Skulls and Skeletons!: With 25 Science Projects for Kids

(Hardback)

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Age range 9 to 12

In Skulls and Skeletons! With 25 Science Projects for Kids, readers learn about the bones in their bodies and why we can't live without them. And bones aren't just good for humans many animals can't live without them! But do all animals have bones No, they don't! And why do fish look so much different from birds, even though both have bones Organisms use their bodies in different ways to successfully live in different habitats. For example, a bird's light bones are great for flying, but would not support them deep in the ocean.

Skulls and Skeletons! encourages readers to learn as they compare and contrast their own bones with those of other vertebrates. They make working models, measure bone lengths and brain capacity, learn how to identify skulls and bones by shape, structure, and functions, and much more. Bones provide the framework that allow our muscles and organs to do their jobs. They also protect important body parts, provide a place for muscles to attach, and even make our blood. By exploring the skeletons that make up our bodies, kids gain foundational knowledge about how bodies work and what people can do to stay healthy.

Skulls and Skeletons! includes hands-on STEM activities and critical thinking exercises related to anatomy and biology. Fun facts, links to online primary sources and other supplemental material, and essential questions encourage readers to take a deep dive inside their own bodies.

Reviews

Librarything.com

"I like how they explain the different parts of the skeleton of different species and then at the end of each chapter they have fun experiments for kids to do alone or with a group." (5 stars)

Praise for Explore Predators and Prey! by Cindy Blobaum

National Science Teachers Association Recommends

"Explore Predators and Prey! With 25 Great Projects provides a unique combination of solid, engaging, accurate text and hands-on experiences . . . As a teacher myself, it presents itself as nearly a complete unit plan! I can imagine building a unit based on this book and the resources it provides . . . I would definitely recommend this book, and will be seeking out others in this series!"

School Library Connection

"This book explains all about bones and how we couldn't live without them. Beginning with a timeline that spans bone discoveries from 500 million years ago, when scientists believe bones first appeared in fish-like animals, to the present day. A wealth of fascinating and informative facts encourage readers to compare their own bones with other vertebrates. Hands on activities and projects to demonstrate concepts like, "What makes a bone, a bone" are given alongside step-by-step directions, required supplies, and examples of follow-up questions to interpret the findings. . . Recommended."

Amy Grochowski, Curator of Education, Maxwell Museum of Anthropology
"Children of all ages will enjoy this fascinating peek inside the human body. Skulls and Skeletons! makes a relatively complex topic fun and interesting by using understandable terms and examples and providing science projects that model and demonstrate vertebrate structure and function. This book has many great ideas for stimulating critical thinking and putting STEM concepts into practice."

Ashley Mason Burns-Meerschaert, Director of Education, SKELETONS: Museum of Osteology
"Skulls and Skeletons! is more than an informative guide to the skeletal system. With so many opportunities for hands-on activities, it provides an innovative way to introduce readers to inquiry-based science exploration."

Steven Churchill, Professor, Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University
"Kids who love bones will love this fun and interesting book, and will have a blast doing the included science projects!"

Author Bio

Cindy Blobaum works as a naturalist for Dallas County Conservation. She spends much of her time leading school kids on outdoor explorations to help them about the natural world. She has written nine hands-on activity books for kids including Explore Night Science, Explore Honey Bees and Explore Predators and Prey for Nomad Press. Cindy lives in Des Moines, Iowa.Tom Casteel is an illustrator and cartoonist that graduated from the Center for Cartoon Studies in 2011. He has illustrated more than two dozen books for Nomad Press. He lives in South Bend, Indiana, with his family.