Mississippi Science HAP.4.7
The Standard
- HAP.4
- Students will investigate the structures and functions of the skeletal system including the cause and effect of diseases and disorders.
Enrichment: Use an engineering design process to develop, model, and test effective treatments for bone disorders (i.e., prosthetics). *
2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Skeletal System
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students choose a treatment need, such as a prosthetic leg after amputation for bone cancer. They build a model, test how well it supports weight, and revise it using the results.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student explains why they chose the shape and materials for each part. They measure how well the model bears weight and stays upright, then use the measurements to explain a specific change.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may call a brace a prosthesis, though a brace supports a limb and a prosthesis replaces a missing part. They may think a model that holds weight is safe to wear, overlooking fit and pressure on the skin.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: A cardboard prosthetic leg holds a 500 g bag but tips sideways. Name one design change, one way to test it, and a result that would show improvement.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Build a cardboard and foam prosthetic lower leg for a dowel limb, then test whether it supports a 500 g bag for 10 seconds.
Ask: Which part of your model wobbled most during the test, and what change would you make to steady it?
Give teams $10 in play money and priced cards for foam, cardboard, and sticks; have them choose parts and explain their choices.
Show a diagram of a prosthetic leg used after bone cancer surgery; have students trace how weight moves from the socket to the foot.
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Printable HAP.4.7 Worksheet
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