Understanding your skeleton: WORKSHEET

A skeleton, the framework of bones which support the body. The bones in the skeleton are
connected by joints so that we can bend our arms and legs. Muscles are joined to bones so
that we can control our movements. Some muscles, like the muscles in our legs, are big and
strong. Other muscles, like the muscles in our faces are smaller and less powerful.
umans first developed in !ast Africa when apes who had lived in trees moved down to ground
level and started to walk upright on two legs. Anatomists, who study human bodies, have
compared the human skeleton with the skeletons of apes. They have seen many differences,
and in the article below comments on those differences.
Head
The main bone of the head is called the skull. "f we compare a human skull and an ape skull,
we can see that humans have much bigger brains. #hen human babies are born their brains
are big but underdeveloped. $abies spend many years learning how to use their brains.
The second big bone in the head is the jaw, the big bone under the mouth. #e use the jaw to
open and close our mouths and to eat. Apes have much bigger jaws because they don%t use
knives and forks. They bite their food and pull leaves away from the plant or meat from the
bones of the animals they kill. Our teeth are much smaller than the teeth of chimpan&ees and
gorillas. This is because the food we eat is softer and easier to chew.
The head is attached to the neck at top of the spine 'back bone( with a very strong ligament
which helps us to hold our heads upright when we are standing, walking or running. Apes don%t
have this strong ligament because they usually use four feet when they run.
Arm
"n chimpan&ees, gorillas and humans, the arm is divided into two parts, the upper arm with
one big bone and the lower arm or forearm containing two bones. The upper arm and lower
arm are joined by a joint called the elbow. This combination of bones mean we can move our
hands through )*+ degrees. ,ook at the back of your hand. -ow turn your hand to look at the
palm. -otice the way in which the bones of your forearms are moving when you do this.
Hand
The hand is the most complicated part of our bodies. #e use our hands to grip and pick up a
heavy rock or a single pin. #e use our hands to fight and to play the piano. #e have many
bones in our ten fingers but no muscles. Our fingers are moved by long sinews attached to
muscles in the forearm.
"f we look at the hand of a chimpan&ee or gorilla, it seems to be the same as a human hand,
but in fact our thumbs are bigger. #hen humans started to use tools, they needed stronger
and more precise hands for making delicate movements.
Rib cage
"f we look at the central part of the upper body, we can see our rib cage. The rib cage is made
from small bones, called ribs. The ribs are joined together by a central bone called the
sternum. The rib cage protects the heart, the lungs and other organs.
Pelvis
Lesson submitted by Suzie Davis
pearsonELT.com
$elow the rib cage we can see the bones of the pelvis. "f you look at the pelvis of a cat or dog,
it%s .uite small. The human pelvis is bigger because we walk on two legs. #omen have a
bigger pelvis than men because they need to carry and give birth to a baby.
The pelvis is also important for humans because it twists when we are walking. Apes who lived
in trees did not need a pelvis which twisted in this way.
egs
#hen we start to look at the legs, we can see the biggest difference between apes and
humans. uman legs are much longer. The bones in the legs are similar to the bones in the
arm/ one strong bone in the upper leg, called the femur and two lighter bones in the lower leg.
The joint between the upper leg and lower leg is called the knee.
umans have long legs because they are good for walking and running. umans can run for
long distances, but apes can%t. Apes have shorter legs.
"n humans, the knee joint can 0lock%, holding the person in an upright standing position. ,ook
at gorillas standing. Their knees are not locked in the same way.
!eet
"f we compare the feet of humans with the feet of apes we can see the biggest difference. An
ape can use its feet to hold on to the branch of a tree. #e can%t do that. There are the same
number of bones in an ape foot and a human foot but a human foot does not have the same
abilities as an ape foot.
Lesson submitted by Suzie Davis
pearsonELT.com
Works"eet
# $ocabulary: Touc" your %
Work in pairs. Student A uses the vocabulary in the box to give instructions to
Student B. Student B listens and follows the instructions.
lower leg knee foot forearm neck
forearm skull thumb pelvis jaw
elbow pelvis upper arm neck hand
teeth finger rib cage sternum elbow
& 'om(re"ension: 'om(lete t"e sentences %
Complete the sentences. Choose a) b) or c).
)( The framework of bones in our bodies is called 1
a( a skeleton.
b( a rib cage.
c( a pelvis.
2( uman jaws are 1
a( bigger than ape jaws.
b( smaller than ape jaws.
c( the same si&e as ape jaws.
3( Our brains are inside our 1
a( rib cage.
b( pelvis.
c( scull.
4( umans have 1. teeth than apes.
a( more
b( smaller
c( bigger
5( The 1 between the upper arm and forearm is called the elbow.
a( ligament
b( bone
c( joint
6( #e haven%t got any 1 in our fingers.
a( ligaments
b( joints
c( muscles
7( Our rib cage protects our 1
a( heart and lungs.
b( brains.
c( scull and pelvis.
*( #e can lock our knees so we can 1
a( have babies.
b( stand upright.
c( climb trees.
8( #hen we walk, we twist our 1
a( pelvis.
b( sternum.
Lesson submitted by Suzie Davis
pearsonELT.com
c( knees.
)+(umans and apes have 1 in their feet.
a( more muscles
b( the same number of bones
c( larger.
) *iscuss
!se the information in the article and any other knowledge you have to discuss the
"uestions below.
)( ow did the change in diet change the human skeleton9
2( ow did the change from four feet to two feet change the human skeleton9
3( ow did using tools change the human skeleton9
+ Researc" ,'-.
#ow many of the word $xercise A do you know in your own language% &f you don't
know the words use a textbook dictionary or diagram to learn the words.
/ E0tension
(ook at skeleton of a bird or a fish. )escribe the bones you can see.
Lesson submitted by Suzie Davis
pearsonELT.com
Key
A Open answers.
$ )a, 2b, 3c, 4b, 5c, 6c, 7a, *b, 8a, )+b
: Open answers
; Open answers 'students may need to be directed towards sources for this information(
! Open answers
Lesson submitted by Suzie Davis
pearsonELT.com