Skulls & Skeletons(1 hour)

Explore the structures that enable animals to move. Look at bones, exoskeletons and skulls of a variety of animals to match their shape with function. A few live animals will help demonstrate different modes of locomotion.

A skeleton provides many things to a living organism, protection, support and a means of locomotion. Some animals have them inside, some outside; some seem to do well without a skeleton. Students will learn about the 200 plus bones that make up their own skeleton and how we share some of the same characteristics with other members of the animal kingdom. Full skeletons of a cat, bat, mole, chicken, snake, frog and fish will be viewed to compare form and function and how this affects motion. Skulls of mammals such as bobcat, coyote, raccoon, opossum, porcupine and deer will be brought around for students to touch and to see how differences in dentition and cranial features enhance survival of animals. Skulls of birds such as an owl, ostrich, grouse, pelican, woodcock and seagull will illustrate how beak shape affects feeding strategies. Live animals such as a snake, a turtle and a frog will demonstrate how body structure affects movement. Animals with exoskeletons, insects, crustaceans and others will be examined by students who will find that although they have an excellent suit of armor, it does have a limitation, size. Various types of insects, a live tarantula and crayfish will represent these. Even some animals live without the benefit of a skeleton, a jellyfish can makes its way in the world by using water as a means of supports, as a medium to protect itself and to provide a means of motion. Skulls and Skeletons is a look at the animal kingdom inside and out!