Bones Protect and Support

Overview

In this third lesson of the Support and Movement unit, students investigate how the skull, spine and ribcage support the body and protect important organs. Through simple demonstrations, movement connections and a labelled drawing, they build on prior learning that bones and muscles work together.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify the skull, spine and ribcage.
• WALT explain how these bones protect and support us.
• WALT observe demonstrations and use evidence to share an idea.
• WALT connect body structures with real-life activities.

Success criteria

• I can locate and name the skull, spine and ribcage.
• I can describe one way each structure supports or protects the body.
• I can use evidence from a demonstration to explain my thinking.
• I can label a simple body diagram accurately.

Curriculum links

• Biological Science — humans have internal skeletons, including the skull, spine and ribcage, and muscles for support, protection and movement.
• Biological Science — investigating how muscles and bones interact during physical activities.
• Biological Science — identifying ways body structures provide protection and support in real-life scenarios.
• Science capabilities — gathering and interpreting information, using evidence, and communicating explanations.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Hook and prior knowledge. Display the opening question and body image and ask, “What would happen if our brain, heart or lungs had no hard protection?” Students think-pair-share, then point gently to where they think the skull, spine and ribcage are located. Explain that today they will investigate how bones protect and support us.

2. 4–9 min · Explicit teaching. Use the labelled skeleton slides to introduce the three structures. Teacher explains that the skull protects the brain, the spine supports the body and protects the spinal cord, and the ribcage protects the heart and lungs; bones also provide a framework for muscles to pull against when we move. Students carefully feel the hard bones on their own head, along the middle of their back and around the front of their chest, without pressing or touching anyone else.

3. 9–16 min · Demonstration investigation. Show the three protection demonstrations and model each demonstration before students discuss it. For the skull, compare an egg inside a small container with an uncovered egg, explaining that the egg is only a model and is not identical to a brain inside a skull. For the spine, bend a flexible chain of linked paper shapes beside a straight card “backbone” to compare movement and support. For the ribcage, place a soft sponge “lung” inside a cage made from curved card strips and gently press the outside. Students observe in pairs and complete the sentence, “The model suggests that ___ protects/supports ___ because ___.”

4. 16–23 min · Labelled drawing. Distribute the bones protect and support worksheet and display the drawing instructions. Students label the skull, spine and ribcage on the body outline, then add one short explanation for each structure. Teacher circulates, checks the placement of labels and prompts students to use “protects” and “supports” accurately. Students who finish choose one activity, such as running, carrying a bag or jumping, and explain how bones and muscles help during it.

5. 23–27 min · Real-life connections. Show the activity picture prompts. In groups of three or four, students discuss one scenario: wearing a bike helmet, sitting upright, or taking part in sport. Each group identifies the relevant bone structure and gives a reason it is useful in that situation. Invite two groups to share evidence-based explanations.

6. 27–30 min · Plenary and assessment. Return to the final recap and exit question. Students complete the oral exit sentence, “The ___ protects/supports ___ by ___,” choosing the skull, spine or ribcage. Select several responses, correct misconceptions gently, and collect worksheets for review.

Resources

• the Support and Movement teaching deck
• the bones protect and support worksheet
• Two hard-boiled eggs or plastic eggs
• Small container, flexible paper chain and straight card strip
• Soft sponge pieces and curved card strips or paper strips
• Whiteboard and markers
• Pencils, colouring pencils and erasers
• Clear floor or table space for demonstrations

Assessment

• Listen during the hook and explicit teaching for correct identification of the skull, spine and ribcage; ask students to justify rather than simply name a structure.
• During the demonstrations, check whether students distinguish observation from explanation and use evidence in their sentence.
• Review the worksheet and exit responses for accurate labels and an appropriate protection or support explanation.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank and partially labelled diagram on the worksheet for students needing support. Use gestures and a large body outline while introducing each structure.
• Offer sentence starters: “The skull protects…”, “The spine supports…”, and “I know this because…”.
• Pair students strategically and allow students to explain orally before writing. Do not require students to touch their own bodies if this causes discomfort; they may point to the body outline instead.
• Extend confident students by asking them to explain how the spine allows movement while still providing support, or how muscles work with bones during a chosen activity.
• Support EAL learners with clear visuals, repeated key words and partner rehearsal before group sharing.