Activity

Bone slice puzzle and structure

Summary
Look at the structure inside a large animal bone. If a long bone can be made into slices, students can assemble them into a complete bone.
Science content
Biology: Features, Adaptations of Living Things (K, 1, 3, 7)
Biology: Sensing, Organ Systems (4, 5, 6)
Lessons activity is in
Resource
Materials
  • Cow bone, sliced into sections (by butcher) and cleaned (with H2O2)
Procedure

Assemble the slices of bone into a complete bone. Cues to how they fit together include the outside shape of the bone, the placement of the marrow hole, spongy bone and the hole for a blood vessel.

Marrow is inside bones. Red marrow, in spongy bone, makes blood cells (red and white). Yellow marrow, in the bone shaft, stores fat.

Bone slices like this can be used to make prints, if you are willing to let them get inky.

Grades taught
Gr 1
Gr 2
Gr 3
Gr 5