B is for Bones - Skeleton Puzzle

"Mr. Bones, Mr. Bones, how do you feel Mr. Bones?" - name that movie! (Think musicals.)

 

This is a project that the kids will love to have and take home. Who doesn't love a dancing skeleton? It is great for a one on one project, but would need tweaking for a group of kids. I'll explain how Anya and I did it, then I will give some suggestions for making it more group friendly. Before I get started, here's the link to a free printable: skeleton puzzle.

We read a book about our skeletons and reviewed how they give our body shape. We also learned how they protect our body parts like our brain and heart. Then she and I cut out the pieces of the skeleton together and she took a guess at where the pieces went.

 

Next, she looked at the book we just read to correct any of the pieces that were out of place. 

 

Last, I punched holes and put brads in the connected pieces. (FYI: I used a mini hole punch and mini brads.) Then of course, she had to make Mr. Bones dance!

Now, this is not necessarily a project that a preschooler could do on their own for two reasons: there are a lot of pieces to cut out, plus some of them are small and brads are not something most preschoolers can manipulate.  So here's some ideas to change it up:

• Make the pieces bigger, cut them out and do it as a group.
• Have the pieces precut and glue them instead of using brads
• Have the kids cut out only the big pieces and precut the little pieces. 
• The teacher can put the brads in after class and give it to the kids the next day.

I hope that one of these ideas works. FYI this is a great 3rd grade project! I used it in my third grade class when I taught health and I also let my third grader do one as well. This is always a big hit with the kids!