Intro to the skeletal and muscular system for kids. Grades 2-5

2.  The skeleton is made
up of all the bones in
our body.
 It gives our body our
shape and protects
our vital organs
(brain, heart, and
lungs)
 If you had no
skeleton, you
would •be a blob.

3. 1. The eggs are going to represent a brain.
2. Place 1 egg in container. Seal the lid.
3. Jog around the room, shaking the container. What
happened?
4. Now try the same thing with the other egg, but this time
you will add some protection.
5. Fill the container to the very tip top with water.
6. Place the egg in the container and seal it closed with some
masking tape.
7. Now jog around the room in the same way as before.
8. Carefully open the container. What happened this time?

4. • Bones: Hard on the outside but inside they are
soft, but strong. They come in all shapes and
sizes!
▪ Bones are made up of calcium it keeps our
bones strong and healthy.
▪ What types of liquids give us calcium?
• Cartilage: is a cushion (mostly fluid) that
protects the bones and stops the bones
from rubbing against each other and
wearing down.
▪ Feel your ear and nose they are mostly made of
cartilage.

5. • Joints: Where bones come together
• Ligaments: Stretchy bands that hold
bones together at the joint.
Joints Ligament
Cartilage

6. • Bone Marrow: Bone marrow is sort of like a
thick jelly, and it makes blood cells. There is red
and yellow bone marrow.
 Red : is the kind in which blood cells are made.

8.  There 630 active muscles in your body.
 3 Types: Smooth, Cardiac (Heart),
Skeletal
 Smooth Muscles: You can't control this
type of muscle. Your brain and body tell
these muscles what to do without you
even thinking about it.
 Skeletal Muscles: are attached to your
bones with tendons.

9.  You are born with about 350 bones.
 Adults have 206 bones.
 Our bones make millions of new blood
cells every day (bone marrow)
 Giraffes and humans have the same
number of bones in their neck 7!

10.  Write down 2 things you have learned
about the skeletal system.

11.  To better understand what bones are
made of, we are going to experiment on a
chicken bone.
 Chicken bones are similar to our own.
They are similar enough that we can learn
a few things about our own bones!

12. Joints Ligament
Cartilage

13.  Complete the worksheet, read about the
skeletal system and then label the body
parts of the skeleton.

14.  Each member of your group will get a
part of a skeleton.
 Label each part of the skeleton then glue
it together.

16.  Let’s check on our chicken wings and
record our results and SHARE!