Indiana Science HS-AP3-3

ScienceGrades 9–12Movement and Support, the Skeletal System

The Standard

Locate and identify individual bones of the axial and appendicular skeleton and unique features of bones.

Indiana Academic Standards for Science (2023) · Movement and Support, the Skeletal System

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students locate and name bones on a skeleton model or diagram. They sort bones into axial and appendicular groups and point out features such as the head of the femur.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given an unlabeled skeleton, a student names bones such as the sternum, vertebrae, scapula, and femur. They classify each bone and identify a feature on a close-up image.
Common Misconceptions: Students may classify the hip bones as axial because they sit next to the spine. They often swap the radius and ulna or mistake a bone's head for a separate bone.
How to Assess It: Give students an unlabeled skeleton and a close-up of a femur. Ask them to label the sternum, scapula, and femur, classify each, and circle the femoral head.

Lesson moves

Give pairs printed bone cutouts to sort into axial and appendicular piles, then have them circle the head of the femur.
Ask, "Why is the clavicle appendicular even though it sits near the chest?" Have students defend their answer using its connection to the arm.
Show bone photo cards; teams earn a point for naming each bone, classifying it, and pointing to one visible feature.
Show an ankle X-ray; students label the tibia, fibula, and the ankle bump formed by each bone.

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