The Skeletal System

	Name		

			

Without a ____                ______, our bodies would have no support and would flop around. Your skeleton consists of __       ______ bones all linked together. The primary function of the skeleton is to ____          ______ your body and ____          ______ the soft organs inside.

The ____          ______ or ____          ______ protects your brain like a helmet. The spine is made up of ____          ______ small bones called ____          ______. It is like a flexible chain that keep you standing straight yet lets you bend. It protects your              ______.

____          ______, the thick bundle of nerves that connects your body to your brain. The heart and lungs are protected by the ____          ______ curved bones of the           ______. The organs in the lower body are protected by the ____          ______.

When we are born our bones are ____          ______ and ____          ______. Cells gradually deposit ____          ______ that hardens the bone. An area of specialized cells in the long bones when you are growing taller is called the ____      _____  ___      ______. Bones have a hard white coating but are almost hollow. They are filled with _         ______ that makes blood cells.

More than ____          ______ of all our bones are in the hands, feet, ankles, and wrists. Bones meet up with each other at over 100 spots called ____          ______. There are several different types of joints. An example of a ball and socket joint is      __      ____. An example of a ____      _____ joint is the knee joint. A pivotal joint is the __       ______. Bones are connected together by stretchy cords, which are called ____          ______. The ____          ______ is the only bone not tied to another by ligaments.

Many disorders may strike the bones. Two examples of such disorders would be:
____          __                               ____ and ____                                    ______.