How can you tell they’ve got it: Naming Major Bones?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Name and locate at least six major bones or bone groups on a diagram or their own body; Explain the three functions: support (holds us upright), protection (skull protects brain, ribs protect heart/lungs), movement (bones work with muscles); State that not all animals have internal skeletons — some have shells or exoskeletons. Or just try it together: Can your child point to different parts of their body and name the bones underneath — like the femur in the thigh or the vertebrae in the spine?

Science The Human Body Ages 7–9

Naming Major Bones

Your child can name major bones and point them out — the skull, the spine, the ribs, and the thigh bone. The skeleton holds us up, guards organs, and helps us move.

In curriculum terms

Identify major bones of the human skeleton by name (skull, spine/vertebrae, ribcage, pelvis, femur, humerus) and explain the skeleton’s three jobs: supporting the body’s shape, protecting organs, and enabling movement with muscles

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Name and locate at least six major bones or bone groups on a diagram or their own body
Explain the three functions: support (holds us upright), protection (skull protects brain, ribs protect heart/lungs), movement (bones work with muscles)
State that not all animals have internal skeletons — some have shells or exoskeletons

🖨 Print this page to keep the checklist — it prints beautifully.

Try this together

Can your child point to different parts of their body and name the bones underneath — like the femur in the thigh or the vertebrae in the spine?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Bones & Musclesages 5–7Naming specific bones builds on knowing the body has a skeleton that supports and protects

Naming Major Bonesthis skill · ages 7–9

Unlocks

How Muscles Move Bonesages 7–9Muscle pairs contract to move bones; knowing named bones helps understand which muscles act on them

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1). No NSW K–6 outcome code matched (v0.1). No Victorian Curriculum 2.0 code matched (v0.1).

Nearby on the map

Balanced Diet & Food Groupsages 7–9 Cells, Tissues & Organsages 7–9 How Muscles Move Bonesages 7–9 How the Eye Worksages 7–9

All The Human Body skills →