My third grade biologists continued their study of the skeletal system. Our emphasis in this lab was on the bones and joints in the hand. We used Mystery Science, a great online resource, to lead us through the investigation. The bones appear translucent because we painted them with vegetable oil and therefore, our drawings resemble x-rays.

I also shared pictures of prosthetic and robotic hands. I explained engineers use the knowledge they learn in science and math to solve problems. This is an example of a STEAM activity. We aren’t completing the project below, but I challenged my scientists to try it at home.