Skeletal System Diagram and Discovery Stations

In this guided inquiry activity, students will work independently to move around the classroom to discover the different components of the skeletal system by reading Discovery Stations, labeling a Big Body Diagram of the system, and answering reading comprehension questions. Topics covered include: axial vs. appendicular skeletons, upper limb bones, lower limb bones, the pectoral and pelvic girdles, the rib cage, vertebral column, and the skull. These stations are a great way to decrease lecture time and increase student autonomy. At the completion of this activity, students will not only have a thorough overview of the anatomy of the skeletal system, but they will also have a completely labeled Big Body Diagram of the system to reference for studying.

*NOTE* Do not purchase if you have already purchased my Support and Motion unit or my Anatomy and Physiology Curriculum because you already have this product!

How can I use this?

• As a guided inquiry activity to introduce the skeletal system
• To replace lecturing on the parts of the skeletal system
• To practice reading comprehension and increase student autonomy in your classroom

Why should I use this product in my classroom?

I LOVE using these to introduce structures of a system to my students, to get them out of their seats, and to decrease lecture time. I have a Big Body Diagram (BBD) for each of the organ systems in my anatomy curriculum, and have made Discovery Stations, like these, for over half of them (I like to switch it up each unit so that my instructional methods don’t get redundant and dull for my students!) I found this method much more engaging and effective for my students than reading and labeling figures from the textbook or listening to me talk about them. Plus they still acquire the knowledge they need about the structures! Best of all, students can work at their own pace, and students who finish early can spend the extra time coloring their Big Body Diagrams and reviewing them. Many love to look back through their collection of diagrams throughout the year!

What is included?

• 2 pages of teacher implementation notes (PDF)
• 2 pages of student handouts (PDF)
• 2 page answer key (PDF)
• 8 Discovery Station cards (PDF)
• 2 Big Body Diagrams of the skeletal system - one version with the skull, one without (PDF)
• 2 slides of the Big Body Diagram to project onto a whiteboard for labeling as a class (PowerPoint)

Note: None of the components of this resource are editable.

What materials will I need to have in my classroom to set this up?

• Access to a color printer to print off the Discovery Stations
  • You really need these in color to see the images best. I also color code a lot of the terms and structures to help the students, and that gets lost if they are printed in black and white.
  • I also highly recommend laminating these so that they hold up year after year!
• Ability to print the Big Body Diagrams and student handouts (black and white) for each student
• Tape for assembling the Big Body Diagram
• 3-hole punch for students to be able to put the Big Body Diagram in their binders
• Coloring utensils for labeling the Big Body Diagram
• (Optional) Ability to project the “Big Body Diagram – Skeletal System TO LABEL” PowerPoint slide on a white board (if possible) so you can label it with white board markers as you go over with your class

How much prior knowledge is needed for students to be successful completing this?

• Students do not necessarily need any prior knowledge on the skeletal system to complete these stations, since they were designed to be used as a guided inquiry introduction to the system. However it is helpful to have at least introduced the system to them prior to using this resource so that they have a bit of context before diving in.

How much class time will this take?

• These stations take about 2 hours for students to complete AND for you to go over in class, about 2.5 50-minute class periods.
• If you do these for more than one system (see the other units I have this available for below) you will get a feel for the pace of your particular group of students. Every class is different in terms of how much time these will take them!

What if I want more Discovery Stations?

I have Discovery Stations and Big Body Diagrams for the following systems:

• Muscular
• Endocrine
• Cardiovascular
• Digestive
• Reproductive

You can also get ALL of the Discovery Stations and Big Body Diagrams at a 20% discount by checking out the bundle HERE.

NOTE: I do NOT have Discovery Stations for the following systems, but I DO have Big Body Diagrams for them. They are included as free add-on bonus resources in the bundle. I specifically chose NOT to make Discovery Stations for every unit because I don't want my class to ever feel boring or redundant, so I like to switch up my instructional methods as much as I can while also maintaining structure and organization. The following systems do have Big Body Diagrams for labeling and coloring but I use other methods of delivering the content for them within my full year curriculum.

• Integumentary
• Lymphatic
• Urinary
• Respiratory
• Central nervous system
• Sensory organs

What if I have a question?

Email me at itsnotrocketsciencestore@gmail.com. I’d love to answer any questions you have prior to purchasing!

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*TERMS OF USE*

You may...

• Use this item for your own classroom, students, or for your own personal use.
• Buy additional licenses for others to use this product at a discount by visiting your TpT “My Purchases” page.
• Review this product to recommend others buy it in blog posts, at professional development workshops, or other venues as long as credit is given to my store with a direct link to my store/product.

You may not...

• Upload this product to any unsecured website or server that other teachers can access for free.
• Give this product to others without the purchase of an additional license for them (this includes emailing, printing copies, or sharing through a website, cloud or other network.)
• Copy or modify any part of this document to offer others for free or for sale.