The Human Skeleton

There are 206 bones that make up the human skeleton. These bones give protection to the body systems and the organs and they provide a place for muscles to attach.

The bones help our bodies to move and the bones help to make red blood cells that make our body healthy. The skeleton helps to give people shape and to provide support.

Human Skeleton Bones

The Skull	Cranium, Mandible, and Maxilla
Shoulder girdle	Clavicle and Scapula
Arm	Humerus, Radius, and Ulna
Hand	Metacarpals, Phalanges and Carpals
Chest	Ribs and Sternum
Spine	Cervical area (top 7 vertebrae), Thoracic (next 12), Lumbar (bottom 5 vertebrae), Sacrum (5 fused or stuck together bones) and Coccyx
Pelvic girdle	Ilium, Pubis, and Ischium
Leg	Femur, Tibia, and Fibula
Ankle	Talus and calcaneus
Foot	Tarsals, Metatarsals, and Phalanges

The Skull

The skull consists of three different bones; the mandible, cranium and maxilla.

Shoulder

The shoulder girls had the clavicle and scapula.

Arms and Hands

The arm contains the humerus, radius and ulna. The hands have the bones carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges.

Chest and Spine

The chest contains the sternum and ribs and the spine has the cervical area with 7 top vertebrae, the thoracic, the next 12 vertebrae, the lumbar, the bottom 5 vertebra, sacrum, which is five bones that are fused together and the coccyx, the small bone at the bottom of the spine.

Pelvis

The pelvis contains the Ilium, Pubis and the Ischium.

Leg, Ankle and Foot

The leg contains the femur, tibia and fibular. The ankle has the talus and calcaneus. The foot has the tarsals, metatarsals and phalanges.

Axial and Appendicular

The skeleton can be divided into the axial and appendicular parts. The axial skeleton has a central core with the skull, the spine and ribs. The appendicular has the arms and legs.

Bone Formation

Bones are made up of cartilage that has been ossified. This means that the bones start off as cartilage and when a person gets older, the bone begins to turn hard. Ossification means when bones turn hard. This happens over many years.

People need to have calcium in order to make sure that they have healthy bones and healthy bone growth.

Facts About the Skeleton:

• Red blood cells are carried in the bones to give the body energy.
• There is a spongy substance found in the long bones.
• Muscles are attached to bones to help bones move.
• The skeleton protects main organs such as the heart, lungs, brain and more.

What Did You Learn?

• How many bones are in the body? There are 206 bones found in the body.
• What are bones made of? Bones are made of cartilage that has turned hard.
• What does ossification mean? Ossification means that the bones turned hard.
• What two parts are the skeleton divided in to? The skeleton can be divided into the axial and the appendicular parts.

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