Simplify your teaching by breaking the skeletal system into smaller sections. With 206 bones to learn, it will be easier for children to understand the information if it is presented in a logical sequence. Begin with the cranium and facial area, which contain 22 bones. Move on to the bones in the trunk, including the ribs, sternum and shoulders. The bones in the arms and fingers come next, followed by the hips and legs. The spine is made up of several different kinds of bones and it can be confusing to understand the subtle differences in them, so teach the spinal bones last.
Allow children to explore a full-size skeleton in the classroom. It is best if you are able to let children manipulate the bones and joints and look at the skeleton from all angles. Getting a close-up view of the bones and seeing how they all work together will enhance children's overall understanding of the skeletal system and its role in in the human body. While children are exploring, be sure to explain how the bones work together with joints, muscles and nerves to allow our bodies to move.
Create a puzzle using bones made from paper. Draw, cut out and label each bone before covering it in clear contact paper or laminate for durability. Give the pieces to your students to put together correctly. Allow students to work collaboratively to place the bones in the correct body area. To aid in the completion of the puzzle, color the bones of each body area a different color before laminating. You may also use this activity to quiz students on the placement of bones in the body.
Enlarge and print an unlabeled skeleton from a textbook. Allow students to color and label all the bones in the skeletal system. Use this labeled sheet as a study guide.
Using the puzzle pieces you created earlier, play a "Pin The Tail On The Donkey" type game with your students. Mount the puzzle pieces on the wall, leaving out a few bones. Give one of your students a leftover bone and ask her to identify it. Blindfold the student and ask her to place the bone on the skeleton in the correct place.