Rock Face

Rock Face

Use a rock as a skull to mold clay around to create a face.
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Write a Fabulous Fish Book

Write a Fabulous Fish Book

From Antifreeze, Leaf Costumes, and Other Fabulous Fish Adaptations

Fish have many different fabulous adaptations that help them survive in environments all around the Earth. Write about them!

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Build Your Own Bird

Build Your Own Bird

From Spit Nests, Puke Power, and Other Brilliant Bird Adaptations

Birds have beaks, wings, feathers, and interesting feet. Each of these features helps a bird to survive in its habitat.

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Amphibians Near You

Amphibians Near You

From Sunscreen, Frogsicles, and Other Amazing Amphibian Adaptations

Amphibians are found all around the world, except Antarctica. That means there are amphibians living near you! And every amphibian has many adaptations that help it survive. They must be able to find food, take shelter, and stay safe.

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Pipe-Cleaner Reptiles

Pipe-Cleaner Reptiles

From Water-Walking, Sidewinding, and Other Remarkable Reptile Adaptations

Reptiles include snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, turtles, and tortoises. They live everywhere on Earth except in the coldest environments.

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Reviews

Librarything.com
“I like how they explain the different parts of the skeleton of different species and then at the end of each chapter they have fun experiments for kids to do alone or with a group.” (5 stars )

School Library Connections
“This book explains all about bones and how we couldn't live without them. Beginning with a timeline that spans bone discoveries from 500 million years ago, when scientists believe bones first appeared in fish-like animals, to the present day. A wealth of fascinating and informative facts encourage readers to compare their own bones with other vertebrates. Hands on activities and projects to demonstrate concepts like, "What makes a bone, a bone?" are given alongside step-by-step directions, required supplies, and examples of follow-up questions to interpret the findings. Every page provides a "Words to Know" box with explanations of language used on that page. Primary sources with QR codes are also included on many pages which will encourage students who want to do more research on a particular topic. Numerous diagrams, drawings, and photographs enhance the information throughout the book. This title provides students with lots of data about how our bodies work and how bones are essential for protecting our organs, making blood, and keeping ourselves heathy. End pages include a list of museums to visit, essential questions on the topics covered, and a QR code glossary. Recommended.”

Amy Grochowski, Curator of Education, Maxwell Museum of Anthropology
“Children of all ages will enjoy this fascinating peek inside the human body. Skulls and Skeletons! makes a relatively complex topic fun and interesting by using understandable terms and examples and providing science projects that model and demonstrate vertebrate structure and function. This book has many great ideas for stimulating critical thinking and putting STEM concepts into practice.”

Steven Churchill, Professor, Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University
“Kids who love bones will love this fun and interesting book, and will have a blast doing the included science projects!”

Ashley Mason Burns-Meerschaert, Director of Education, SKELETONS: Museum of Osteology
Skulls and Skeletons! is more than an informative guide to the skeletal system. With so many opportunities for hands-on activities, it provides an innovative way to introduce readers to inquiry-based science exploration.”

Praise for Explore Predators and Prey! by Cindy Blobaum

National Science Teachers Association Recommends 
"Explore Predators and Prey! With 25 Great Projects provides a unique combination of solid, engaging, accurate text and hands-on experiences . . .  As a teacher myself, it presents itself as nearly a complete unit plan! I can imagine building a unit based on this book and the resources it provides . . . I would definitely recommend this book, and will be seeking out others in this series!"

Detailed Book Description

What would happen if you had no bones? You might fall over flat on the floor!

Bones are those hard parts of our bodies that make up our skeletons and skulls, and we need them in lots of different ways. In Skulls and Skeletons! With 25 Science Projects for Kids, readers learn about the bones in their bodies and why we can’t live without them. And bones aren’t just good for humans—many animals can’t live without them! But do all animals have bones? No, they don’t! And why do fish look so much different from birds, even though both have bones? Organisms use their bodies in different ways to successfully live in different habitats. For example, a bird’s light bones are great for flying, but would not support them deep in the ocean.

Explore Skulls and Skeletonsencourages readers to learn as they compare and contrast their own bones with those of other vertebrates. They make working models, measure bone lengths and brain capacity, learn how to identify skulls and bones by shape, structure, and functions, and much more! Bones provide the framework that allow our muscles and organs to do their jobs. They also protect important body parts, provide a place for muscles to attach, and even make our blood. By exploring the skeletons that make up our bodies, kids gain foundational knowledge about how bodies work and what people can do to stay healthy.

Explore Skulls and Skeletonsincludes hands-on STEM activities and critical thinking exercises related to anatomy and biology. Fun facts, links to online primary sources and other supplemental material, and essential questions encourage readers to take a deep dive inside their own bodies!

Try these hands-on anatomy projects!

  • Measure brain volume with sand or rice
  • Compare finger adaptations
  • Design a skull model
Available In:
Hardcover, $19.95
9781619308060
Paperback, $14.95
9781619308091
Includes: Table of Contents | Timeline | Glossary | Resources | Index | Metric Conversions Chart
Specs: 8 x 10 size | 4-color interior | 96 pages
Subject: Science
Content Focus: Life Science

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Timeline

Introduction
What’s Under Your Skin

Chapter 1
Bone Basics

Chapter 2
Heads and Neck Above the Rest

Chapter 3
Torsos to Tails

Chapter 4
Out on a limb

Chapter 5
Give Yourself a Hand!

Glossary
Resources
Essential Questions
Index