Thematic Thursday: Bones and Skeletons

I am happy to be linking up again with Carla from Comprehension Connections for Thematic Thursdays!  This week's topic is Skeleton and Bones.  

What a great time of year to teach the bones of the body!  My grandma ALWAYS went over the top decorating for Halloween.  When I graduated from college, I went through all of her decorations and grabbed a bunch of goodies for my classroom.  My favorite was the large, flat skeleton she had.  It had all of the bones (from the front at least) and it folded up nicely so it didn't take too much room to store.  

Of course, I always start off by reading some books.  Here are some of my favorites:

          

(Just a note of warning--From Head to Toe has MUCH more information in it than just skeletons.  While it does not show outside pictures, it does show inside pictures, including that of a pregnant woman.  You can definitely just read the wonderful pages about the skeleton, but I wanted to give fair warning so you can make an educated decision based on your students!)

Check out this GREAT skeleton freebie from The Applicious Teacher!  It includes a diagram as well as cut and paste labels.  

And I LOVE this awesome model created by Homeschool Journal!  In fact, she has MANY hands on ideas for teaching the skeletal system!  You should definitely check it out!  

Another awesome idea is to use one of the numerous interactive sites that teaches about bones.  I like the one from The Children's University of Manchester.  It includes a lot of facts and vocabulary while still being interactive and letting the kids "see" what the bones and the skeleton actually do for us.  

And, of course, I had to turn a science topic that I introduce using a book into a math lesson!  :)  

Here is my newest set of number puzzles, with a skeleton theme.  And, it is a FREEBIE!  I hope you and your kiddos enjoy it!  

Make sure to check out Carla's page to see even more ideas for teaching about skeletons and bones in your classroom!