Know it! - Skeletons and Muscles - Year 3

In an educational module for Year 3 students by Focus Education (UK) Ltd, the question "Why do humans have skeletons and muscles?" is explored through a variety of interactive activities. The module emphasises the importance of retrieval tasks, encouraging students to revisit and consolidate their knowledge even after the unit is completed. One of the engaging activities described is 'Cops and robbers', where pupils have two minutes to jot down what they remember about skeletons and muscles. They then have a minute to 'steal' ideas from their peers, adding to their own list, with points awarded for each plausible statement. This activity not only reinforces learning but also promotes collaboration and sharing of knowledge among students.

Another activity involves categorising foods into groups based on their nutritional content. Students are tasked with identifying which items are carbohydrates, proteins, or fruits, with three examples for each category. This task helps them understand the different types of nutrients and their sources. Additionally, the module includes a labelling exercise for the human skeleton, where students must match numbers to the correct skeletal parts, such as the skull, ribs, and femur. The 'Word sorts' activity further enhances their understanding by having them identify which foods from a given list are proteins. Lastly, the module includes a quiz on muscular knowledge, with questions about the number of muscles in the body, the function of the heart, what connects muscles to bones, and how muscles work in pairs. These varied and interactive methods aim to deepen students' understanding of the human body in an engaging and memorable way.