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The Skeletal System

Ninth graders learn how the skeletal system works — about 206 bones that support the body, give it shape, protect organs, and meet at joints to allow movement. Good nutrition and exercise keep bones strong. They explore the parts, then connect bones to movement.

Grade 9The Skeletal System45 minutes1 class periodSHAPEExplicit teaching4 StandardsSHAPE
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Describe the skeleton.
  • ✓Explain protection.
  • ✓Understand joints.
  • ✓Keep bones healthy.
Essential Question

What would happen to your body without its bony frame?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Skeletal System

Project this and tap each. Have students explore the skeletal system.

🦴 Explore the skeletal system — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Health & PE Flow (Warm-Up · Learn · Practice · Apply · Cool-Down)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — The Frame

5 min

What holds you upright and lets you move?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pose the question.
  • Share ideas.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Skeletal System

11 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to The Skeletal System.
  • Tap each part.
  • Note protection & joints.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Say.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Find a joint that bends.
  • Name a bone you can feel.
  • Name what it protects.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Find.
  • Name.
  • Name.
4

Apply — Apply

11 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Connect a joint to a movement.
  • Name a bone-healthy habit.
  • Explain protection.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Connect.
  • Name.
  • Explain.
5

Cool-Down — Cool-Down

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • What do bones do?
  • What are joints for?
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the SHAPE America National Standards for Health Education and Physical Education.

SHAPE
HE.1

Explain the skeletal system.

SHAPE
PE.3

Connect bones and joints to movement.

SHAPE
HE.7

Practice bone-healthy habits.

SHAPE
HE.5

Make choices that support bone health.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Skeleton diagram.
  • Frame: "bones protect my ___."
  • Use a model.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with support & protection.
  • Use a diagram.
  • Feel a joint.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Name major bones.
  • Explain bone growth.
  • Map joints to movements.
Materials

What to gather

  • 🦴Skeleton diagram
  • 🔶Open space
  • 💻The Skeletal System
  • 📋Body-system sheet
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

skeletal systemthe body’s bonesskeletonthe bone framebonehard tissuejointwhere bones meetskullprotects the brainrib cageprotects heart & lungscalciuma bone-building mineralweight-bearingexercise that loads bones
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What does the skeletal system do?
Supports the body, gives it shape, and protects organs.
QUESTION 2
What are joints for?
They let bones bend and move.
QUESTION 3
How do you keep bones healthy?
Calcium, vitamin D, and weight-bearing exercise.

Cool-down: the skeletal system.

Have students connect joints to movements. A printable body-system sheet is in the PE & Health library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 The Skeletal SystemFlip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 The Skeletal SystemQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ The Skeletal SystemPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: bone, calcium, joint, rib cage, skeletal system, skeleton, skull, weight-bearing
  1. where bones meet
  2. the body’s bones
  3. protects the brain
  4. exercise that loads bones
  5. a bone-building mineral
  6. protects heart & lungs
  7. the bone frame
  8. hard tissue

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does the skeletal system do?
  2. What are joints for?
  3. How do you keep bones healthy?
Answer key — Part A: 1) joint · 2) skeletal system · 3) skull · 4) weight-bearing · 5) calcium · 6) rib cage · 7) skeleton · 8) bone
Part B: 1) Supports the body, gives it shape, and protects organs. 2) They let bones bend and move. 3) Calcium, vitamin D, and weight-bearing exercise.