Lesson Plan #: AELP-ANA0008

Q-Tip Skeleton

An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

Submitted by: Jason Carr
Endorsed by: Dr. Don Descy, Mankato State University

Date: March 1, 1998

Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1

Subject(s):

Description: Our skeletal systems are made up of many different bones. With so many bones, it can often be difficult to teach them to younger students. This lesson will help children learn about the major bones in the body. Students will also learn how bones are put together to form a skeleton. This lesson can be a fun activity to do at Halloween time.

Goal: The students will better understand the bones that make up the human skeleton.

Objectives: The students will be able to:

  1. Point to and identify some of the major bones in the body.
  2. Make a Q-tip skeleton.
  3. Identify major bones on a Q-tip skeleton.
Materials: Procedure:
(The teacher might want to do this activity with a small group of students at a time. Or, if teacher aides/parent volunteers are available, then this activity can be done as a large group lesson.)

Brainstorm different bones with students, and write students' responses on the board. Show students the skeletal diagram, and ask students to locate any bones that they know. Show students the major bones on the skeleton (for students at this level, keep the basic bone name - thigh bone, spine, ribs, arm bone, leg bone). Show students how all the bones come together to form the skeleton. Explain the function of the bones.

Inform students that they will be making their own "Q-tip Skeletons." Each student should receive a piece of construction paper along with several plastic bendable Q-tips. (The teacher should cut the Q-tips in varying lengths prior to the lesson -- several cut in half, some with just the tips, etc.) Each student should also have one plastic bendable Q-tip to serve as the spine. Give students the following directions:

  1. Glue the uncut plastic Q-tip in the middle of the construction paper. This will be the spine of the Q-tip skeleton. Everything else will build off of the spine.
  2. Take two of the half Q-tips and glue each of them off of the spine facing down - the fuzzy tips pointing down will be the knee joints.
  3. Repeat this process for the leg bone; connect another half Q-tip with the fuzzy end of the thigh bone to complete each knee joint. (The teacher can cut off little chunks of Q-tips for students to add feet.)
  4. To make the skeletal ribs, put half of a Q-tip on each side of the spine up by where the head will go. (For the next rib, the teacher can cut each side a little smaller to make a tapering effect to the ribs. Repeat this process for a couple of ribs.)
  5. The process for the arms is similar to the legs. Be sure to use the fuzzy tips to make an elbow. (The teacher can cut five little chunks of Q-tip to make fingers.)
  6. To make the head, students can use cut pieces of Q-tip to make an octagon type head. Students can draw in a face later.
  7. This should now be the basic outline of a skeleton. Students should feel free to add in any bones that they feel might add to the skeleton. Each student can also draw in a face for his/her skeleton.
Assessment: Students should turn in their finished work (make sure that they write their names on their papers). When they turn in their skeletons, make sure all the major bones are in the right places. Ask students to identify two major bones on the skeleton. If students have difficulty, review the skeletal diagram and the different bones until the students can identify two bones.