x-ray foot — Photo Source: Claudio Calcagno

Thought skeletons were just a fun way to bring a little spooky Halloween "cheer" into the classroom? Jason Carr, lesson plan contributor to Education World ®, suggests broadening your scope and using this fun q-tip skeleton craft as a way to introduce your students to basic anatomy!

Lesson Objectives

Learn that our skeletal system is made up of many bones.
Learn that our bones have several important jobs in the body.
Learn and be able to identify major bones in the body.

Carr suggests starting off the unit with a brainstorming session where students help make a list of major bones in the body. He recommends keeping the bone names simple and at your students' level (e.g. thigh bone instead of femur, etc.). For the q-tip skeleton project, make sure students have been introduced to all of the following: skull, spine, ribs, arm bones, fingers, thigh bone, leg bone, foot bones. q-tip pieces needed to create a skeleton Provide students with a piece of black construction paper, craft glue, a skull cutout, and a q-tip skeleton "recipe card". Invite students collect the correct number of q-tip parts needed to construct their bony friend. After students have completed their projects, discuss how bones play an important role in our bodies:

They give our bodies structure.
They protect our organs.
The provide muscles with a place to attach so we can move.

Consider having fun with these ABC Exercise Cards from Amy at Teach Mama (each card is equipped with a letter and some type of movement to go along with each letter - e.g. "A" - "Make circles with your Ankle"). This fun activity will allow your preschoolers a chance for some active fun and demonstrate how bones are essential to movement! It might also be fun to explore actual x-ray films for a real look into our amazing bodies!

Q-Tip Skeleton - An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

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