1. Bones, Bones, Bones! By Stephanie Stavros

2. What Are Bones? • Bones provide support from our bodies from our heads to our toes, and help form our body shapes. If we didn’t have bones we would be like jelly fish! • Although bones are very light, they can provide support for our entire body weight. • We have 206 bones in the human body, and some of these bones begin to form even before birth. • Our bones are living, growing, and changing parts of our bodies.

3. What Are Bones Made Of? • Bones are made of two types of bone: • Compact Bone: the solid and hard outside part of the bones. Blood vessels and nerves run through it. • Cancellous bone: sponge like bone inside the compact bone. It carries red blood marrow

5. Different Jobs For Different Bones • Some bones protect the brain. Example: bones at the back of your head and forehead. • Some bones make the framework of your face. Example: the bones around your eyes • Some bones in the middle part of your ear carry sound from your eardrum to the inner ear.

6. The Spine • The spine has 26 bones • They are called the vertebrae (say ver-tu-bray). • The top 7 are called the cervical vertebrae. They support your head and neck • The next 12 are called the thoracic vertebrae. These hold one end of your ribs. • The next 5 are the lumbar vertebrae. • The next, the sacrum, is a large bone that is actually made of 5 vertebrae joined together. • At the bottom of the spine is the coccyx which is one bone made of 4 small vertebrae joined together

7. Ribs • Ribs make a protective cage around your lungs, liver and heart. • There are 12 pairs of ribs. • The top 7 ribs are attached to the sternum. • The next 3 pairs are joined to the ribs above. • The last 2 pairs of ribs are called the ‘floating' ribs. But don't panic! They are not attached to the sternum but they are fastened to the spine at the back.

8. Arms • The arm has 3 bones: • Humerus : Bone between your shoulder and elbow, or the “funny bone” • Radius: Bone that goes from your elbow to your wrist. • Ulna: Bone that also goes from your elbow to your wrist. • Your wrist has 8 small bones, so it is really flexible. In each hand there are 19 bones! Y

9. Legs • Legs need to be large and strong to support the rest of the body. • The femur is the largest bone in the body and it goes from the pelvis to the knee. • Another bone called the patella or kneecap, covers the knee joint to protect it. • Below the knee there are 2 bones. • Tibia • Fibula

10. Stanley the Skeleton • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfo75XUnRIU

11. Read Aloud

12. Dr. Steph Says… • Eat healthy food • Especially dairy foods, which give your bones the calcium they need to be strong! • Get plenty of exercise and make sure that you protect your bones when you play sports. • Wear a helmet when you bike ride or scooter, elbow pads, knee pads, etc. to help protect your bones

13. Make Your Own Skeleton • Materials needed: • Construction paper • Different types of pasta noodles • Elmer’s Glue