our endoskeleton) • – Snails (no skeleton but a shell) • Octopus (no skeleton) • 3. Ask pupils to identify the reasons why we have a skeleton. Group the ideas and develop these points: A skeleton provides protection, e.g. skull and ribs • A skeleton provides support, e.g. legs and backbone • A skeleton enables movement in conjunction with muscles, e.g. arms and legs • At this stage use could be made of the the resource to consolidate ‘Inside Human Body’ ideas about the functions of the parts of the skeleton, images of bones and supporting information.
Resources required: Pictures of invertebrates Image of a human body Part 1, Episode 1 cont’d The skeleton-muscular system Learning activities 1. Begin by displaying a picture of the human skeleton. Use could be made of ‘Inside the Human Body’ and invite pupils to suggest what it is. Ask pupils if they have ever seen a real one. Ask them if they have one. Ask them how they know they have one. Ask for what evidence they have – what can they do to show you that they have bones? Take ideas and recognise that there are parts of the body where the bones can be felt quite easily. You might need to indicate that some parts, such as the nose, are not bones (but cartilage) but that nevertheless we can tell a lot about the shape of the bones by gently feeling. Ask what would happen if we didn’t have bones. Most pupils will probably realise that without support we couldn’t stand or walk, but they should also be encouraged to think about other aspects such as protection for organs such as the brain or lungs. Movement depends upon bones as well as other muscles. 2. Ask pupils what other animals do – whether they have skeletons. Draw out that some do, and show some images. Ask pupils to compare images of different skeletons and identify similarities. Draw out that even though the shape and size varies, a common feature is the backbone. This is why scientists use the presence (or absence) of a backbone as an important way of grouping animals. Animals with backbones are vertebrates. Draw out that many (indeed, most) animals don’t have skeletons, or at least, not skeletons made of bones. Show pictures of invertebrates, such as: • Beetles (exoskeleton – instead of our endoskeleton) • Snails (no skeleton but a shell) • Octopus (no skeleton) 3. Ask pupils to identify the reasons why we have a skeleton. Group the ideas and develop these points: • A skeleton provides protection, e.g. skull and ribs • A skeleton provides support, e.g. legs and backbone • A skeleton enables movement in conjunction with muscles, e.g. arms and legs At this stage use could be made of the ‘Inside the Human Body’ resource to consolidate ideas about the functions of the parts of the skeleton, images of bones and supporting information.