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Skeletal System Lesson Plan - A Complete Science Lesson Using the 5E Method of Instruction

By the end of this lesson about the skeletal system, students will be able to identify the main functions of the skeletal system and how it's structured. They'll also be able to identify the main organs associated with this system. Each of our lessons is designed using the 5E method of instruction to ensure maximum comprehension by students. This well-thought out unit does the heavy lifting, giving teachers easy-to-implement, highly engaging lesson plans.

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This blog will walk you through each of the steps and activities of the Skeletal System 5E Lesson Plan.

ENGAGEMENT

Objective Introduction

At the beginning of the lesson, the class will do a Think-Pair-Share to discuss the objective.

Class Activity

Watch the video using the provided link. Explain that the students will be studying the skeletal system. Ask them to explain what they already know about this system.

Student Activity

  1. What is the main purpose of the skeleton?
  2. Name several bones and the organs they protect.
  3. Where are half of the body’s bones located?
  4. How many bones does an infant have when born?
Text reading; “Identify the main functions of the skeletal system and how it's structured. Identify the main organs associated with this system.”

Afterwards, the teacher will help to clear any misconceptions their students may have about the skeletal system. A common but major misconception, for example, is that students may believe that bones aren't made of tissue. Students may also believe that bones don't have blood flowing through them. Finally, students may believe that bones don't grow or otherwise aren't "alive".

Estimated Class Time for the Engagement: 20-30 minutes

EXPLORATION

This student-centered station lab is set up so students can begin to explore the skeletal system. With nine stations in total, you can introduce the skeletal system to your middle school students in a variety of ways! Four of these stations are considered input stations where students will learn new information about the skeletal system, and four of the stations are output stations where students will be demonstrating their mastery of the lesson's material. A bonus station offers challenges for your early finishers and independent learners. You can read more about how I set up the station labs here.

Watch It!

At this station, students will be watching a short video explaining the skeletal system. Students will then answer questions related to the video and record their answers on their lab station sheet. For example: What are the two types of completed skeletons called? What are some pros and cons of each? What are the five main functions of the skeletal system? What two systems work in conjunction to allow for movement? How do they work together?

Read It!

This station will provide students with a one-page reading about the skeletal system. There are four follow-up questions that the students will answer to demonstrate their comprehension of the reading material.

Explore It!

Students will be working in pairs to better understand the skeletal system. In this station, students will be observing diagrams pertaining to the skeletal system. As they explore their own biology, students will record their observations on their lab sheet.

Research It!

The research station will allow students to explore an interactive webpage that has students take a scientific approach to understanding the skeletal system. Students will be instructed to complete a few tasks and record answers on their lab sheets.

Organize It!

Students at this station will match the sets of cards provided for them. Students will look at a diagram of the skeletal system and, on their lab sheet, will identify whether the bones belong to the axial or appendicular skeleton. Once students have completed their organization, the teacher will check their understanding.

Illustrate It!

Your visual students will love this station. Here, students will be tasked with creating and labeling a diagram that shows the various structures of the skeletal system.

Illustrate It! Station Instructions. Each member of the group will draw a quick sketch on the lab sheet that shows they understand the concept being taught. Use the colored pencils and markers that are provided. Station Directions: Use the diagram and colored pencils to label ten of the major bones in the human body. You can choose the ones you want to label. 2. Color the axial skeleton red and the appendicular skeleton green.

Write It!

Students who can answer open-ended questions about the lab truly understand the concepts that are being taught. At this station, the students will be answering three task cards: Explain in your own words what the main functions of the human skeleton are. Describe the difference between the axial and appendicular skeleton. How does the skeleton work with other body systems in order to function properly?

Assess It!

The Assess It station is where students will go to prove mastery over the concepts they learned in the lab. The questions are set up in a standardized format with multiple choice answers. Some questions include: Which is not a function of the skeletal system? Which organism has an exoskeleton? What is the main function of the skull? Ligaments and tendons are used to ____.

A screenshot of two multiple-choice Assess it! questions. The first asks students "What is the main function of the skull?". The second asks students to use vocabulary words from the Read It section to complete five different sentences..

Challenge It! - Bonus Station

Early finishers and advanced students will love the extension activities in this station. Four activity choices offer them ways to expand their learning through mini-games and mini-projects.

Estimated Class Time for the Exploration: One or two 45-minute class periods

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EXPLANATION

The explanation activities will become much more engaging for your class once they’ve completed the exploration station lab. During the explanation piece of the lesson, the teacher will be clearing up any misconceptions their students may have about the skeletal system with a variety of materials. These materials include on-level and modified versions of the interactive presentation (may be used individually or projected), anchor charts, and paper or digital interactive notebook activities.

A PowerPoint slide. Its text reads; "Quick Action: INB. CODE WORD. Let's review the main structures of the skeletal system! Read each description and identify what structure is being described. Type the word, one letter at a time, in the provided boxes. The highlighted boxes will reveal a set of letters. Unscramble the letters to uncover the secret code. (HINT: The secret code involves the main function of the skeletal system.)". Below these instructions is a box for students to type in the code word. To the right of all of this is five definitions and the blank, crossword-esque boxes for students to fill in. Certain boxes in these answer spaces are highlighted pink to let them know it's part the word that makes up the codeword.

The students will also be interacting with their journals while taking notes from the PowerPoint. If you have students that need modified notes, the 5E lessons come equipped to help give every student access to the lesson.

Estimated Class Time for the Exploration: Two or three 45-minute class periods

ELABORATION

The elaboration section of the 5E method of instruction gives students choices that allow them to prove they’ve mastered the concepts behind the lesson. When students are given a choice, they’re much more enthusiastic and invested in the project than they are when their teachers choose their projects for them. There are a total of nine choices to demonstrate understanding of the skeletal system. A separate set of choices that offer more teacher support are also available for students that need them. Rubrics guide students to doing their best work and assist in grading.

The top section of the Student Choice Project options. The displayed options read "Tech Project" and "Bulletin Board". Each goes into more detail about how the project will help students learn.

Estimated Class Time for the Elaboration: Two or three 45-minute class periods (can also be used as an at-home project)

EVALUATION

The final piece of the 5E model is to evaluate your students' comprehension. Included in every 5E lesson is a homework assignment, assessment, and modified assessment. Research has shown that homework needs to be meaningful and applicable to real-world activities in order to be effective. When possible, I like to give open-ended assessments to truly gauge the student’s comprehension.

Estimated Class Time for the Elaboration: One 45-minute class period

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