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Primary Science · Year 3Chapter 6 · Skeletons and muscles
Year 3 · Chapter 6

Skeletons and muscles

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Say what a skeleton and a bone are, and name the three jobs of the skeleton: support, protection and movement
  • Name the bones that protect the brain, the heart and the lungs, and the backbone that supports the body
  • Say which animals have a skeleton inside their body, and which do not, and sort animals into two groups
  • Explain that muscles pull on bones through tendons, and that a muscle can only pull, not push
  • Name a hinge joint and a ball and socket joint, and say how each one moves
  • Explain how the biceps and the triceps work in pairs to bend and straighten the elbow

You should already know

  • The food and nutrition that animals need to grow and stay healthy (Year 3 Science, Chapter 5)
  • The parts of a plant, such as the stem, which holds the plant up (Year 3 Science, Chapter 2)

Where this leads

  • Pushes and pulls, which make things move (Year 3 Science, Chapter 9: Forces)
  • The body and how it works, in more detail (Year 4 Science)

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 2 science, Year 3. Content: A2 identify that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles for support, protection and movement.

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWhich food group is bread in? Write the short name.
2
FWhich nutrient helps the body to grow and repair itself? Write the nutrient.
3
FWhich part of a plant holds the plant up and carries water to the leaves? Write the part.
4
FWhat is the name for an animal that eats only plants? Write the name.
5
FDo plants or animals make their own food from light? Write the word.
6.1

What a skeleton is and what it does

Year 3
A2: humans and some other animals have skeletons; a skeleton is for support
Video lesson: What a skeleton is and what it doesComing soon
Story. Class 3C is making a model person from card. Ruby says, “If we leave out the frame, the model just flops on the table.” Mr Patel smiles. “You have just found out what a skeleton does.”

A skeleton is the frame of bones inside the body. A bone is a hard part of the skeleton. The bones are joined together to make the frame.

Humans have a skeleton. Some other animals, such as dogs, horses, birds and fish, have one too.

The skeleton has three main jobs:

Without a skeleton, a body would have no frame. It could not stand up on its own, like the soft body in the picture.

no skeletonflops overa skeletonholds the body up
On the left, a soft body with no skeleton flops over. On the right, a skeleton holds the body up.

Key ideas

  • A skeleton is the frame of bones inside the body of a human or an animal.
  • A bone is a hard part of the skeleton.
  • The three jobs of the skeleton are support, protection and movement.
  • Without a skeleton, a body could not stand up on its own.
Worked example 6.1.1
What is the name for the frame of bones inside the body? Write the word.

Method. Think about the frame of bones inside a body.

  1. Read the definition. The frame of bones inside the body is called the skeleton.
    skeleton
  2. Name it. So the word is skeleton.
    skeleton
  3. Write the answer.
    skeleton

Check. A skeleton is made of bones joined together. ✓

Watch out. Do not write bone. One bone is only one part of the skeleton.

Worked example 6.1.2
The skeleton holds the body up and gives it its shape. Which job of the skeleton is this? Write the job.

Method. Find the job that is about holding the body up.

  1. Read the sentence. Holding the body up and giving it its shape is the job called support.
    support
  2. Name the job. So the job is support.
    support
  3. Write the answer.
    support

Check. Support keeps the body standing. ✓

Worked example 6.1.3
Which job of the skeleton stops the soft parts of the body from being damaged? Write the job.

Method. Think about the job that guards the soft parts.

  1. Read the jobs. Guarding the soft parts of the body is the job called protection.
    protection
  2. Name the job. So the job is protection.
    protection
  3. Write the answer.
    protection

Check. The skull and the ribs are two examples of protection. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: bones are hard, but they cannot move on their own. Muscles pull on bones to make them move. So a skeleton is not the same as a muscle.

Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, bend forward slowly and feel for the bumps down the middle of your back. The bumps are part of your backbone. Press gently with one finger. Do not press hard.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What would your body be like if it had no bones?” Let your child explain in their own words. Accept any sensible answer that mentions standing up or holding the body up.

Exercise 6A  What a skeleton is and what it does

1
FA human has a frame of bones inside the body. Write the word for that frame.
2
FWhat is a hard part of the skeleton called? Write the word.
3
FWrite the three main jobs of the skeleton.
4
FWhich job of the skeleton holds the body up? Write the job.
5
FWhich job of the skeleton keeps the soft parts of the body safe? Write the job.
6
FFill in the gaps.
(a)A skeleton gives the body its ___.
(b)The skeleton holds the body ___.
7
FIs a bone hard or soft? Write hard or soft.
8
FTrue or false: a skeleton can move the body on its own, without muscles. Write true or false.
9
FTrue or false: a skeleton helps the body to stand up. Write true or false.
10
FName one animal, other than a human, that has a skeleton inside its body. Write the animal.
11
PSRuby says a model person made of soft clay, with no frame inside, will stand up straight on its own. Is Ruby right? Write no or yes.
12
PSWorking scientifically. Predict what will happen to a model person made of soft clay, with no frame, if you put it on a table. Write one prediction.
13
RExplain in one sentence why bones need to be hard. Write one sentence.
6.2

Bones that protect the body

Year 3
A2: some bones protect soft parts, such as the brain, the heart and the lungs
Video lesson: Bones that protect the bodyComing soon
Story. Amira and Mo are playing on the field. Amira taps her head and says, “My skull is hard, so it keeps my brain safe.” Mo says, “My ribs are like a cage around my heart and my lungs.” Mr Patel says, “Let’s find them on a skeleton.”

Some bones have a special job: they protect the soft parts of the body. Soft parts, such as the brain, the heart and the lungs, can be easily damaged. The bones around them act like a shield.

The picture shows a skeleton from the front. The numbered bones have these jobs:

Picture numberBoneWhat it does
1skullprotects the brain
2backbonesupports the body and protects the spinal cord
3ribsprotect the heart and the lungs
4upper arm bonea bone that the muscles of the arm pull on to move it
5pelvissupports the body and protects some organs in the lower body
6thigh bonesupports the body and helps the leg to move

Some bones protect, and others support the body and help it to move. The upper arm bone and the thigh bone are mainly for support and movement.

123456
A skeleton seen from the front. 1 skull, 2 backbone, 3 ribs, 4 upper arm bone, 5 pelvis, 6 thigh bone.

Key ideas

  • The skull protects the brain.
  • The ribs protect the heart and the lungs.
  • The backbone supports the body and protects the spinal cord, a thick cord of nerves.
  • Some bones protect, and others support the body and help it move.
Worked example 6.2.1
Which bone protects the brain? Write the bone.

Method. Think about the hard case around the brain.

  1. Read the table. The skull protects the brain.
    skull
  2. Name the bone. So the bone is the skull.
    skull
  3. Write the answer.
    skull

Check. The skull is the hard case around the brain. ✓

Worked example 6.2.2
Which bones protect the heart and the lungs? Write the bones.

Method. Think about the bones that curve round the chest.

  1. Read the table. The ribs protect the heart and the lungs.
    ribs
  2. Name the bones. So the bones are the ribs.
    ribs
  3. Write the answer.
    ribs

Check. The ribs make a cage around the heart and the lungs. ✓

Worked example 6.2.3
Look at the picture. Which number shows the backbone? Write the number.
123456

Method. Find the backbone in the picture.

  1. Find the backbone. The backbone runs down the middle of the back.
    backbone
  2. Read the number. The number beside the backbone is 2.
    2
  3. Write the answer.
    2

Check. Number 2 is the backbone in the table. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a bone can protect one part, but not others. The ribs protect the heart and the lungs, but they do not protect the brain. Each bone has its own job.

Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, sit still. Put your hands gently on the sides of your ribs, below your arms. Breathe in slowly, then out. Feel your ribs move a little. Stop if you feel unwell.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Which bone protects your brain? Why would a brain need a hard cover?” Let your child point to the bones on their own body that they can reach.

Exercise 6B  Bones that protect the body

1
FWhich soft part of the body does the skull protect? Write the soft part.
2
FWhich bones protect the heart and the lungs? Write the bones.
3
FLook at the picture. Which number shows the backbone? Write the number.
123456
4
FWhich bone protects the spinal cord? Write the bone.
5
FLook at the picture. Which number shows the thigh bone? Write the number.
123456
6
FFill in the gaps.
(a)The ___ protects the brain.
(b)The ___ protect the heart and the lungs.
(c)The backbone protects the ___ cord.
7
FWhich soft part is protected by the ribs? Write heart or lungs.
8
FWrite one soft part of the body that needs protecting.
9
PSPriya says the thigh bone protects the lungs. Is Priya right? Write no or yes.
10
PSAli wears a hard helmet when he rides his bike. Which bone does the helmet copy the job of? Write the bone.
11
PSMo says the backbone has no job apart from protecting the spinal cord. Is Mo right? Write no or yes, and give one reason.
12
PSWorking scientifically. Plan a way to find out which bone protects the lungs. Use the table in this section, and write one step.
13
RExplain why the brain needs the skull. Write one sentence.
6.3

Skeletons in other animals

Year 3
A2: some other animals have skeletons inside their bodies; sort animals by whether they have bones inside
Video lesson: Skeletons in other animalsComing soon
Story. Class 3C sorts ten animal cards into two groups. Sam says, “A snail has no bones, so it cannot have a skeleton.” Priya says, “A dog has bones inside its body.” Mr Patel says, “Let’s test your ideas by sorting the cards and counting them.”

Humans are not the only animals with a skeleton. Many animals have a skeleton inside their body, made of bones. Dogs, horses, birds and fish all have bones inside their bodies.

Some animals have no bones inside their body. Snails, slugs and jellyfish have soft bodies and no bones inside them.

This table shows some animals, and whether each one has a skeleton inside its body:

AnimalSkeleton inside the body?What it is like
humanyesbones inside the body
dogyesbones inside the body
horseyesbones inside the body
birdyesbones inside the body; many bird bones are hollow, which keeps them light
fishyesa skeleton inside the body
snailnoa soft body, with no bones inside
slugnoa soft body, with no bones inside
jellyfishnoa soft body, with no bones inside

Scientists sort things into groups based on their features. Sorting animals into a yes group and a no group is one simple way to do this.

fish: a skeleton insidesnail: no bones inside
Left: a fish, with its skeleton drawn inside. Right: a snail, which has a soft body and no bones inside.

Key ideas

  • Humans and some other animals have a skeleton inside the body.
  • Dogs, horses, birds and fish have bones inside their bodies.
  • Snails, slugs and jellyfish have no bones inside their bodies.
  • Sorting into a yes group and a no group is a simple way to classify animals.
Worked example 6.3.1
Does a dog have a skeleton inside its body? Write yes or no.

Method. Find the dog in the table.

  1. Read the table. The table says a dog has bones inside its body.
    yes
  2. Write the answer. So a dog has a skeleton inside its body.
    yes
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. Dogs have bones inside their bodies. ✓

Worked example 6.3.2
Does a snail have bones inside its body? Write yes or no.

Method. Find the snail in the table.

  1. Read the table. The table says a snail has a soft body, with no bones inside.
    no bones
  2. Write the answer. So a snail does not have bones inside its body.
    no
  3. Write the answer.
    no

Check. A snail has no skeleton of bones. ✓

Worked example 6.3.3
Priya sorts the ten cards. How many cards go in the yes group? Write the number.
Sorted groupTallyNumber of cards
yes: has a skeleton inside||||| ||7
no: no bones inside|||3
all cards10

Method. Read the tally for the yes group.

  1. Read the tally. The yes group has the tally ||||| ||.
    ||||| ||
  2. Read the number. The number of cards in the yes group is 7.
    7
  3. Write the answer.
    7

Check. 7 yes cards and 3 no cards make 10 cards in all. ✓

Watch out. Count the strokes in the tally. Groups of five are written with a space between them.

Watch out

Watch out: a snail has no bones inside its body, even though it has muscles. An animal can have muscles and still have no skeleton of bones.

Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, look at a picture of a dog and a picture of a snail in a book, or on a safe website. Which one has bones inside its body? Do not touch wild animals. Wash your hands afterwards.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Which of these animals has bones inside? How could you tell?” Let your child sort five pictures into a yes group and a no group.

Exercise 6C  Skeletons in other animals

1
FDoes a horse have a skeleton inside its body? Write yes or no.
2
FDoes a snail have a skeleton of bones inside its body? Write yes or no.
3
FWhich animal in the table has no bones inside its body: the dog or the jellyfish? Write the animal.
4
FName two animals in the table that have a skeleton inside the body. Write two names.
5
FLook at the picture. Which animal has bones inside its body: the fish or the snail? Write the animal.
fish: a skeleton insidesnail: no bones inside
6
FPriya sorted the ten cards. How many cards went in the yes group? Write the number.
Sorted groupTallyNumber of cards
yes: has a skeleton inside||||| ||7
no: no bones inside|||3
all cards10
7
FHow many cards went in the no group? Write the number.
Sorted groupTallyNumber of cards
yes: has a skeleton inside||||| ||7
no: no bones inside|||3
all cards10
8
FHow many cards were there in all? Write the number.
Sorted groupTallyNumber of cards
yes: has a skeleton inside||||| ||7
no: no bones inside|||3
all cards10
9
FFill in the gaps.
(a)Humans and dogs have a ___ inside their body.
(b)Snails and slugs have no ___ inside their body.
10
FTrue or false: a jellyfish has bones inside its body. Write true or false.
11
FTrue or false: a fish has a skeleton inside its body. Write true or false.
12
PSSam says a snail is not an animal with muscles, because it has no bones. Is Sam right? Write no or yes, and say why.
13
PSWorking scientifically. Mo sorts the ten cards by colour. Does this help to answer the question "Which animals have bones inside?" Write no or yes, and give one reason.
14
RExplain why a horse needs a skeleton to run. Write one sentence.
6.4

Muscles pull on bones

Year 3
A2: muscles for movement; muscles are joined to bones by tendons, and a muscle can only pull
Video lesson: Muscles pull on bonesComing soon
Story. Oliver makes a fist and says, “I can feel my arm working.” His grandad says, “That is your muscles pulling on your bones.” Oliver asks, “Can muscles push as well?” Grandad says, “Let’s find out.”

A muscle is a part of the body that can get shorter and pull. When a muscle gets shorter, it contracts. When it gets longer again, it relaxes.

Muscles are joined to bones by strong cords called tendons. When a muscle contracts, it pulls on the bone through its tendon, and the bone moves.

A muscle can only pull. It cannot push. So one muscle can move a bone one way, and a different muscle must move it back the other way. Section 6.5 shows how this works in the arm.

The muscle contracts,gets shorter and pullsthe bone up.A muscle cannot push.It can only pull, sothe bone does not go down.
Left: a muscle contracts, gets shorter and pulls the bone up. Right: a muscle cannot push the bone down.

Key ideas

  • A muscle is a part of the body that contracts (gets shorter) to pull on a bone.
  • A tendon is a strong cord that joins a muscle to a bone.
  • A muscle relaxes when it gets longer again.
  • A muscle can only pull. It cannot push.
Worked example 6.4.1
What is the strong cord that joins a muscle to a bone called? Write the word.

Method. Think about the cord that joins a muscle to a bone.

  1. Read the chapter. A strong cord that joins a muscle to a bone is called a tendon.
    tendon
  2. Name it. So the word is tendon.
    tendon
  3. Write the answer.
    tendon

Check. The tendon pulls the bone when the muscle contracts. ✓

Watch out. A tendon is not a bone. It is the cord between the muscle and the bone.

Worked example 6.4.2
When a muscle contracts, does it get shorter or longer? Write the word.

Method. Think about what contract means.

  1. Read the word. Contract means to get shorter.
    contract = shorter
  2. Write the answer. So a contracting muscle gets shorter.
    shorter
  3. Write the answer.
    shorter

Check. A muscle that contracts pulls the bone. ✓

Worked example 6.4.3
Can a muscle push a bone? Write yes or no.

Method. Think about what a muscle can do.

  1. Read the chapter. A muscle can only pull. It cannot push.
    only pull
  2. Write the answer. So a muscle cannot push a bone.
    no
  3. Write the answer.
    no

Check. A different muscle pulls the bone back. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a muscle does not push a bone back into place. A different muscle pulls the bone back the other way.

Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, hold one arm out in front of you and make a loose fist. Slowly make a tight fist, then open it again. Feel the muscles in your forearm get harder and softer. Do not squeeze hard.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Which part of your arm got harder when you made a fist? What is the muscle joined to?” Let your child use the words contract and relax.

Exercise 6D  Muscles pull on bones

1
FWhen a muscle contracts, does it get shorter or longer? Write the word.
2
FWhich cord joins a muscle to a bone? Write the word.
3
FWhat word means a muscle getting longer again? Write the word.
4
FCan a muscle pull a bone? Write yes or no.
5
FCan a muscle push a bone? Write yes or no.
6
FFill in the gaps.
(a)A muscle is joined to a bone by a ___.
(b)When a muscle relaxes, it gets ___ again.
7
FFill in the gap: when a muscle contracts, it ___ on the bone through its tendon.
8
FTrue or false: when a muscle contracts, the bone it is joined to moves. Write true or false.
9
FTrue or false: a muscle can push a bone back to where it was. Write true or false.
10
PSOliver says his arm moved because the bone pushed the muscle. Is Oliver right? Write no or yes, and say why.
11
PSLook at the picture. When the muscle contracts, which way does the bone move: up or down? Write the word.
The muscle contracts,gets shorter and pullsthe bone up.A muscle cannot push.It can only pull, sothe bone does not go down.
12
PSWorking scientifically. Ruby wants to find out what a muscle does when it contracts. Describe one way she could find out, using her own arm. Write one sentence.
13
RExplain why a muscle needs a tendon to move a bone. Write one sentence.
6.5

Joints and muscles in pairs

Year 3
A2: movement at joints; the biceps and the triceps work in pairs to bend and straighten the elbow
Video lesson: Joints and muscles in pairsComing soon
Story. Priya is drawing with a pencil. She bends her elbow to draw one line, then straightens it to draw the next. Mr Patel says, “Two different muscles do the work. One bends the arm, and the other straightens it.” Priya asks, “Which muscles are they?”

A joint is a place where two bones meet. Joints let the skeleton move. Two kinds of joint are shown here:

JointWhere it isHow it movesLike
hinge jointelbow, kneemoves in one directiona door hinge
ball and socket jointshoulder, hipmoves in many directionsa ball in a cup

Muscles work in pairs to move a joint in two directions. The upper arm has two main muscles:

When the biceps contracts, the triceps relaxes. When the triceps contracts, the biceps relaxes.

hinge jointmoves one way, like a doorball and socket jointmoves in many directions
Left: a hinge joint moves in one direction, like a door. Right: a ball and socket joint moves in many directions.
bicepstricepsArm bent:the biceps contracts,so it gets shorter and thicker.tricepsbicepsArm straight:the triceps contracts,so it gets shorter and thicker.
The arm seen from the side. Left: bent, with the biceps short and thick. Right: straight, with the triceps short and thick.

Key ideas

  • A joint is a place where two bones meet.
  • A hinge joint, such as the elbow or the knee, moves in one direction.
  • A ball and socket joint, such as the shoulder or the hip, moves in many directions.
  • Muscles work in pairs. The biceps bends the elbow, and the triceps straightens it.
Worked example 6.5.1
What is a place where two bones meet called? Write the word.

Method. Think about where bones meet in the body.

  1. Read the chapter. A place where two bones meet is called a joint.
    joint
  2. Name it. So the word is joint.
    joint
  3. Write the answer.
    joint

Check. The elbow and the shoulder are both joints. ✓

Worked example 6.5.2
Which muscle is at the front of the upper arm, and bends the elbow? Write the name.

Method. Find the muscle at the front of the upper arm.

  1. Read the chapter. The biceps is at the front of the upper arm, and it bends the elbow.
    biceps
  2. Name it. So the muscle is the biceps.
    biceps
  3. Write the answer.
    biceps

Check. The biceps bends the elbow when it contracts. ✓

Worked example 6.5.3
Is the knee a hinge joint or a ball and socket joint? Write the name of the joint.

Method. Look at the table of joints.

  1. Read the table. The knee is a hinge joint, which moves in one direction.
    hinge joint
  2. Write the answer. So the knee is a hinge joint.
    hinge joint
  3. Write the answer.
    hinge joint

Check. A knee bends like a door hinge. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: the biceps and the triceps do not both contract to bend the elbow. One muscle contracts, and the other relaxes.

Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, put one hand on the front of your upper arm. Bend your elbow slowly, and feel the muscle get harder. Now straighten your arm slowly, and put your hand on the back of your upper arm. Feel that muscle get harder. Stop if your arm hurts.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Which muscle is working when you bend your arm? Which one works when you straighten it?” Let your child say the words biceps and triceps.

Exercise 6E  Joints and muscles in pairs

1
FJoints let the skeleton move. What is the name for the place where two bones meet? Write the word.
2
FWhich kind of joint moves in one direction, like a door? Write the name of the joint.
3
FWhich joint is a ball and socket joint: the elbow or the shoulder? Write the joint.
4
FName a hinge joint in the leg. Write the name.
5
FWhich muscle is at the front of the upper arm? Write the name.
6
FWhich muscle is at the back of the upper arm? Write the name.
7
FLook at the picture. Which muscle is short and thick when the arm is bent? Write the name.
bicepstricepsArm bent:the biceps contracts,so it gets shorter and thicker.tricepsbicepsArm straight:the triceps contracts,so it gets shorter and thicker.
8
FLook at the picture. Which muscle is short and thick when the arm is straight? Write the name.
bicepstricepsArm bent:the biceps contracts,so it gets shorter and thicker.tricepsbicepsArm straight:the triceps contracts,so it gets shorter and thicker.
9
FFill in the gaps.
(a)When the biceps contracts, the elbow ___.
(b)When the triceps contracts, the elbow ___.
10
FTrue or false: when the biceps contracts, the triceps relaxes. Write true or false.
11
PSPriya says the shoulder is a hinge joint, like the elbow. Is she right? Write no or yes, and say why.
12
PSMo bends his elbow. Write which muscle contracts and which muscle relaxes.
13
PSWorking scientifically. Priya wants to test which muscle works when she straightens her arm. Plan how she could find out, using her own arm. Write one step.
14
RExplain why the bones and the muscles both need to work to bend the elbow. Write one or two sentences.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
SkeletonThe frame of bones inside the body of a human or an animal.
Three jobsSupport holds the body up; protection guards soft parts; movement happens when muscles pull on bones.
Protecting bonesThe skull protects the brain; the ribs protect the heart and the lungs; the backbone supports the body and protects the spinal cord.
Other animalsDogs, horses, birds and fish have bones inside their bodies; snails, slugs and jellyfish do not.
MusclesA muscle contracts (gets shorter) to pull on a bone through a tendon, and relaxes when it gets longer again.
Muscles cannot pushA muscle can only pull, so a different muscle is needed to pull the bone back.
JointsA hinge joint moves in one direction; a ball and socket joint moves in many directions.
PairsThe biceps bends the elbow and the triceps straightens it. When one contracts, the other relaxes.

Can you…?

  • I can say what a skeleton is, and name its three jobs: support, protection and movement
  • I can name the bones that protect the brain, the heart and the lungs
  • I can say which animals have a skeleton inside their body, and sort animals into yes and no groups
  • I can explain how a muscle pulls on a bone through a tendon, and why a muscle cannot push
  • I can name a hinge joint and a ball and socket joint, and say how each one moves
  • I can explain how the biceps and the triceps work in pairs to bend and straighten the elbow

Key terms

skeleton
the frame of bones inside the body of a human or an animal
bone
a hard part of the skeleton
support
a job of the skeleton: holding the body up and giving it its shape
protection
a job of the skeleton: guarding the soft parts of the body
movement
moving the body, which happens when muscles pull on bones
backbone
the bones down the middle of the back; it supports the body and protects the spinal cord
spinal cord
a thick cord of nerves that runs inside the backbone
muscle
a part of the body that contracts (gets shorter) to pull on a bone
contract
to get shorter
relax
to get longer again
tendon
a strong cord that joins a muscle to a bone
joint
a place where two bones meet
hinge joint
a joint that moves in one direction, like a door, such as the elbow or the knee
ball and socket joint
a joint that moves in many directions, such as the shoulder or the hip
biceps
the muscle at the front of the upper arm, which bends the elbow
triceps
the muscle at the back of the upper arm, which straightens the elbow

Exercise 6Z  Check-up

1
Write the name for the frame of bones inside the body.
2
What is the hard bone that protects the brain? Write the bone.
3
Which job of the skeleton holds the body up? Write the job.
4
Is a jellyfish an animal with bones inside its body? Write yes or no.
5
Which muscle is at the back of the upper arm? Write the name.
6
True or false: a muscle can pull a bone, and it can also push a bone. Write true or false.
7
A muscle is joined to a bone by a cord. Write the name of this cord.
8
Which joint is a hinge joint: the elbow or the shoulder? Write the joint.
9
Ruby says the ribs protect the brain. Is Ruby right? Write no or yes.
10
Explain in one sentence how a muscle makes a bone move.

Total 17 marks. Allow about 17 minutes.

Exercise 6X  Practice test questions

1
FWrite the word for the frame of bones inside the body.[1 mark]
2
FWrite the three main jobs of the skeleton.[2 marks]
3
FLook at the picture. Which muscle is short and thick when the arm is bent? Write the name.
bicepstricepsArm bent:the biceps contracts,so it gets shorter and thicker.tricepsbicepsArm straight:the triceps contracts,so it gets shorter and thicker.
[1 mark]
4
RAli says a muscle can push a bone back into place. Is Ali right? Write no or yes, and give one reason.[2 marks]
5
FLook at the picture. Which number shows the ribs? Write the number.
123456
[1 mark]
6
FName the joint at the shoulder, and say how it moves. Write the joint and how it moves.[2 marks]
7
FName the two muscles that work in a pair to bend and straighten the elbow. Write both.[2 marks]
8
PSExplain why the skull is important for a person. Write one sentence.[2 marks]
9
FWhich joint is a ball and socket joint: the knee, the shoulder or the elbow? Write the joint.[1 mark]
10
RMo says a person with no skeleton could still stand up straight. Is Mo right? Write no, and give two reasons.[3 marks]
← Chapter 5: Food and nutritionChapter 7: Rocks, fossils and soils →

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