---
title: "Naming Major Bones"
description: "Identify major bones and bone groups: skull, spine with vertebrae, ribcage, pelvis, femur and humerus. Explain three skeleton roles: supporting body shape, protecting organs and helping movement with "
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/naming-major-bones-mt_OMmiuv9ZLH
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/naming-major-bones-mt_OMmiuv9ZLH.md
retrieved: 2026-11-12
---

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# Naming Major Bones

Identify major bones and bone groups: skull, spine with vertebrae, ribcage, pelvis, femur and humerus. Explain three skeleton roles: supporting body shape, protecting organs and helping movement with muscles.

Subject: Science · Area: The Human Body · Ages 7 to 9
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/naming-major-bones-mt_OMmiuv9ZLH

## Ready when they can

- Name and locate at least six major bones or bone groups on a diagram or their own body
- Explain three skeleton roles: support gives the body shape, protection includes the skull around the brain and ribs around the heart and lungs, and movement uses muscles pulling on bones
- State that not all animals have an inside skeleton made of bones: crabs have exoskeletons, and many snails have protective shells

## Lesson: Naming Major Bones

In Bones & Muscles, you learned that bones make up your skeleton. Some names describe single bones; others describe groups of bones.

The skull is a bone group that surrounds and protects your brain. Your spine runs down your back and includes small bones called vertebrae. The ribcage protects your heart and lungs in your chest. The pelvis is a bone group at your hips; the femur is in your thigh.

Each upper arm has one humerus, from shoulder to elbow. Each thigh has one femur, from hip to knee. The femur is your longest bone. Count left and right separately when counting individual bones.

*(drawing: Muscles pull on bones to make body parts move.)*

Three skeleton jobs are support, protection and movement. Support gives your body shape. The skull and ribcage protect organs. Muscles pull on bones for movement, as when you kick a ball.

Animals have different body supports. A crab has a hard outer skeleton called an exoskeleton. Many snails have protective shells. Neither has an inside skeleton made of bones.

**Recap.** Skull, spine, ribcage and pelvis name bone groups. The femur is in your thigh; the humerus is in your upper arm. Bones support, protect and work with muscles for movement.

*Lesson, questions and study cards written for this dataset.*

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Bones & Muscles](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/bones-and-muscles-mt_SdIWVjzopp)

## Opens up

- [How Muscles Move Bones](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/how-muscles-move-bones-mt_6N-4TqCleR)